Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma noted that many individuals from economically weaker backgrounds struggle with English, and the exclusive use of English in these crucial notices has created communication challenges. She stressed the need for making admission-related information accessible to everyone, especially those with limited English skills.
NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court has directed the Directorate of Education (DoE) to provide all notices and circulars concerning admissions under the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) category in both Hindi and English. This ruling aims to resolve language barriers faced by parents who may not be fluent in English.
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Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma noted that many individuals from economically weaker backgrounds struggle with English, and the exclusive use of English in these crucial notices has created communication challenges. She stressed the need for making admission-related information accessible to everyone, especially those with limited English skills.
Justice Sharma stated,
“It is crucial that the Directorate of Education does not restrict important notices regarding EWS admissions to the English language alone. The guidelines and requirements, especially regarding the documents to be submitted by parents, must be clear and comprehensible. This will help eliminate barriers that have been flagged by numerous parents in similar cases before the Court.”
The directive was issued in a case where a petition sought admission of a child to kindergarten under the EWS quota. The Court, however, dismissed the plea after finding that the parents had failed to present a valid income certificate before the admission process began, as required by the Directorate of Education’s guidelines.
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The parents contended that they were unaware their income certificate had expired before the application period started, which led to their non-compliance. While acknowledging the parents’ limited English proficiency and its impact on their awareness, the Court upheld the school’s decision to reject the application, noting that the absence of a valid certificate at the time of admission justified the school’s actions.
The Court did recognize the broader issue of language barriers affecting parents from disadvantaged backgrounds, suggesting these barriers might have contributed to the parents’ failure to meet the requirements.
To prevent similar issues in the future, the Court directed the Directorate of Education (DoE) to implement the following measures:
- Notices must also be issued in Hindi, a language widely spoken and understood by a significant portion of the population. This dual-language approach will help prevent future non-compliance due to language barriers and ensure that legal rights and opportunities are accessible to all, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds.
- The Directorate of Education (DoE) will make sure that information about the validity of income certificates and other required documents for EWS admissions is widely publicized. They will also provide this information in Hindi to serve the general public of Delhi.
- The DoE may create and upload a video explaining the EWS admission process, including the requirements for a valid income certificate and other necessary documents. This video should be available in both Hindi and English, and potentially other Indian languages, to ensure comprehensive understanding.
The Court determined that this dual-language approach would help prevent misunderstandings and enable individuals from economically weaker sections to fully exercise their rights.
