The preschool admission policies of two private schools in Delhi have come under the scanner for allegedly discriminating against the children of the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) by denying “sibling points” to them.

Joshil K. Abraham, a social activist, has filed complaints with the Delhi government against The Mother’s International School and Gyan Bharati School here for openly defying the norms of the Delhi government, which wants schools to follow non-discriminatory admission criteria.

The private schools admit students through a lottery. However, they follow certain point-based screening norms before the lottery. Each applicant is given some points for being a sibling, neighbour or alumnus’s kid. If an applicant’s brother or sister is already a student, he or she is awarded 30 sibling points.

The admission policies followed by both schools for the last several years suggest that the sibling point was awarded to open or general-category students but not to EWS applicants. The EWS children are entitled to get free education in private schools under the Right To Education Act. The fees of the EWS candidates are also subsidised by the government.

A circular issued by the Delhi government on October 18 on the admission schedule referred to a Delhi High Court judgment of November 28, 2014, which observed that private unaided recognised schools should devise an admission procedure that is fair, reasonable and transparent.

“In view of the observation of the Hon’ble High Court as referred above, all private unaided recognised schools shall develop and adopt criteria for admission which shall be fair, reasonable, well defined, equitable, non-discriminatory, unambiguous and transparent,” said the circular.

The Mother’s International School was accused of denying the sibling point to EWS students last year. A case was filed in Delhi High Court and the division bench in May this year ruled in favour of the child who had challenged the denial of sibling point.

Abraham has sought the intervention of Delhi education minister Atishi to ensure the schools give sibling points irrespective of the category.

“Award of sibling points to only open category students is the promotion of elitism and discrimination of the poor. A school is a place, which is supposed to present a model of diversity,” Abraham told The Telegraph.

A parent, who did not wish to be quoted, said: “If the school does not change its policy, my child may not get admission. This is a discriminatory policy,” he said. The last date of application is December 15.