Delhi govt to grant recognition to private unaided schools in non-conforming areas: Education Minister Sood

New Delhi [India], October 31 (ANI): Delhi Education Minister Ashish Sood on Friday announced that the Delhi government has taken a historic and significant decision under the visionary leadership of Chief Minister Rekha Gupta to grant recognition to private unaided schools operating in non-conforming areas of the city.
According to a release, it's a long-pending reform that restores the constitutional right to education for thousands of children across the city.
According to this decision, all private unaided schools that have been functioning in non-conforming areas for a long time but have not yet obtained recognition from the Directorate of Education, either due to procedural reasons or due to the discriminatory approach of previous governments, can now apply for recognition from the Directorate of Education, Government of Delhi.
The Directorate of Education's online portal for submission of applications will open on November 1, 2025. All such schools willing to seek recognition may apply till November 30, 2025. After the completion of the application process, the received applications will be scrutinised, and a list of such schools that meet all the prescribed criteria for recognition will be issued thereafter, the release said.

The Education Minister said, "For over a decade, this issue remained buried in files while children were denied their constitutional right to education. Previous governments played favouritism, recognising a few while neglecting many. Under the leadership of Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, we have ended this selective discrimination. This is not just administrative reform, it is justice for our children, fairness for our institutions and a genuine step towards democratising education in Delhi.:
By turning a decade-old challenge into a people-first reform, the Government of Delhi has set a new standard in equitable education governance, a milestone that will be remembered as a defining chapter in the city's education journey.
He also said, "This initiative ensures full compliance with Article 21-A of the Constitution and the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 (RTE Act), reaffirming the Delhi Government's commitment that no child shall be denied education due to administrative or locational barriers."
He further said that the last recognition drive was conducted in 2013, benefiting only a few schools through selective approvals.
For more than ten years, many schools in non-conforming areas operated without recognition due to bureaucratic apathy and policy paralysis of past regimes. As a result, Children from Economically Weaker Sections (EWS), Disadvantaged Groups (DG), and Children with Special Needs (CWSN) were deprived of recognised schooling despite living near functioning educational institutions.
In contrast, the present government has introduced a transparent, equitable, and accountable process, breaking away from the politics of favouritism and setting a new benchmark in democratising education in Delhi, the release said.
Sood stated that with this decision, nearly 500 schools will now fall under the purview of the Directorate of Education (DoE), ensuring legitimacy, regulatory oversight, and accountability. This reform will directly benefit thousands of students. Each year, the DoE receives nearly 2 lakh applications under EWS/DG/CWSN categories for around 40,000 seats, many of which remain vacant due to the shortage of recognised schools. The new recognition policy is expected to generate about 20,000 additional seats, greatly expanding equitable access to quality education.
The Education Minister also said, "Recognition under the Delhi School Education Act & Rules and the RTE Act, 2009 mandates compliance with norms related to infrastructure, safety, teacher qualifications, and fee transparency. It also enables schools to upgrade up to secondary and senior secondary levels, ensuring educational continuity for students. By bringing these institutions under the direct supervision of the DoE, the Government has guaranteed uniform standards of quality, safety, and accountability irrespective of the location of the school."
Parents are encouraged to enrol their children only in DoE-recognised schools as recognition assures the legitimacy of certificates, safety compliance, and eligibility for government admissions and benefits. The Government has also ensured that no student will face any disruption during this transition; the process has been designed to protect continuity of learning while upgrading institutions to recognised status.
This landmark decision legitimises academic operations, secures continuity of schooling, and reinforces the constitutional promise of education for all. It stands as a testament to the Delhi Government's commitment to inclusive, transparent, and accountable governance.
Speaking on the issue to ANI, Sood said, "Many schools operate without accreditation, causing inconvenience for parents and making it impossible to determine the quality of education. Our government, under the Chief Minister's direction, has pledged to regularise all schools that meet the standards." (ANI)