The Government would consider whether to scrap the privilege of an MP recommending the admission of 10 students to Central schools in an academic year after consulting all political parties. It will also mull over whether disabled children could be given certificates of disability in the camps organized in schools to avoid discomfort to parents and their wards.
The issue to end the privilege of MPs came in the Lok Sabha after Congress member Manish Tewari said the 10-seat quota for the MPs is inadequate as they receive a lot of requests for recommendations for central schools’ seats.
Tewari said the quota should either end or be enhanced. Speaker Om Birla directed Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan to hold a meeting with the leaders of political parties in the House on the issue.
“Let the minister hold a meeting with the leaders of political parties in the House to decide whether the MPs quota in central schools should be ended. Why should we have this discriminatory quota? A decision will be taken after discussions with the leaders of the parties,” Birla said.
Pradhan said if the House is unanimous in ending the MP quota, the Government can work in that direction, Pradhan said.
“We are people's representatives. We are not representatives of a few,” the Minister said adding the quota was increased from the initial two to five and now 10 seats (per academic year)
A number of MPs opposed the move, saying MPs often receive lots of requests for the recommendations of central school seats and the 10-seat quota is inadequate and should be enhanced.
“It would be very difficult to do away with it,” Trinamool Congress member Mahua Moitra said.
During question hour, BJP MP Aparajita Sarangi sought the Government to issue disability certificates to school children in the camps organized in schools itself as their parents find it difficult to get such a certificate ( for admission under disabled quota) under the current procedure that requires running around and a good time to spend. She also asked that the quota be increased .Another member said there are not many specialized institutes in the country to train special trainers for such children and sought more staff trained in the sign language.
Pradhan said the Government would consider these good suggestions and would think about organizing camps in schools to give disability certificates.