In a significant development, an 11-year-old student has filed a petition with the Supreme Court, directly challenging the Delhi Government’s admission policy for its CM SHRI Schools. The policy mandates entrance examinations for students seeking entry into Classes 6th, 7th, and 8th, a practice the young petitioner argues is fundamentally unfair.
This crucial writ petition, submitted under Article 32 of the Constitution, asserts that these admission tests are a direct contravention of Article 21-A of the Constitution. This article explicitly upholds the fundamental right to free and compulsory education, a principle further reinforced by Section 13 of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009.
Specifically, Section 13 of the RTE Act unequivocally bans any ‘screening procedure’ during the school admission process, aiming to prevent discrimination and ensure equitable access to education.
The petitioner, Janmesh Sagar, a current Class VI student at Government Sarvodaya Bal Vidyalaya in Delhi, had sought admission to a CM SHRI school for the upcoming academic year 2025-26.
Despite the RTE Act’s provisions, Janmesh was required to sit for an entrance test on September 13, 2025. This requirement was in direct accordance with a circular issued by the Government of NCT of Delhi on July 23, 2025.
The petition forcefully argues that these entrance examinations are both unlawful and discriminatory. It emphasizes that CM SHRI schools are categorized as ‘specified schools’ under Section 2(p) of the RTE Act, a classification that does not, in fact, grant them exemption from adhering to Section 13’s prohibition on screening.
Furthermore, the plea points out that an earlier ruling by the Delhi High Court, which stated the RTE Act did not apply to ‘specified category’ schools, directly conflicts with the foundational principles of Article 21-A and Section 13 of the RTE Act. This significant conflict is precisely why the petitioner has taken the extraordinary step of appealing directly to the Supreme Court.
In his petition, Janmesh Sagar seeks crucial directives from the Supreme Court. He requests an official declaration that Section 13 of the RTE Act indeed applies to CM SHRI schools, the annulment of the July 23, 2025 circular imposing entrance tests, and a mandate that all admissions be carried out via a transparent lottery system instead of any screening process.