If you think admission to a reputed public school is a problem for parents living in metropolitan cities like Delhi alone, think again.

Seeking a quota in public schools for their children is one of the demands farmers of villages in Gautam Budh Nagar have put before Noida authority officials. The farmers are also seeking amendments related to land acquisition and allotment of plots.

A delegation of 20 farmers met Noida officials on Monday and handed over a charter of demands. Nathi Ram Sharma, who was leading the delegation, said the need to have a quota for village children in public schools, which have come up on land acquired from the villagers for development, is logical and fair.

“Public schools that have been established on land subsidised by the authority, and acquired from us before that, have a responsibility towards us. A government school should not be the only option for our children. They have the right to seek admission in good public schools,” Sharma told higher officials at the authority.

He said criteria for admission, such as parents should speak English and should be well qualified, should be done away for the villagers.

The officials accepted the charter of demands and are planning to forward it to the Uttar Pradesh government soon.

Other demands put forward by the farmers include the suggestion that populated areas should not be acquired by the authority because of the mistakes by the tehsils and authority surveyors.

Secondly, farmers have been forced to pay the market rate for plots allotted to them, which the delegation said is illogical. The whole purpose of reserving a quota for them is nullified, as only rich farmers will benefit from the scheme, the farmers said.