New Delhi, Feb 28: The Supreme Court announced on Friday that Rohingya children are entitled to seek admission in government schools, and if their requests are denied, they can appeal to the high court. A bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and N. Kotiswar Singh disposed of a petition urging the Delhi government to facilitate the enrollment of Rohingya children with UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) cards in public schools.
“We expect the children to first approach the government schools. If their admission is refused, they are welcome to approach the high court,” the bench stated to senior advocate Colin Gonsalves, who represented the NGO ‘Rohingya Human Rights Initiative’.
The bench noted that they had issued a similar order in a previous public interest litigation (PIL) concerning the same issue. Gonsalves argued that recording the court’s direction in the order could help facilitate the admission of 500 students into government schools.
“I have been advocating for this cause since 2018, and a direct order from the court will enable the admission of 500 students,” he expressed.
The bench reiterated that it was issuing the same directive as it had on another PIL regarding Rohingya children. “We want the children to take the initial steps,” the bench emphasized. On February 12, the Supreme Court stated that no child should face discrimination in accessing education.
The plea sought directives for the Centre and the Delhi government to grant Rohingya refugees access to public schools and hospitals. Previously, the Supreme Court had inquired about the areas where these refugees resided and their respective details.
On January 31, the court requested the NGO to provide information on where the Rohingya refugees were settled in the city and what facilities were available to them. Gonsalves was also instructed to submit an affidavit detailing their residential locations in Delhi.
Gonsalves mentioned that the NGO sought educational and medical access for Rohingya refugees, who faced barriers due to the absence of Aadhaar cards.
“They hold UNHCR cards as refugees, so they cannot obtain Aadhaar cards. However, their lack of Aadhaar has hindered their access to public schools and hospitals,” he asserted. He noted that the Rohingya refugees are primarily located in areas such as Shaheen Bagh, Kalindi Kunj, and Khajuri Khas in Delhi.
“In Shaheen Bagh and Kalindi Kunj, they reside in slums, while in Khajuri Khas, they live in rented accommodations,” he reported.
The Supreme Court sought these clarifications to ascertain whether they lived in camps, as this could affect the nature of relief provided compared to what was outlined in the PIL.
The PIL demanded free admission for all Rohingya children regardless of Aadhaar cards, allowing them to participate in all examinations, including Classes 10 and 12 and higher education, without the government insisting on ID proof. Moreover, it sought the extension of all government benefits, such as free healthcare services in government hospitals, subsidized food grains under the Antyodya Anna Yojana, and benefits under the Food Security Act, to Rohingya families equal to those of Indian citizens, irrespective of their citizenship status. (Agencies)
