Introduction
On April 28, 2026, a bench of the Supreme Court of India comprising the bench of Hon’ble Justice Pamidighantam Sri Narasimha and Hon’ble Justice Alok Aradhe delivered a concise but consequential judgment dismissing a Special Leave Petition filed by Lucknow Public School, Eldico. The case, arising out of Diary No. 60657 of 2024, required the Court to do something it has had to do more than once remind a private school that it has no power to override the admission decision of the State Government under the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009.
The facts were straightforward. A young girl applied for admission to a neighbourhood school under the process prescribed by the Uttar Pradesh Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Rules, 2011 for the academic year 2024-25. She was duly selected, her name appeared on the published list forwarded to the school, and yet she was turned away at the gate. The school cited uncertainty about her
