Reimbursement for EWS Increased in Private Schools by Delhi Government

The reimbursement that Delhi government provides to various private schools for free education of economically weaker section students will be increased by almost 25 percent, from the next academic session. The educational department of the state has pointed out that the government will now pay Rs. 1598/- per student to the private schools in Delhi. The amount is paid to the schools to provide free education to the children of economically weaker backgrounds. Previously the amount given per student to the schools was Rs. 1290/-.

The Education Minister Manish Sisodia was receiving complaints from various private schools regarding the minimal reimbursement that the government provides on children for the schools under the EWS category. The latest decision of increasing the reimbursement has come to tackle the same. According to senior officials in the education department, the government reimburses a fixed amount to private schools for the EWS category student, which is the maximum limit. The government reimburses what the schools in charging for any other child for their education or Rs. 1290, whichever is less.

According to a senior Education department official, “The amount was initially fixed on the basis of what the government spends on each student of its schools. Initially the amount was fixed at Rs. 1190 and was later revised. There were, however, numerous complaints about the amount being less.”

During the admission of the entry level classes this year, the government has allotted over 26000 seats in the various private schools under the EWS category, in order to allow more children to get good education in subsidized money from the government. This is the first time that this government has taken this step as an experiment.