Govt to grant recognition to pvt schools in non-conforming areas

In a step towards educational reform, the Delhi Government has decided to grant recognition to private unaided schools operating in non-conforming areas of the city. The move is expected to benefit thousands of students and generate nearly 20,000 new seats for students from Economically Weaker Sections (EWS), Disadvantaged Groups (DG) and Children with Special Needs (CWSN).

Delhi Education Minister Ashish Sood said, “The Delhi Government has taken a historic and significant decision under the visionary leadership of Chief Minister Rekha Gupta to grant recognition to private unaided schools operating in non-conforming areas of the city. This is a long-pending reform that restores the constitutional right to education for thousands of children across the city.”

According to the Education Department, all private unaided schools functioning in non-conforming areas without recognition due to procedural or discriminatory reasons can now apply to the Directorate of Education (DoE) between November 1 and November 30, 2025. Applications will be scrutinised and recognition will be granted to institutions meeting all prescribed criteria.

The Education Minister said, “For over a decade, this issue remained buried in files while children were denied their constitutional right to education. Previous governments played favouritism, recognising a few while neglecting many. Under the leadership of Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, we have ended this selective discrimination. This is not just administrative reform, it is justice for our children, fairness for our institutions and a genuine step towards democratising education in Delhi.”

Calling the decision a “people-first reform”, Sood said the initiative ensures full compliance with Article 21-A of the Constitution and the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 (RTE Act). “This initiative ensures full compliance with Article 21-A of the Constitution and the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 (RTE Act), reaffirming the Delhi Government’s commitment that no child shall be denied education due to administrative or locational barriers,” he said.

The government highlighted that nearly 500 schools would now come under the ambit of the DoE, ensuring legitimacy, regulatory oversight and accountability. “Each year, the DoE receives nearly 2 lakh applications under EWS/DG/CWSN categories for around 40,000 seats, many of which remain vacant due to the shortage of recognised schools. The new recognition policy is expected to generate about 20,000 additional seats, greatly expanding equitable access to quality education,” Sood said.

The minister stated that recognition under the Delhi School Education Act & Rules and the RTE Act mandates compliance with norms related to infrastructure, safety, teacher qualifications and fee transparency. It also enables schools to upgrade to secondary and senior secondary levels, ensuring educational continuity.

Parents have been advised to enroll their children only in DoE-recognised schools to ensure certificate legitimacy and access to government benefits. The Education Department has assured that no student will face disruption during this transition.

Describing the move as a defining moment in Delhi’s education journey, Sood said, “By turning a decade-old challenge into a people-first reform, the Delhi Government has set a new standard in equitable education governance, a milestone that will be remembered as a defining chapter in the city’s education journey.”