Supreme Court: 'Rohingya children will be able to get admission in government schools', Supreme Court gave important instructions

The country's top court made a big comment on Friday. While hearing a PIL, the Supreme Court directed that Rohingya children can approach government schools for admission and in case of refusal, they can approach the High Court.

A bench of Justice Suryakant and Justice N Kotishwar Singh disposed of the petition seeking direction to Delhi government officials to admit Rohingya children holding UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) cards in government schools.

What did the court say?

Let us inform you that during the hearing on this PIL, the bench told senior advocate Colin Gonsalves, appearing for the NGO 'Rohingya Human Rights Initiative', that we want the children to first approach government schools. If they are not given admission, they can approach the High Court.

The bench also said that recently the court has passed a similar order in another PIL seeking the same relief. Senior advocate Colin Gonsalves told the court during this time that the court could record its direction in the order, which would clear the way for 500 students to get admission to government schools. Gonsalves said that I have been fighting for this issue since 2018 and with a direct order the court will give admission to 500 students.

No discrimination against children

In this case, the Supreme Court bench said that it is passing the same order that it had passed on a PIL in the case of Rohingya children. The bench said that we want the children to come forward. On February 12, the apex court said that no child would be discriminated against in getting an education.

What was demanded in the PIL

Let us tell you that in this petition, a direction has been sought from the Center and the Delhi government to provide access to government schools and hospitals to Rohingya refugees in the city. The apex court had earlier wanted to know in which area these refugees were living and had also sought their details.

The court had sought this information.

On January 31, the Supreme Court asked the NGO to tell the court where the Rohingya refugees are settled in the city and what facilities are available to them. The court also asked the NGO's lawyer Gonsalves to file an affidavit,

which mentions their places of settlement in Delhi.

During this, lawyer Gonsalves, appearing on behalf of the NGO, had said that the NGO had demanded access to government schools and hospitals for the Rohingya refugees, as they were denied it due to lack of Aadhaar card.

He had said that they are refugees who have UNHCR cards and hence they cannot have Aadhaar cards. But in the absence of Aadhaar, they are not being given access to government schools and hospitals.

Where do Rohingya refugees live in Delhi?

During the last hearing, the lawyer appearing on behalf of the NGO 'Rohingya Human Rights Initiative' had told the Supreme Court that Rohingya refugees live in Shaheen Bagh, Kalindi Kunj, and Khajuri Khas areas of Delhi. Along with this, he had said that in Shaheen Bagh and Kalindi Kunj, they live in slums, while in Khajuri Khas they live in rented houses.