Punjab Education Department issues guidelines for school admissions under EWS quota

The Punjab Education Department has issued guidelines for admission of EWS students in private schools, fixing 25 per cent quota for the disadvantaged children.

The department has issued standard operating procedure for EWS admissions in private schools, under the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009. The instructions have been issued following directives from the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

According to these instructions, all private, unaided schools, except minority schools, would admit children belonging to the EWS and disadvantaged groups in nursery or LKG or UKG or Class I, whichever is the entry-level class of the school, to the extent of at least 25 per cent of the total seats as mandated by the RTE Act.

Children belonging to weaker sections (family income below Rs 8 lakh per annum), Scheduled Caste (no income limit), and backward class or other backward class (non-creamy layer), war widows’ children, and destitute parents’ children will be eligible for these seats. The government has sub-classified the 25 per cent seats, reserving 12.5 per cent for EWS category children, 5 per cent for SC children, 5 per cent for BC/OBC children, and 1.25 per cent each for war widows’ children and destitute parents’ children.

The order stated that 25 per cent of the seats would be calculated based on the total admissions in the entry-level class during the previous academic year. For newly registered schools, 25 per cent seats would be calculated based on the approved class strength.

In February this year, the high court ordered all private unaided schools in Punjab to reserve 25 per cent of their Class I seats for children from such backgrounds. The court had directed the state government to ensure strict enforcement of the ruling in the 2025-26 session. However, the private unaided schools continued to flout the guidelines, citing the absence of any guidelines on eligibility criteria, selection and admission procedures, and free reimbursement.

According to the guidelines, children residing within 1-km radius of the school will receive priority for draw/admissions, and children residing within a radius of 3 km of the school will get second preference. Thereafter, in the case of unfilled vacancies, the applicants residing beyond 3 km but within a 6-km radius will be considered.

The school transportation cost will be borne by parents or guardians, wherever applicable. “The school shall receive fee reimbursement for the expenditure incurred by the school to the extent of per-child expenditure as determined by the Government of Punjab, or the actual school fee, whichever is less. Detailed guidelines in this regard shall be issued later,” it said.

The school shall receive fee reimbursement for the expenditure incurred by the school to the extent of per-child expenditure as determined by the Government of Punjab, or the actual school fee, whichever is less.