Delhi High Court Clarifies Boundaries of Right to Education

The Delhi High Court has clarified that the Right to Education (RTE) does not include the right for students to choose a specific school. The court, comprising Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia, noted that while the RTE aims for social inclusion by breaking down caste and ethnic barriers within educational spaces, it does not extend the privilege of selecting a particular institution.

This ruling followed an appeal by a mother seeking admission for her child in Class 2 under the EWS category in a private school for the 2024-2025 academic session. She contested a prior decision denying admission for the completed 2023-2024 academic year, arguing her child should be granted entry for the following year.

The court, however, upheld that without an interim order during the case's pendency, the student's right to admission expires with the academic year. The Directorate of Education subsequently offered alternative schooling options, which the appellant declined, underscoring her preference for the initial choice of school.