Schools admitting kids below 3 yrs to face action: Gujarat govt

Ahmedabad

The Gujarat government today told the high court that a fine of Rs one lakh will be imposed on those pre-primary schools which admit children who are below three years old.

If a school flouts this rule for the second time, it would be derecognised, the government told the division bench of acting Chief Justice Jayant Patel and Justice N V Anjaria which is hearing a PIL seeking a ban on enrollment of children in schools at too young an age.

Government pleader Manisha Luvkumar said the existing rules do not permit such early enrollment and a government resolution containing the punitive provisions was notified last year.

However, the high court did not seem satisfied with the reply and asked if the government will implement the norms only through GRs.

Advocate Luvkumar assured the court that the government would amend the rules to prohibit such admissions.

According to the PIL filed by Kamal Pandya, 1996 guidelines say that the child should not be less than three years old as of August 31 in the admission year.

The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Rules, 2012, also have a similar provision, and it should be implemented, the PIL says.

PTI