Ordered to return two girls to school under the District Level Sports School Scheme in the International School of Rajkot Under the district level sports school scheme, two girls were ordered to return to school in an international school in Rajkot

An application was filed by advocate Archita Prajapati in the Gujarat High Court by the father of two minor girls from Rajkot. Under which girls were given admission under DLSSS scheme in an international school in Rajkot. But Sports Authority of Gujarat wrote a letter to the school and ordered to cancel the admission of two girls. Which was challenged in the High Court.

Two daughters of the applicant father were selected under District Level Sports School Scheme. Who got admission in an international school in Rajkot. Sports Authority of Gujarat selected both of them after watching their performance in Mahakumbh. The authority had spoken to both the girls and her guardian in 2017-18 and sought their school leaving certificate, bonafide certificate, mark sheet, Aadhaar card, address proof and medical certificate from a government hospital. Later both were admitted under DLSSS scheme in class 04 and class 03 respectively.

In which second daughter had done class 03 earlier in local language, she had to study class 03 again in this school. In the year 2022, the detector of DLSSS wrote a letter to the principal of the school asking them to expel the two from the school. No opportunity of representation was given to the petitioner in this regard.

The petitioner’s elder daughter has stopped studying in the present school from class-09 and younger daughter from class-07. Both were expelled from the school midway through the current session. Sports Authority of Gujarat provides admission to schools under this scheme to identify new talent, provide them with scientific training, adequate nutrition and good education. Which works on public private partnership model. These schools provide sports environment and teachers to the players. Along with this, their education also gets properly.

The Sports Authority of Gujarat had ordered the removal of 12 such children from school in 2022. But the petitioner performed well in the Khel Mahakumbh held thereafter. He won various competitions. The elder daughter came first in the zonal level basketball competition.

An RTI was also filed by the petitioner on the decision to withdraw from the school. No response was received. The petitioner’s basketball coach appeared before Gandhinagar DLSSS and asked to take back the petitioner. It is worth mentioning that a student was taken back to the school due to his good performance in the same Khel Mahakumbh. Later the school also wrote a letter to Rajkot DLSSS to take back the students.

The petitioner also requested the help of the Municipal Councilor of Odhav Ward and the member of Porbandar District Panchayat on this issue. Once expelled from school there is no re-admission. The applicant also sent an e-mail to the Sports Authority of Gujarat and the school on this issue. However, there was no response. The applicant’s father is involved in animal husbandry.

On the other hand, it was argued that the performance of both the children was poor. 1.68 lakh per child is spent by the government per year. So the right people should get a chance. Because the Sports Authority of Gujarat has limited resources. So that the unfit people have to be weeded out to give the right people a chance. The government pays for such children’s education, food, sports, competitions, travel etc. and also gives a stipend every month.

However, Judge Vaibhavi Nanavati, ruling on the issue, issued an order setting aside the order of Sports Authority of Gujarat, 2022. Also the petitioner was ordered to take the children back to school.