An eleven-year-old student has approached the Supreme Court challenging the Delhi Government’s admission policy for CM SHRI Schools, which requires students to appear for entrance tests for Classes 6, 7, and 8.
The petition, filed under Article 32 of the Constitution, contends that mandatory entrance tests violate Article 21-A, which guarantees the right to free and compulsory education, and Section 13 of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009, which prohibits any “screening procedure” in school admissions.
The petitioner, Janmesh Sagar, a Class VI student at Government Sarvodaya Bal Vidyalaya, appeared for the entrance test on September 13, 2025, following a government circular issued on July 23, 2025. He argues that CM SHRI schools, being part of the “specified category” under Section 2(p) of the RTE Act, cannot bypass the provisions of Section 13.
The petition highlights contradictions in previous Delhi High Court interpretations, which excluded specified category schools from the RTE Act, asserting that such interpretations conflict with the constitutional mandate of free and compulsory education.
Janmesh seeks a declaration from the Supreme Court confirming that Section 13 applies to CM SHRI schools, nullifying the July 23 circular, and directing admissions to be conducted through a lottery system rather than entrance tests.
This case raises crucial questions about equitable access to education and the implementation of the RTE Act in Delhi’s specialised schools.
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