Tikiri: Even though Supreme Court has ruled that Aadhaar is not mandatory for school admission, Gorakhpur Upper Primary School recently refused to admit a girl student as she did not have an Aadhaar card.
Abanti Majhi, a resident of Dengaguda under Dubukabahl gram panchayat in Kashinagar block of Rayagada district, approached the school for admission into Class VII. The school authorities, however, have declined to admit her as she failed to produce her Aadhaar card.
The school also told her that her admission would be possible, only after she shows her Aadhaar card. When contracted, the headmaster of the school reiterated the condition for admission.
Failing to show her Aadhar card, Abanti’s family members were at a loss to understand what they should do as they would have to discontinue the girl’s studies for want of Aadhaar.
Abanti’s mother Phulemi Majhi said due to lack of an Aadhaar card her daughter’s studies would be interrupted.
Meanwhile, Abanti had enrolled her name and undergone all formalities to obtain an Aadhar card for six times, at various Aadhaar enrollment centres, including Kashipur and Dangarisil. But due to technical glitches, she failed to get an Aadhaar card.
The Supreme Court on September 26, 2018 ruled that though Aadhaar is constitutionally valid, it cannot be made compulsory in school admissions. School admissions are not a benefit under Section 7 of the Constitution, therefore Aadhaar cannot be a criterion to deny admissions. The Supreme Court also ruled that the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) and University Grants Commission (UGC) cannot make Aadhaar mandatory.
Schools cannot refuse admission due to lack of an Aadhaar card, the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) has said. In an official circular addressed to Chief Secretaries of states, the UIDAI has said instances of schools refusing admission in the absence of Aadhaar have come to notice.
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