Even as the Manohar lal Khattar Government in Haryana has attracted criticism from various quarters over the school admission form asking the students to fill in details like whether their parents are engaged in any “unclean occupation” or suffering from genetic disorders, the state government defended it saying the form is intended to ensure that every student receives full benefit of schemes of Centre and State Government .
The students above primary classes have also been asked to furnish personal and family data, including religion, caste, bank account number, aadhaar details. The two-page form has been given by private schools to students, in various parts of Haryana.
After the controversy, the private school authorities, in their communication to parents, have made it clear that the information was being sought by the state Education Department and not by the school. On the other hand, the state Education Department has clarified that the form is intended to ensure that every student in every school of Haryana is enabled to receive full benefit of schemes of Centre and State Government.
“No new term has been coined much less introduced in the form by the present Haryana Government,” clarified an official spokesman of Department of School Education, Haryana.
On the use of a particular adjective with the vocation of parents, he said that it has been a part of a scheme of pre matric scholarship of Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, GOI, first revised on 21 January, 2009 and lastly on July 1,2011.
To those asking “what will they do with the bank account of a student” the spokesman said that the Department would obviously send all amounts of cash grants and scholarships directly in this bank account.
The spokesman clarified that Aadhar Number of the student seeking admission is not mandatory.
He added that those raising objection to yet another initiative of the Haryana Government to ensure that benefits of all schemes reach “unto the last” in the spirit of Antoyodaya is nothing but an instance of petty mindedness.
However, the opposition leaders accused the BJP led Government of "racial and religious profiling" through these school admission forms.
leader of opposition in Haryana Assembly and INlD’s senior leader, Abhay Chautala on Wednesday said that this government is busy in issuing controversial and useless orders in all departments.
The BJP Government is engaging in caste discrimination and hence, such forms were issues, he said.