RAIPUR: In a policy shift, the Chhattisgarh government has overhauled admission guidelines under the Right to Education (RTE) Act to ensure that 25% of seats reserved for economically weaker and disadvantaged sections in private schools do not go vacant.
Under the newly issued directives, the strict condition requiring students to live strictly within the school's immediate "neighbourhood limits" has been replaced with a tiered priority system.
Previously, private schools often left reserved quota seats vacant by citing a lack of eligible applicants living within the prescribed local boundary. Under the revised framework, neighbourhood criteria will act strictly as an order of priority rather than a mandatory disqualification barrier.
If an insufficient number of applications are received from within the designated zone, schools are now required to fill the remaining quota by admitting eligible children residing beyond the specified perimeter.
Classes 1 to 5: First priority will be given to eligible children residing within a 0 to 1-km radius of the school.
Classes 6 to 8: First priority will be accorded to students living within a 0 to 3-km radius.
Unfilled/Vacant Seats: If seats remain unfilled after accommodating neighbourhood applicants, eligible students living beyond the 1 to 3-km limits will be admitted to ensure the full 25% quota is utilised.
The new order eliminates bureaucratic delays by removing the mandate that previously forced schools and parents to seek individual permissions from competent authorities for every out-of-boundary admission.
Along with easing red tape, the government has streamlined the fee reimbursement process under Sections 12(1)(c) and 12(2) of the RTE Act, ensuring private institutions receive timely, transparent state payments for admitted students.
The reform stems from a January 2026 Supreme Court ruling characterising RTE admissions for underprivileged children as a vital national mission, followed by advisory guidelines issued by the Union Ministry of Education on October 21, 2026.
Kamalpreet Singh, Secretary of the Chhattisgarh School Education Department, has issued comprehensive implementation instructions to all District Collectors and District Education Officers (DEOs) across the state.
