Srinagar: The Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) Srinagar on Friday directed the management of Presentation Convent Higher Secondary School Srinagar to consider admission to a Srinagar girl who has been allegedly denied the same by the school despite fulfilling the requisite criteria.
The girl, Zainab Riyaz, daughter of Dr Riyaz Ahmad Daga, resident of Srinagar’s Qamarwari area, had sought admission at Presentation Convent Rajbagh in Class LKG for the upcoming academic session 2021-22. The application form was accepted by the school under registration number 2578, as per her parents.
However, to her parents’ utter shock, Zainab was denied admission by the school management. This despite her fulfilling all the requisite criteria laid down by the school, her father alleged in a suit filed in the court of Principal District Judge Srinagar, who later forwarded it to the court of CJM Srinagar on Thursday.
The petition said that his daughter Zainab fulfilled the requisite criteria for admission including parents’ qualifications and their residence in the vicinity of the school.
Besides, it is an established practice at Presentation Convent School to give preferential treatment in admission to a student whose sibling is already enrolled at the school, Dr Daga said. Zainab’s elder sister, Mahirah, is already a student at the school in Class 3, he said.
The school has denied admission to Zainab even as it has “flouted the said criteria by granting admission to non-deserving candidates,” Dr Daga has alleged in the suit.
He has further alleged that the candidature of his daughter has been “virtually rejected without assigning any reason” and that the school also ignored a representation filed by the aggrieved parents.
Hearing the plea on Friday, CJM Srinagar Gowhar Majid Dalal noted that he was “satisfied that the applicant has carved out a case of emergent nature and in case notice under Order 39 Rule 3 CPC (injunction of which has been sought by petitioner) is not dispensed with, it will defeat ends of justice.”
The CJM Srinagar has directed the management of Presentation Convent School to consider the petitioner’s representation and report to the court by or before the next hearing on the matter. The school has been also directed to file objections in the matter, if any.
The management of Presentation Convent School Rajbagh could not be contacted for their comments.

Irshad Khan