Chandigarh, February 20, 2025 – The Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed all private unaided schools in Punjab to reserve 25% of their seats for students from economically weaker sections (EWS) under the Right to Education (RTE) Act. The court emphasized that the RTE Act, 2009, must be strictly enforced and instructed the Punjab government to ensure its smooth implementation from the 2025-26 academic session.
Court Issues Strong Directive
A division bench led by Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Harmeet Singh Grewal issued an interim order mandating that all private schools covered under the RTE Act must allocate 25% of their Class 1 seats to EWS and disadvantaged students, providing them with free and compulsory education. The court also instructed the Punjab government to take concrete steps to ensure compliance with this directive.
Legal Challenge Against Punjab’s RTE Rules
The ruling came during a hearing on a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by the KS Raju Legal Trust. The petition challenged Rule 7(4) of the “Punjab RTE Rules, 2011,” arguing that it unfairly restricted EWS students from gaining admission to private schools. The petitioner claimed this rule violated Article 21-A of the Constitution and the provisions of the
