Question : MINORITY SCHOOLS

(a) the number of Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) affiliated minority schools being run in the country, State-wise;

(b) whether any criterion has been set for admission of students in these schools and if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether minimum/maximum number of minority students has been fixed in these schools and if so, the details thereof;

(d) whether these schools are denying admission to minority students and are giving admission to other students in an arbitrary manner in the coun- try including Kota, Rajasthan;

(e) if so, the details thereof; and

(f) the steps taken by the Government to ensure that no minority student is denied admission in these schools?

MINISTER OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (SMT. SMRITI ZUBIN IRANI)

(a): The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) does not maintain such data with regard to affiliated schools.

(b): CBSE Affiliation Bye-laws provides that the minority educational insti- tutions must have the freedom to give special consideration to the students of their own community in matters of admission. In granting admission to the children belonging to the minority community itself, rules of natural justice and fair play must be applied and donations or other extraneous factors should not be allowed so as to discriminate against the less advantaged children from the same minority community.

(c) to (e): CBSE has not fixed such number of students. No such incident has come to the notice of CBSE.

(f): CBSE being an examination body does not interfere in the day to day affairs of schools including admission matters. However, CBSE Affiliation Bye-laws provides that admission in the schools affiliated to the CBSE shall be made without any distinction of religion, race, caste, creed, place of birth or any of them.