Naina Mishra

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 16

Following the order of the Supreme Court, the city schools are planning to remove the column of Aadhaar number from their admission forms.

Till last year, the admission forms sought Aadhaar details of children and their parents.

The school heads said the admission forms would be updated on their websites before November 30.

On September 26, the apex court ruled that though Aadhaar was constitutionally valid, it could not be made compulsory in school admissions. The court had also mentioned that the consent of children’s parents/guardian was essential for the enrolment of children under the Aadhaar Act.

Going by the admission form of 2018-19 of St Joseph’s School, Sector 44-D, Chandigarh, it had sought a checklist of documents to be furnished by parents at the time of admission. The checklist included Aadhaar card of the child as well. It further mentioned that the admission of the child will remain provisional till the documents provided in the checklist are not deposited. Principal Monica Chawla said, “We are very well aware of the orders of the Supreme Court and have updated the form. I am not aware whether the website of school has an old form.”

Similarly, KBDAV School, Sector 7, had also sought an attested copy of applicant’s Aadhaar card for admissions. Principal Pooja Parkash said, “We will amend the admission form. The new form will not seek Aadhaar details of the child. No child will be denied admission on these grounds.”

Banyan Tree School, Sector 48-B, and Manav Mangal High School, Sector 21-C, had also demanded Aadhaar card details of children in their admission forms. Sanjay Sardana, director, Manav Mangal High School, said, “The form, which is uploaded on the website, is an old one. As per the SC ruling, we will omit the Aadhaar card details. The new form will also omit the parental income details that were earlier sought.”

Nitin Goyal, President, Chandigarh Parents Association, said, “In clear contempt of the Supreme Court orders, some schools have made Aadhaar number a mandatory requirement for applying for admissions. If a student fails to do so or does not wish to provide Aadhaar number, his admission form is not accepted, which results in denial of education to him/her. This is a violation of the right to privacy and also against the spirit of the Right to Free and Compulsory Education Act.”