Chandigarh, Feb. 12 -- The Punjab and Haryana high court has asked the state government to detail reasons for not implementing economically weaker section (EWS) quota in state's unaided private schools in Punjab. The order was passed by the bench of justice Kuldeep Tiwari, while dealing with petition from minor petitioners, through their parents from Mohali, who had approached the court, contending that the standard operating procedures (SOP) on quota implementation, though formulated on paper, have not been effectively translated into the field. It was on February 19, 2025 the HC ordered all private unaided schools to reserve 25% of Class 1 seats for students from the economically weaker section and directed the state to ensure compliance from the 2025-26 session. A central government enactment, the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act (RTE) Act, 2009, has been implemented countrywide. However, in 2011, the Punjab government notified rules, in contravention of the central law, which resulted in preventing children from weaker sections from accessing private unaided schools. The SOP was notified on March 20, 2025. However, the state government failed to implement the high court order. The court noted as an interim measure it was directed that that all private unaided recognised schools under the laid down criterion would reserve 25% of seats in Class I, to be filled up exclusively by children belonging to weaker sections and disadvantaged group living in the neighbourhood of the school, to provide free and compulsory education. Moreover, the functionaries of the state were specifically directed to ensure compliance of the said order for admission to 2025-26 session. "The learned Advocate General, Punjab, who is present in the Court, having received an advance copy of the instant writ petition, seeks an adjournment, thereby enabling him to apprise this Court of the reasons for non-implementation of the Standard Operating Procedures for the academic session 2025-26, and to disclose the mechanism adopted by the department to address the grievance of the petitioners and other similarly situated students eligible for admission under the Act of 2009," it said while posting the matter for hearing on March 10. The court made it clear, on March 10, no request for adjournment would be entertained on behalf of either side, "except for strong and compelling reasons"....