RAIPUR: A crisis is unfolding in Chhattisgarh’s implementation of the Right to Education (RTE) Act, leaving thousands of underprivileged children in academic limbo.
The situation has drawn sharp criticism from the Chhattisgarh High Court, while private school operators point to controversial policy shifts by the School Education Department as the root cause of the drastic decline in admissions.
During the hearing of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) regarding RTE admissions in private schools, the High Court expressed serious concern over the prolonged delay in the admission timeline.
In an affidavit submitted to the court, the state government revealed that the RTE admission process would continue until August. Surprised by this extended timeline, the Court questioned the state: “The academic session started in April. In such a scenario, when will these poor children begin their studies, and how will their syllabus be completed? Is the state government going to make special alternative arrangements for them?"
The government submitted that the second phase of the admission lottery took place on July 6, 2026, across all 33 districts. Out of 12,934 applications received for 9,984 vacant seats, 1,174 students were selected and scheduled for enrollment between July 8 and July 17, 2026.
According to Rajiv Gupta, President of the Chhattisgarh Private School Management Association, the core issue stems from the School Education Department's sudden modification of the "entry class" criteria.
"Delays in the admission process push underprivileged students further into educational disadvantage," Gupta told this newspaper.
"In the debate over admission schedules, a crucial question has been overlooked. Around 80,000 students were admitted annually into private schools via RTE. This year, that figure has plummeted to a mere 22,000,” he revealed. So, the policy change has deprived 60,000 underprivileged families of free quality education this year alone—an irreparable loss to their academic development.
The Association President highlighted that they filed a petition in the High Court immediately following the department's entry class order, but the matter remains pending a final decision.
The state firmly rejected private school operators' demands to increase the reimbursement rate per child, citing via a June 10, 2026 order that current reimbursement levels are sufficient and require no upward revision.