The Delhi High Court Friday further extended stay on the nursery admission process and fresh draw of lots in the capital's schools till April 2.

 

 A bench of Acting Chief Justice B.D. Ahmed and Justice Sidharth Mridul also declined to entertain a petition filed by a set of parents seeking to scrap the alumni and sibling categories. The bench allowed petitioners to withdraw the plea and approach the single judge which was hearing the main case filed challenging the lt governor's notification.

 

 After the court refused to entertain the plea seeking scrapping both the categories, the five and 20 points under alumni and sibling sections will be retained this academic year. The court's order came after the education department submitted data which showed that a majority of the children admitted in the first draw of lots belonged to 70 pointers who came under the neighbourhood criteria.

 

 Senior advocate Nidhesh Gupta, who is representing another group of parents, said that the alumni and sibling points were a valid classification which has been recognized the world over.

 

 The court is adjudicating the contentious issue of whether a fresh draw of lottery was necessary after the scrapping of the inter-state transfer points on Feb 27.  At present, 95-point system is followed for admissions — 70 points are allocated to neighbourhood criteria, 20 to sibling and five under alumni category.