As many as 210 children from the weaker sections of society in Chikmagalur district and 100 from Hassan district lost a chance to study in government residential schools following the decision to defer admission to the five new schools sanctioned for these districts.
New Morarji Residential Schools were sanctioned at Shravanbelgola and Arsikere in Hassan district and one Atal Bihari Residential School each sanctioned at Sringeri and Chikmagalur, and one Kittur Rani Chennamma School in Kadur.
Circular
District offices of the departments of Social Welfare, and Backward Classes and Minorities were informed about the decision through a circular on May 31. The government claimed that it was giving priority to strengthen existing schools with basic infrastructure.
Of the 542 residential schools run by the government, only 225 have own buildings, while the rest are functioning from rented premises.
H.V. Nagaraj, District Social Welfare Officer, Hassan, told The Hindu that 4,800 children appeared for the entrance test for 1,400 seats in the district.
“We conducted counselling for three days from June 2. As we had prior information about the government’s decision, we called students only according to the availability of seats,” he said.
In Chikmagalur
The Atal Behari Schools had permission to admit 80 students each, while Kittur Rani Chennamma School was allotted 50 seats.
Singari Gowda, DSW of Chikmagalur, said 2,300 candidates appeared for the entrance test.
