The Times of India (Delhi) | 31 January 2017
The umbrella body of budget private schools in Delhi has claimed that the attention paid to government and elite schools in the city have left them completely neglected, so much so that a large chunk of seats in its nursery classes are still empty.
According to the National Independent School Alliance, the current land norms recognition system, under which most budget schools get recognition only till Class V, is faulty and hinders them from upgrading, because of which parents are wary about sending their kids to such schools.
The chairman of Coordination Committee of Public Schools R K Sharma, said that budget schools cater to those who want a private education without paying exorbitant fees, and need the government's support.These are schools that cater to mostly the marginalised sections.
One of the biggest bones of contention of the alliance is that the schools are denied recognition because they do not have the space required as per norms of the Master Plan Delhi 2031. “Delhi generally has little space everywhere. We should be allowed to increase the number of floors, and granted recognition on the basis of number of rooms. We cannot upgrade our infrastructure as we are not formally recognised by the government,“ Sharma said.
The alliance has requested the government to address their demands of change in land policy and subsidise power and water charges.