The Directorate of Matriculation Schools has warned private schools in Tamil Nadu against rejecting applications filed under the Right To Education (RTE) Act. Matriculation Schools Director R. Pitchai has issued a circular to this effect after many private schools in the State were found either not to issue applications or reject them.
As per the G.O. no. 60 issued by State Government, forms must be issued from May 3 to May 19.
The scrutiny process must be completed by May 25, when the random selection must be taken up if the number of applications exceeded the total seats available in the school.
The final list of admitted students must be put up by the evening of May 25.
All private schools in Tamil Nadu must intimate the list to their respective Inspector of Matriculation Schools, the circular read.
Major issue
This has become a major issue in Tamil Nadu this year as several associations representing private schools across the State have threatened not to admit students under RTE Act as they have not been reimbursed the fee of not even a single student admitted in the past three years.
The Act mandated private schools to set aside 25 per cent of their total seats for children from economically and socially disadvantaged families.
Their fee was to be reimbursed by the State and Central Governments.
Official sources told The Hindu that the circular had been distributed to all the schools in the district. Inspections had already commenced across the district, seeking to enforce the RTE Act.
Private schools have expressed a lot of reluctance to admit RTE Act students this year.
Lack of fee from a quarter of the total students for three years running has placed a serious strain on their finances.
However, educational activists and a section of parents have alleged that over the years, private schools have passed off students from affluent families as those having been admitted under the RTE Act.
This was being done despite the legislation specifying that only those from families having annual income of less than Rs. 2 lakh as being eligible.
All private schools in TN must intimate list to their respective Inspector of Matriculation Schools
Inspections had already commenced across the district, seeking to enforce the RTE Act
