Delhi Education Minister Ashish Sood on Wednesday participated in the draw of lots for the 2025-26 academic session, allocating over 44,000 seats under the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) quota for entry-level classes in private schools.
To ensure a completely fair and transparent process, the draw was conducted digitally using a standalone computer, eliminating any possibility of manipulation. Multiple television screens were installed at the venue, allowing parents to witness the process in real time.
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This year, the Delhi government has taken a significant step towards expanding educational access by increasing the EWS income limit from ₹2.5 lakh to ₹5 lakh, enabling more underprivileged children to benefit from quality schooling, the education minister stated.
“We have introduced multiple safeguards to ensure fairness, including a redraw option in case of objections, strict restrictions on mobile phone usage at the venue, and complete video surveillance. The entire process was conducted under the supervision of a special committee from the Directorate of Education, which will also submit a sealed CD of the final results for record-keeping,” Sood said.
He added, “This is not an era where privileged families get special access to schools. Admissions will not be dictated by dynasty or influence but by a fair and transparent system that gives every child an equal chance.”
This year’s draw covered three categories—Nursery, KG (Pre-primary), and Class 1. A total of 1,299 schools participated, offering 24,933 seats for Nursery against 1,00,854 applications, 4,682 seats for KG (Pre-primary) against 40,488 applications, and 14,430 seats for Class 1 against 62,597 applications.
