Why Is Getting Into Kendriya Vidyalayas Becoming Harder? The Kerala Twins Case Explained

A recent Kerala High Court ruling has highlighted how admissions to Kendriya Vidyalayas (KVs) have become more stringent following changes in the school's admission policy. The court refused to direct the Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS) to admit a six-year-old girl to Class I simply because her twin sister had secured admission, observing that the earlier concession for twin girl children was only a privilege and not a legal right.

The judgment has brought renewed attention to the admission rules followed by KVS, particularly after several discretionary and special provisions were withdrawn in recent years.

What Happened In The Kerala Twins Case?

The case was filed by the father of twin girls, an Indian Railways employee, after only one of his daughters was granted admission to a Kendriya Vidyalaya for the 2025-26 academic session.

He argued that the twins shared a close emotional bond and should not be separated at such a young age. The petition also challenged KVS's decision to discontinue the concession that earlier treated twin girl children as a single admission under the Single Girl Child category, claiming the withdrawal violated Article 14 of the Constitution.

However, Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas dismissed the plea, holding that the concession had already been withdrawn after the 2022-23 academic session. The court observed that the benefit was merely a privilege extended through the admission guidelines and not a vested right that could be enforced through the courts. It further noted that privileges granted under policy can be withdrawn at any time.

What Changed In KV Rules After 2022?

One of the biggest changes came in the 2022-23 admission guidelines when KVS withdrew the special concession that allowed twin girl children to be treated as a Single Girl Child for admission purposes.

The same year, the Union government also abolished several discretionary quotas in Kendriya Vidyalayas, including quotas recommended by Members of Parliament and other authorities, saying admissions should be governed by transparent and uniform rules.

Since then, admissions have become more strictly regulated, with schools required to follow notified guidelines without granting individual relaxations.

Who Gets Priority In Kendriya Vidyalaya Admissions?

Admissions to Kendriya Vidyalayas are based on a priority system rather than open competition alone.

The highest preference is given to children of transferable Central Government employees, including defence personnel, followed by non-transferable Central Government employees, employees of autonomous bodies and public sector undertakings under the Centre, State Government employees and other eligible applicants.

Seats are allotted category-wise, subject to availability. Because the number of applicants far exceeds the available seats in many cities, even eligible candidates are often unable to secure admission.

What Is The Single Girl Child Quota?

The Single Girl Child (SGC) scheme was introduced to encourage girls' education by allowing admission beyond the sanctioned class strength in specified cases.

When introduced in 2006-07, the scheme also extended the benefit to twin girl children by treating them as a single girl child. However, this concession was withdrawn from the 2022-23 academic session.

The current admission guidelines for 2025-26 no longer contain any provision extending the SGC benefit to twin girls.

Why Did The Court Reject The Petition?

The High Court held that KVS was bound by its notified admission guidelines and could not grant concessions that no longer existed under the policy.

The court rejected the argument of legitimate expectation, observing that the parents were aware that the current guidelines did not recognise twin girls under the Single Girl Child category. It also said granting admission outside the prescribed rules would be unfair to other applicants waiting for seats.

Emphasising that Kendriya Vidyalayas follow uniform admission norms across the country, the court ruled that no child has an enforceable right to admission outside the framework of the published guidelines. The judgment underscores the increasingly rule-based nature of KV admissions, where eligibility depends strictly on the prevailing admission policy rather than past concessions or individual circumstances.