Process for the nursery admissions will commence from January1 in the light of Delhi School Education Amendment Bill 2015 and Delhi Schools Verification of Accounts and Refund of Excess Fee Act 2015.
As per provisions of the Bill, piloted by Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and passed by the Delhi Assembly, any school or person can face maximum 10 years of imprisonment for interviewing any child and his/her parents for admission to nursery in the national Capital.
The Act also has provisions to de-recognise those schools, which fail to comply with the directions of the Director (Education). Stringent provisions in the Bill have unnerved the management boards of schools as well as parents who try their luck in sought-after schools. The Bill has also shut the door for back-room parleys for seats.
The Bill said, “An entry level class includes a pre-primary or pre-school class where children below six years of age are admitted. Screening procedure means the method of selection for admission of a child, in preference over another, other than a random method.”
Any school or person, if in contravention of the provisions of the Act subjects a child to screening procedure for admission to an entry level class, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term, which shall not be less than five years which may extend up to ten years given that the court may, for any adequate and special reason to be recorded in writing, impose a sentence of imprisonment for a term, which may be less than five years, the Bill states.
The Bill further states, “If the manager of a recognised school fails to comply with any of the directions issued by Director or any other authority under this Act, the Director may, after considering the explanation or report, if any, given or made by the manager, take such action as he may think fit. The proposed action by the Director would include written warning to the school, with directions to take remedial or corrective measures as directed, stoppage of aid, if any, imposition of fine, in case of embezzlement of school fund or concealment of income generated from the fee, recovery of the said amount and depositing thereof in the Government account or any other account directed, suspension of admission at entry-level class or classes for a particular year with a cumulative effect, taking over the management of the school, de-recognition of the school”.
The Bill said whoever contravenes the provisions of this Act or the rules shall, on conviction, be punished with imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than three years but which may extend up to seven years and shall also be liable to fine, which may be minimum of `1 lakh and further extendable to `5 lakh, provided that the court may, for any adequate and special reason to be recorded in writing, impose a sentence of imprisonment for a term, which may be less than three years.