On Monday, the Delhi High Court voiced dissatisfaction with the education department of the Delhi government regarding the “inadequate” infrastructure and amenities, such as textbooks and furniture, in government schools located in Delhi’s northeast district, deeming the condition of these schools “terrible.”
The report highlighted several schools, including GGSSS Khajoori Khas, GGSSS East GokalPur, SKV C-1 Yamuna Vihar, SKV Khajoori Khas, GGSSS Sonia Vihar, newly constructed SKV Sriram Colony Khajoori Khas, GGSSS Bhajanpura, GGSSS Dayalpur, GGSSS Sabhapur, and SKV Khader Badarpur.
A division bench, consisting of Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora, acknowledged a report submitted by advocate Ashok Agarwal, representing the petitioner NGO ‘Social Jurist, A Civil Rights Group’.
During the previous hearing, the bench had directed Agarwal to inspect the schools in the district.
Upon reviewing a “scathing” report submitted by lawyer Ashok Agarwal, detailing his observations during his visits to these schools, the court noted several discrepancies, including “broken desks,” a “serious shortage of classrooms,” and inadequate books and writing materials.
The court ordered that an affidavit be filed within a week and scheduled the next hearing for April 23.
Agarwal cited examples of the lacking infrastructure and amenities, highlighting GGSSS Bhajanpura as a “tin building school” operating for several years, accommodating 1,800 girls and 1,800 boys in double shifts. He pointed out that nearly all desks were found to be broken there.
In court, the Secretary of Education affirmed the details outlined in the report, indicating that he had personally visited the mentioned schools and identified “deficiencies.” He explained that these schools are located in densely populated areas with limited space.
The court stressed the importance of authorities not only making announcements in newspapers but also addressing the shortcomings on the ground. Furthermore, it raised concerns about how children were expected to study in a tin building, particularly in high temperatures.
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