The state Education Department has projected a requirement of Rs 153.7 crore to the Centre towards implementation of the reservation quota under the Right to Education (RTE) Act for 2013-14.
After the second round of admissions announced by the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) concluded on May 31, the department expects the RTE admissions tally to reach 80,000.
Last year, as many as 49,736 children in the state were admitted under the 25 per cent quota. The state government would reimburse Rs 11,848 for each child admitted to Class 1.
“We have been in touch with the Ministry of Human Resource Development and we have reiterated our demand through the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan. Our demand was presented in the recent plan approval board (PAB) meeting, whose minutes we are yet to receive,” said G Kumar Naik, secretary, primary and secondary education.
As per a 65:35 cost-sharing ratio that was agreed upon, the Centre’s share towards Karnataka would be Rs 99.91 crore (out of Rs 153.7 crore). Last year, the state government had to cough up Rs 58.92 crore from its own pocket, as there was no contribution from the Centre.
Minister for Primary and Secondary Education Kimmane Rathnakar said he would visit New Delhi next week to urge the Centre to pitch in.
In an education secretaries’ meeting held in January, the MHRD assured states that an allocation would be made specifically for RTE reimbursements in the 12th five-year-plan. This year, Karnataka has 1.08 lakh seats available under the RTE and it is estimated that “not less than 80,000 children would be admitted.”
According to available figures with the DPI, 33,183 children have been admitted so far.