Supreme Court Seeks Details Of Govt Policies On Giving Gadgets To EWS Students To Access Virtual Classrooms
The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed the Union Government to place on record its policies for providing gadgets to children from Economically Weaker Sections and Disadvantaged Groups to enable their access to virtual classes.
A bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi granted two weeks' time to the government to furnish the details and kept the matter on February 03, 2026.
“Learned Additional Solicitor General of India seeks and is granted two weeks' time to place on record the Government Policies or the decision taken from time to time to ensure the uniform provision of certain facilities to the children belonging to the Economically Weaker Sections or the Disadvantage Group 4 Students who are entitled to free education in terms of the right guaranteed to them under Article 21A of the Constitution”, the Court stated.
The Court was hearing an application seeking the provision of gadgets to EWS students so that they can attend virtual classes in Delhi-NCR when physical classes are suspended due to air pollution.
The case was originally filed in 2020 during the Covid pandemic time. It concerns the implementation of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act 2009 during the Covid-19 pandemic for EWS and DG students studying in private unaided schools and government schools.
On September 18, 2020, the Delhi High Court held that when a school voluntarily chose Synchronous Face-to-Face Real Time Online Education as its mode of teaching, it must provide gadgets and equipment of an optimum configuration and an internet package to EWS/DG students under Section 12(1)(c) and Section 3(2) of the RTE Act. The High Court directed that these facilities be supplied free of cost to the beneficiaries, with the institution having the right to seek reimbursement from the State under Section 12(2).
The judgment was challenged by the Delhi Government and by the Union of India. On February 10, 2021, the Court issued notice and stayed the operation of the High Court's judgment.
On October 8, 2021, the Supreme Court noted that despite the receding pandemic, the need to provide access to computers and online facilities for EWS and DG children remained important, as the digital divide had affected access to education.
Private schools contended that they should not be required to bear the cost upfront and the State submitted that it does not have the necessary resources.
The Court had then highlighted that Article 21A imposed an obligation on the State to ensure access to education and observed that both the Centre and the States must coordinate in terms of Section 7 of the RTE Act to find a workable solution.
The Court has now sought the details of measures taken by the centre to implement the RTE Act matter will now be heard on February 03, 2026.
Case no. – Special Leave to Appeal (C) No. 13267/2020
Case Title – Government of NCT of Delhi v. Justice For All & Ors.