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.
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.