The State government is taking steps to amend the definition to determine the minority status of a school, Commissioner for Public Instruction Mohammed Mohsin said on Tuesday.
“We are trying to bring amendments (to the existing definition) and the government is likely to make a decision soon,” Mohsin told reporters.
The definition of minority was changed by the previous government to accord the status to a school that provides 75 per cent or more seats to children from a minority community.
This was stayed by the High Court.
Several schools in the city have denied seats to children from economically weaker sections under the Right to Education (RTE) Act quota, taking refuge under the minority status.
Some of them have denied seats after they were allotted to children.
“Many schools moved court at different points in time. We are approaching the court through our advocate general to have stays vacated. We are always with the children and we want to make sure they are not deprived,” Mohsin said.
When asked about the helplessness expressed by some block education officers (BEO) in effective implementation of the RTE Act, Mohsin said: “It may happen in a few cases. The BEOs are more powerful than anybody else.”
KARTET on June 1
The first Karnataka Teachers Eligibility Test (KARTET) will be held on June 1.
Aspiring teachers must pass the test to make themselves eligible for teaching jobs in government, aided and unaided schools.
“We will insist on the TET qualification in private schools as well at the time of their registration with us,” Mohsin said.
General candidates have to secure 60 per cent marks and reservation candidates 55 per cent in TET to be eligible for teaching jobs.
The test will have two papers.
“More than four lakh candidates are expected to write the test. We want to accord 15 per cent weightage to TET scores during recruitment, but this proposition is still before the government,” Mohsin added.
The last date to submit applications online is May 3. Candidates can visit www.schooleducation.kar.nic.in to apply.