Delhi High Court Rules on RTE School Choice

The India===Delhi High Court, with Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia presiding, ruled on March 25 that the Right to Education Act does not grant a child the right to select a particular school. This verdict came in response to a mother's appeal seeking admission for her ward in Class 2 under the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) category in a private school for the 2024-2025 academic session. The court emphasized that the RTE Act is beneficial legislation aimed at social inclusion, ensuring schools are common spaces not differentiated by caste or ethnic group, but this right cannot be translated into a right to choose a specific institution. The court also noted that without an interim order, the right to admission expires with the academic year. The India===Directorate of Education had offered alternative placements, which the appellant declined.