Delhi brings 500 unrecognized schools under fold, opens 20,000 new seats for underprivileged children

In a move hailed as a turning point for educational equity in the capital, the Delhi government has decided to grant official recognition to private unaided schools operating in non-conforming areas — a reform expected to generate around 20,000 new seats for children from Economically Weaker Sections (EWS), Disadvantaged Groups (DG), and Children with Special Needs (CWSN).

The decision, announced by Education Minister Ashish Sood, resolves a long-pending issue that had left nearly 500 schools functioning without formal sanction for over a decade. Applications for recognition will be accepted online between November 1 and 30, 2025, through the Directorate of Education (DoE) portal. Eligible schools meeting prescribed infrastructure, safety, and transparency norms will be brought under the DoE’s purview.

“For over a decade, this issue remained buried in files while children were denied their constitutional right to education,” Sood said. “Previous governments played favouritism, recognizing a few while neglecting many. This is not just administrative reform — it is justice for our children, fairness for our institutions, and a genuine step toward democratising education in Delhi.”

Officials described it as the first recognition drive since 2013, aligning with the constitutional mandate under Article 21-A and the Right to Education Act (RTE), 2009. Recognition will allow these schools to regularise their operations, upgrade to higher levels, and ensure continuity for students.

Sood called the move “a new standard in equitable education governance — a milestone that will be remembered as a defining chapter in the city’s education journey.”