Haryana Government Directs Private Schools to Reserve Seats for EWS

CHANDIGARH: Private schools in Haryana will have to reserve 10 per cent seats for children belonging to Economically Weaker Sections for classes II to XII, according to a state government decision taken today.

The private schools would not charge any fees or funds from such students for classes II to VIII, whereas they can charge fees or funds equivalent to that of government schools from students of classes IX to XII. The expenditure on education of these students would be reimbursed by the Haryana government according to rates fixed from time to time, according to the decision taken in a high-level meeting of the Education Department held under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar.

Under the Right to Education Act, there is already a provision for reservation of 25 per cent seats for students of class I belonging to Economically Weaker Sections in all private schools, Haryana Education Minister Ram Bilas Sharma said after the meeting. He said this year, reimbursement of Rs 300 per month would be given for students of classes II to V studying in urban schools falling in the jurisdiction of urban local bodies, an official release said.

Reimbursement of Rs 400 per month would be given for students of classes VI to VIII. Similarly, reimbursement of Rs 200 per month would be given for students of classes II to V studying in schools in rural areas, and reimbursement of Rs 300 per month would be given for students of classes VI to VIII.

It was also decided in the meeting that the state government would urge the Union Ministry of Human Resource Development for release of grant-in-aid for reimbursement of financial assistance to be given to private schools for admission on 25 per cent seats under Right to Education Act.

It was also decided that state government would request the Union Government to do away with no detention policy from Classes 1 to 8 under the RTE Act.