Delhi govt to do away with no-detention policy: Arvind Kejriwal

Delhi government will soon bring an amendment in the Right to Education (RTE) Act and do away with the ‘no-detention policy’ till class VIII as has been done in number of states.

“Because of the no-detention policy, the students are being promoted by schools till class 8 leading to deterioration of standard and level as has been pointed put by teachers and parents. So the decision to remove the no-detention policy has been taken in Cabinet meeting today,” Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Monday at an event organised by the PHD Chamber of Industry and Commerce.

Kejriwal government has also proposed to do away with the process of screening procedure for admission to nursery classes. “No screening will be allowed in nursery admissions. It has to be completely random based. Even parents of the children should not be interviewed,” Kejriwal said, adding that his government is also planning to regulate the fees in private schools of the city. Addressing an interactive session with the members of the Chamber, Kejriwal also appealed to the industry to liberally come forward to adopt Mohalla Clinics that the Delhi government is setting up in 1,000 numbers and take advantage of CSR initiative.

Delhi Government will offer to build industrial complexes to business and trading community of Delhi to put up non-polluting industries in and around Delhi within a period of next three months to create additional 10,000 jobs for its people as also to prevent their moving to neighbouring states of UP, Haryana and Rajasthan, said Kejriwal.

Kejriwal also implored the industry to honestly submit their VAT to the Delhi Government, warning that following verifications if their VAT declarations are found false and fictitious, it will be made a cognisable offence. He said that Delhi government has simplified the procedures for issuance of certificates like death, birth, caste, income, etc through online process based on self declarations.

“With this we have clipped the powers of sub district magistrates and other wings of bureaucracy that took lot of a time to issue such certificates in anticipation of monetary gains that encouraged corruption,” he said. He also said that a detailed plan has already been worked out as per which the Delhi Government will offer industrial complexes to prospective bidders to put up only non-polluting industry in Delhi.

Speaking on the occasion, Health Minister Satyendra Jain appealed to the industry to liberally come forward to adopt Mohalla Clinics in different financial models ranging from 1 lakh to 20,000 lakh. “The Mohalla Clinics will be a great facilitator to reduce rush in the already choked hospitals,” he said.