A school in Bangalore South could be in the dock for violating the Right to Education Act (RTE) by conducting a test for admitting students.
The National Public School, Banashankari, is accused of violating a section of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009, by conducting entrance test for admitting students. Section 13 of the RTE Act states that no school can subject a child or his guardians to any screening procedure while admitting the child to school.
Following complaints, the Karnataka State Commission for the Protection of Child Rights (KSCPCR) has written to the Department of Public Instruction to impose penalty of Rs. 25,000 on the school for conducting screening procedure for children.
Chairperson of KSCPCR H.R. Umesh Aradhya, said: “We received a complaint from a parent who said that they were conducting an entrance test. Though the school claimed protection for being a minority school, investigation revealed that they are not a minority school.”
Even minority schools have to implement the RTE Act and the only exemption is that they do not have to admit children under the 25 per cent quota, he added.
Vani Kantli, the mother of a five-year-old boy, whose complaint triggered action against NPS, Banashankari, said: “I received an e-mail from the school that my child had been shortlisted for the admission test. I refused to send my child for the test and decided to file a complaint.” The DPI should penalise the school for the welfare of students and parents who are left with no option but to concede to the demands of schools, she said.
The school stated on the website that they were conducting entrance test for students who wish to obtain admission to the school. .
Meanwhile, Jaya Prakash, coordinator for the Srinivas Educational Charitable Trust that runs the school, justified the school conducting a general test. “We have not rejected any candidate,” he said.
Block Education Officer of South Range 1 Kempaiah said he would take appropriate action against the school management once he receives the KSCPCR proceedings.
