New Delhi: Delhi High Court on Friday took a dim view of Delhi govt’s decision to give cash rather than provide school uniforms to eligible students enrolled in govt schools. It called the policy decision contrary to the ruling of the court and demanded an explanation.The high court was hearing an application by the directorate of education citing “operational difficulties” in providing uniforms to children enrolled in its schools and seeking the court’s nod to its policy decision to pay higher rates to the parents for the purchase of uniforms. It pointed out that DoE should have approached HC if it encountered any difficulty in abiding by the orders, instead of unilaterally taking a policy decision.After the govt assured it would file a better response and revisit the matter, the court posted the hearing for next week. DoE told the court that the Delhi cabinet agreed to approve the proposal for the revision of school uniform rates from the academic session 2025-26, but did not accept the proposal for the distribution of school uniforms in kind due to operational difficulties. The move was, in no manner, intended to disregard the views expressed by HC, it submitted. “It is most humbly submitted that due to operational difficulties, the department is not able to provide school uniforms and hence the proposal for revision of rates of reimbursement in lieu of school uniforms was approved,” DoE said.The plea was filed in a petition concerning the supply of resources to students belonging to EWS and disadvantaged groups in schools and the implementation of the provisions of Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act 2009 and Delhi Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Rules 2011.In 2023, HC had made it clear to the govt that it had to abide by the court’s Aug 2014 ruling to provide uniforms and not cash to students.
