Delhi High Court upholds cash assistance for EWS school uniforms

The Delhi High Court has dismissed a review petition challenging the Delhi government’s policy of providing cash assistance to students from economically weaker sections (EWS) and disadvantaged groups for school uniforms.

The petition, filed by the NGO ‘Justice For All’, argued that under the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, the government is mandated to supply uniforms directly to students in both aided and unaided private schools rather than providing monetary aid.

The Delhi government maintained that direct procurement and distribution of uniforms were impractical due to logistical and operational constraints. Consequently, a policy was introduced in June 2025 to provide financial assistance for uniform purchases instead.

A bench consisting of Justices Subramonium Prasad and Renu Bhatnagar ruled that the government's decision was not “arbitrary, whimsical or capricious.” The court noted that it would not interfere with policy decisions unless they were deemed unreasonable, adding that the current approach aligns with the established legal framework.