Studies of 1.75 L RTE aspirants in limbo over Centre-State non-funding scheme

CHENNAI: CPM state secretary P Shanmugam has urged the state government to intervene and ensure that private school administrations admit students under the 25 per cent reservation mandated by the Right to Education (RTE) Act, 2009.

In a statement, he said that private school managements were refusing to admit students under the quota, citing non-payment of dues by the State government. This year, over 1.75 lakh students have applied for admission across the State under the RTE Act. However, many private institutions have denied admissions, claiming that reimbursements due from the State government are still pending. Even a week after the reopening of schools, the issue remains unresolved, the CPM leader lamented.

Shanmugam criticised the Union government for withholding Rs 2,152 crore in funding under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), which he said had severely impacted the State’s ability to implement the RTE Act effectively. He accused the BJP-led government at the Centre of undermining the education rights of economically disadvantaged children by delaying the release of RTE funds to States.

As a result, more than seven lakh students in the state may be deprived of educational opportunities due to financial constraints, he said.

While criticising the Centre, the CPM leader also demanded that the State government take proactive steps to protect the educational rights of students and immediately resolve the issue by engaging with private schools, instead of waiting for the Centre to release funds.