The Delhi Directorate of Education has announced the results for the Economically Weaker Section (E.W.S) and Disadvantaged Group (D.G) category admissions for the upcoming academic session on March 5, following a computerised draw of lots. Out of more than two lakh applications, approximately 44,000 children were selected for admission to Nursery, Kinder Garten, and Class One in private schools under this quota.
India’s education system is a mix of government, private, and alternative schooling models, but access to quality education remains deeply unequal. To bridge this gap, the Right to Education (RTE) Act, 2009, introduced a landmark provision mandating private schools to reserve 25% of their seats for students from E.W.S and D.G categories.
While this policy aims to create a more inclusive education system, its implementation faces several challenges and questions. How does the E.W.S/D.G quota work? Who is eligible? What is the admission mechanism, and what barriers still hinder its success? Here’s a breakdown of the E.W.S/D.G quota under RTE and how it functions in practice.
Need of the Quota
The E.W.S quota in India operates under two distinct frameworks and is implemented nationwide but functions in separate domains—while the 10% quota focuses on higher education and employment, the 25% quota targets primary education in private schools.
The 25% E.W.S/D.G reservation is a provision under Section 12(1)(c) of the Right to Education (RTE) Act, 2009. This mandates private unaided schools to reserve 25% of their seats for children from E.W.S and D.G, such as Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, orphans, transgenders, and children with disabilities, at the elementary level. The government reimburses schools for providing these children with access to quality education.
What is the EWS/DG quota in schools?
The E.W.S/D.G quota applies to all the states and Union Territories, both urban and rural areas and thus every state has specific guidelines and criteria for determining eligibility, income thresholds, and the reimbursement process for private schools. The scope and impact of the quota vary based on factors such as the availability of private schools and the awareness levels among eligible families.
Recently, the income ceiling for E.W.S/D.G eligibility in Delhi was raised from ₹2.5 lakh to ₹5 lakh per annum. This move aims to make the quota more inclusive and accessible to a larger number of families.
Who is eligibile for EWS/DG 25% quota?
To apply for the 25% E.W.S/D.G quota in private unaided schools under the Right to Education (RTE) Act, certain criteria must be fulfilled. The family’s annual income should be within a limit, determined by the state government. The bracket may vary across states based on local economic conditions. Typically, the limit ranges from ₹1 lakh to ₹5 lakh per annum.
Parents must provide valid documents as proof of income, such as an income certificate issued by a competent authority like the Tehsildar or District Magistrate. Additionally, documents like ration cards, Aadhaar cards, or voter ID cards may be required to establish the family’s residence and identity.
The policy includes a provision that the child must reside within a specific radius of the school. This distance limit is also set by state governments and may vary for urban and rural areas. It usually ranges from 1 km to 10 km, depending on the school’s location.
What is the admission process?
Online application form through the designated government portal, along with necessary documents such as income certificates, residence proof, birth certificates, and Aadhaar details. After verification, eligible applicants are shortlisted, and admissions are conducted through a lottery system by Directorate of Education (DoE) or the concerned state education department. Once the lottery results are announced, selected students are allotted schools based on availability and proximity to their residence.
Parents then proceed with the admission formalities at the designated school. The government then reimburses the schools for tuition fees based on a pre-determined amount set by the education department. Recently, Delhi has been in the spotlight for its efforts to streamline the E.W.S/D.G admission process, with the use of an online lottery system to enhance efficiency and reduce irregularities. This move aims to make the process more accessible and equitable for eligible families.
Maharashtra faced controversy over the EWS 25% quota when the school education department issued a gazette notification exempting private unaided schools from the mandatory admission quota. The notification allowed the schools within one kilometer of a government or government-aided school to bypass the 25% RTE quota. However, the court ruled that this exemption violated children’s right to free elementary education under Article 21A of the Constitution.
Meanwhile, Kerala has set a minimum annual income of ₹4 lakh for EWS quota applicants, while Delhi recently lowered its eligibility cap from ₹5 lakh to ₹2.5 lakh. Tamil Nadu, on the other hand, provides cost-free education in all state government schools from Classes 1 to 8, ensuring access without financial barriers, while the 25% EWS reservation in private schools continues without major hurdles.
Elementary level quota: Renu Singh, Country Director of Young Lives India and a former member of the working group on child labor during the drafting of the RTE Act highlighted that reservation for E.W.S students should not be restricted to the elementary level. Without continued financial and academic support beyond primary education, many students are left without structured pathways for further learning.
Financial constraints beyond tuition fees: Dr K R Maalathi, an advocate for rural education and founder of Auuro Educational Services, highlighted that government reimbursement for E.W.S students covers only tuition fees, leaving parents responsible for additional expenses such as extracurricular activities, uniforms, bottles, bags, shoes, stationery, and books.
Social integration: Parmindr B Chopra, Principal at Delhi Public School, Nipania, Indore, noted that E.W.S students struggle to integrate with their classmates due to stark differences in upbringing, family systems, and social status. He suggested that a more effective approach to inclusive education would involve transforming government schools into centers of excellence with trained professionals to provide dedicated support to E.W.S students.
Language barrier: Limited exposure to English remains a major challenge for E.W.S students in early grades. Without special support, many struggle to keep up with the curriculum, further widening the academic gap between them and their peers. Many hailing from a specific family/religious/caste background are more familiar with their mother tongue.
Help at home: The Head of the Department for Classes 4-6 at DPS, Indore, pointed out that many E.W.S students lack motivation to study, write, or attend school regularly. In several cases,parents are unable to provide academic support at home, either due to a lack of education themselves or financial constraints that prevent them from affording extra tuition. Despite schools maintaining contact with parents and conducting special remedial classes for academically weaker students, disparities in writing and speaking skills create additional academic barriers.
Emotional integration and mental health: E.W.S students often grow up with a sense of inferiority and struggle to match the academic pace of their classmates, leading to demoralisation. Dr K R Maalthi highlighted that the lack of awareness from both the government and parents regarding the emotional impact of this divide further exacerbates the issue.
Teachers Training: One of the major concerns in private schools is teachers behaving differently with the students not doing well academically – teachers and staff thus need to be trained to especially behave without making them inferior – class-wise and academically.
Delayed reimbursement and fixed financial support: Government reimbursement for E.W.S students often does not arrive on time, creating financial uncertainty for both parents and schools.
Need for long-term success tracking: Despite more than a decade since the introduction of the E.W.S quota in 2009, it is difficult to evaluate the success of the program or implement necessary improvements to ensure its long-term impact.
Published – March 11, 2025 09:13 pm IST