Delhi schools told to form special cells for out-of-school children
NEW DELHI: In a major move to address the rising number of out-of-school children in Delhi, the city government has directed all schools under the Department of Education (DoE), Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), Delhi Cantonment Board (DCB), and New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) to establish Special Admission Cells (SACs).
These dedicated cells will focus on enrolling children who have never been to school, including those with disabilities and those who dropped out due to socio-economic reasons.
Education officials have described the initiative as a 'targeted rescue mission for education' aimed at reintegrating vulnerable students into the formal education system.
The SACs will be responsible for not only admitting these children but also for ensuring they remain in school, track their attendance, and support their academic progress.
Each SAC will be composed of the school's head, the admission in-charge, a vocational guidance counselor or an expert with similar skills, and the Cluster Resource Centre Coordinator (CRCC), who will provide data on out-of-school children (OoSC). The goal is to simplify admission procedures, counsel parents and children, and address any barriers preventing enrollment.
'The idea is to not just admit them, but to track their attendance, support their learning, and ensure they don't fall through the cracks again,' said a senior education department official.
Key responsibilities of the SACs will include time-bound admissions, tracking academic performance and attendance, and ensuring the retention of enrolled children.
The cells will also meet regularly to assess the progress of out-of-school children, update data with the UDISE Plus system, and identify and address dropout cases by providing targeted support to students and their families. Additionally, SACs will provide a bi-weekly report to the headquarters on the status of admissions, attendance, textbooks, uniforms, assessment, and plans for mainstreaming these children into the formal education system.
Government estimates suggest that hundreds of children in Delhi remain outside the education system due to work, migration, or a lack of awareness about their educational rights.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Indian Express
16 hours ago
- Indian Express
Delhi govt schools directed to set up Special Admission Cells for children out of school
Delhi's Samagra Shiksha Department has directed the heads of all government schools, including that of the Directorate of Education (DoE), Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) and the Delhi Cantonment Board (DCB), to set up Special Admission Cells (SAC) for children who were never enrolled. According to a circular issued on Thursday, the department aims to 'strengthen and streamline the admission process of never-enrolled Out-of-School children (OOSC), including Children with Special Needs (CWSN)' as well as students who dropped out of the school system due to any reason. These cells need to comprise the school head, admission in-charge and an educational and vocational guidance counsellor (EVGC) or a representative of similar expertise from the management belonging to MCD, DCB or NDMC authorities. There also has to be a Cluster Resource Centre Coordinator (CRCC) to give data to the cell. The SAC has been tasked with ensuring smooth and time-bound admission of identified out-of-school children, including Children with Special Needs. It is also expected to guide and counsel parents and children during the admission process. According to the circular, the SAC should ensure minimal documentation and coordinate with the school head and Special Training Centre (STC) teachers for enrolment support. Other responsibilities listed include: According to the department's standard operating procedure for out-of-school children, their identification is done 'to admit them in regular class/STC at the earliest.' They should be given admission in a regular government school immediately in the age-appropriate class where learning assessment of the child is done. This is to mainstream the child as after the assessment, the child may be recommended schooling in regular class or STC for a bridge course, as per the stage of learning.
New Indian Express
18 hours ago
- New Indian Express
Delhi schools told to form special cells for out-of-school children
NEW DELHI: In a major move to address the rising number of out-of-school children in Delhi, the city government has directed all schools under the Department of Education (DoE), Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), Delhi Cantonment Board (DCB), and New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) to establish Special Admission Cells (SACs). These dedicated cells will focus on enrolling children who have never been to school, including those with disabilities and those who dropped out due to socio-economic reasons. Education officials have described the initiative as a 'targeted rescue mission for education' aimed at reintegrating vulnerable students into the formal education system. The SACs will be responsible for not only admitting these children but also for ensuring they remain in school, track their attendance, and support their academic progress. Each SAC will be composed of the school's head, the admission in-charge, a vocational guidance counselor or an expert with similar skills, and the Cluster Resource Centre Coordinator (CRCC), who will provide data on out-of-school children (OoSC). The goal is to simplify admission procedures, counsel parents and children, and address any barriers preventing enrollment. 'The idea is to not just admit them, but to track their attendance, support their learning, and ensure they don't fall through the cracks again,' said a senior education department official. Key responsibilities of the SACs will include time-bound admissions, tracking academic performance and attendance, and ensuring the retention of enrolled children. The cells will also meet regularly to assess the progress of out-of-school children, update data with the UDISE Plus system, and identify and address dropout cases by providing targeted support to students and their families. Additionally, SACs will provide a bi-weekly report to the headquarters on the status of admissions, attendance, textbooks, uniforms, assessment, and plans for mainstreaming these children into the formal education system. Government estimates suggest that hundreds of children in Delhi remain outside the education system due to work, migration, or a lack of awareness about their educational rights.
NDTV
a day ago
- NDTV
Delhi Schools To Admit Only 6-Plus Aged Children In Class 1 From 2026. Here's Why
Delhi School Admission Age: The Directorate of Education (DoE), Delhi has announced a major shift in the school admission structure by aligning with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. Starting academic session 2026-27, children will be eligible for admission to Class 1 only after they complete six years of age. This move is aimed at restructuring the foundational stage of schooling across government, government-aided, and recognised private schools in the capital. What Will Change? As per the new framework, the foundational stage-spanning three years before Class 1-will be formalised as part of school education. The updated structure will follow these age criteria: Nursery (Bal Vatika/ Preschool 1): 3+ years Lower KG (Preschool 2): 4+ years Upper KG (Preschool 3): 5+ years Class 1: 6+ years The DoE has clarified that the titles of pre-primary classes (Nursery, LKG, UKG) may be renamed in line with evolving practices. What Schools and Parents Should Know The circular mandates all schools under the DoE's jurisdiction to implement this revised structure starting 2026-27. While detailed implementation guidelines will follow, the policy shift is aimed at ensuring that students entering formal schooling are developmentally ready, as envisioned under the NEP 2020 and RTE Act, 2009. Call for Suggestions To make the process more inclusive, the DoE has invited feedback from all stakeholders-teachers, parents, students, school bodies, experts, and the public. Inputs can be shared at schoolbranchnep@ by July 10, 2025. This new circular supersedes all previous orders related to age criteria and foundational stage structuring in Delhi schools.
