Scores of anxious parents whose children were allotted seats under the RTE quota but later rejected for being in a different municipal ward have a reason to cheer. Following their protest, the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) has decided to offer a “concession” and allow admission in such cases.
The decision comes in the wake of protests by parents as the seats allotted to their children were rejected during the physical verification as they had obtained seats in the neighbouring wards. With this, the number of rejected applications, which was 12,275, now stands at 7,097.
Though the order issued before the admissions specified that neighbourhood shall be a ward in urban areas, the department decided to initiate the move after parents from poor and disadvantaged backgrounds had obtained admission to their children and even paid the fee for uniform and books. The seats were allotted as the department was unable to weed out applications that were filled for schools outside the ward.
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According to a circular issued by the Commissioner for Public Instruction on Wednesday, a committee headed by the Deputy Commissioner could examine these cases and accept applications where parents have obtained seats for their children outside the ward they reside.
Meanwhile, the DPI has also decided to extend the last date to complete admissions under the quota in the first round till May 28.
Those whose seats
were rejected after the allotment because of change in ward have a reason to cheer now