RTE admissions drop drastically, TN achieves mere 64 per cent of target

In 2018-19, only 64,385 students were admitted as against previous year’s 90,609, a reduction of more than 38,000 admissions. It is a big setback for theDirectorate of School Education as it had set a target to admit at least one lakh students in 2018-19.

RTE mandates 25 per cent reservation in admission for the children from disadvantaged groups and weaker sections in all self-financing schools in the entry-level class. According to RTE guidelines, children of disadvantaged groups and weaker sections; orphans; HIV infected kids; transgenders; children of scavengers and differently-abled persons are eligible for admission under RTE.

Data obtained from State Education Department revealed that in 2018-19, a total of 12,984 children from disadvantaged families got admissions in private schools compared to previous year’s figure of 18,275, a decline of 5,291 students.

Likewise, during the past academic year, only 51,068 students from the weaker sections were admitted to self-financing schools as against previous year’s 71,905, a decrease of 20,837 admissions.

Similarly, admissions for orphan children, students affected with HIV, children of scavengers and differently-abled have also reduced in 2018-19 compared to 2017-18.

A senior official from the department told DT Next that the government has so far reimbursed Rs 644.69 crore to the schools since the RTE Act was implemented in the State in 2013-14.

About the reason for the decline in the admissions, the official pointed out that many children who seek admission under RTE do not produce the required certificates. The official also admitted that most of the private schools were reluctant to admit the kids under RTE as the fee reimbursement was delayed from the government’s side. “The Centre has not released funds for the past four years for RTE. Therefore, the government had to spend from the State’s fund,” he added.