Human Resource Development Minister Kabil Sibal is planning to scrap the quota system that allows the HRD ministry, MPs and other influential quarters to recommend over 1,200 candidates for admissions in Kendriya Vidyalayas, a news report said.

Sibal had received many admission requests in the Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS) last year. He then realised that his predecessor Arjun Singh had exhausted 1,000 of the 1,200 seats available under the discretionary quota just before demitting office. Sibal refused to entertain all the requests. He said that the quota system was being scrapped and the KV admission process would be revised. Even MPs coming with requests are being turned away. Sibal’s office had to refuse admission requests coming from even the PMO.

Sibal now plans to replace the recommendation provision with a new set of criteria, which is currently under formulation. Once made it will ensure that deserving cases get in.

Affiliated to CBSE, the KVS schools basically cater to wards of transferable Central government employees. The discretionary quota scheme was re-introduced in 1998 under the NDA regime by then HRD minister Murli Manohar Joshi. Under the scheme then, the HRD minister could make 1,000 recommendations every year for admission to KVs, the minister of state in the HRD ministry could name 100 students, and each MP could refer two names depending on certain criteria.

The ministry’s order was later challenged by the joint action committee of the Kendriya Vidyalaya Employees’ Association and the Centre for Public Interest Litigation, and it was even struck down by the Delhi High Court. Under Arjun Singh, the scheme was revived again, and the discretionary quota was raised to 1,200 seats per academic session. But admission was made dependent on the judgment of a three-member committee and on grounds of certain ‘representation’ criteria.