The children, aged between five and 11, had to make do with private lessons at their charity home after the school turned them away.
"There were some opposition for these children from Asha Kiran to go to school,” says Father T C Yohanan Rampan of Asha Kiran Orphanage.
But now after a public outcry and a state government warning threatening to derecognise the school, the children have been allowed to return.
"They have started attending classes. There is no problem here,” says Principal, Mar Dionysius Lower Primary School, Elsamma Maani.
There was a similar case in Sangli in Maharashtra where 40 HIV positive students had been denied admission by four local schools. But after the local education officer intervened, 27 of them have been admitted.
"We were not aware of this ourselves. When we came to know of it we went to the NGO and they told us their problems. We have solved the problem together,” says Education Officer, Namdev Mali.
Meanwhile, the children are very happy to be back in school.
"I am really happy today, because this is my first day at school. They have treated us really well today. I hope they will take care of us in future as well,” says one of the students who was re-admitted.
SOURCE : Yahoo.News