NEW DELHI: The education department of Delhi has called the nursery admissions in the Capital a “fiercely contested” battle between the parents for just a few “sought-after schools.”

Opposing a petition filed by a government officer seeking admission of his ward under the inter-state transfer (IST) category, the Directorate of Education (DoE) claimed that no child in Delhi could be deprived of education for lack of schooling facilities here.

It said the Capital had 1,577 schools including 1,006 government and 216 government aided institutions. In addition there are 2,800 primary muncipal and New Delhi Municipal Council schools and Kendriya Vidyalayas.

However, it said, nursery admissions have become controversial with parents wanting to send their children to a few selected schools.

“It’s pertinent to mention that in Delhi the admissions in nursery class are fiercely contested by the parents for few sought-after schools only. It’s earnestly submitted that everyone wants admission in few sought-after schools of Delhi and the same is not possible for those schools to do,” the DoE told the SC.