Parents in Odisha allege irregularities in RTE admissions

While those allotted seats in private schools are being allegedly denied admission by the schools’ managements, some have been given seats that do not even exist.
Image for representational purpose. (Express Illustration)
Image for representational purpose. (Express Illustration)

BHUBANESWAR: Hundreds of parents, particularly from Khurda and Bhubaneswar, seeking admission of their children in private schools (both English and Odia) under section 12 (1)(c) of Right to Education (RTE) Act have alleged large-scale irregularities in the process.

While those allotted seats in private schools are being allegedly denied admission by the schools’ managements, some have been given seats that do not even exist. Many others complained although they had applied for RTE admission, seats were not allotted to their wards despite several vacancies. Staging agitation outside the Directorate of Elementary Education in the city on Friday, the parents alleged they have been running from pillar to post to get their children admitted to schools for nearly a fortnight but in vain. The first round admissions end on Monday.

Under section 12 (1)(c) of RTE Act, private schools must reserve 25 per cent of their seats for children belonging to economically weaker sections (EWS) from the neighbourhood. Out of these, 10 per cent is reserved for scheduled caste and scheduled tribe students, 10 per cent for children from BPL families and five per cent for children without a home.

The students have to apply in the RTE Paradarshi portal and are allotted schools through a lottery system. This year, 10,804 students from EWS background were allotted seats in the first round of admission in 4,138 private schools which have a sanctioned 39,581 RTE seats. “However, when we went for admissions, many of the reputed schools in the city told us that they haven’t received the allotment letter from the district education officer. Some even sought money for admission,” said Anukula Chandra Sahoo, an RTE activist who is facilitating admission of 150 EWS students from Chandrasekharpur in schools nearby.

With the RTE Paradarshi website not being updated and schools not renewing their RTE registrations, the parents are facing problems during selection of schools.Director of Elementary Education Jyotiranjan Mishra assured the parents to facilitate admission of their wards in schools in their neighbourhoods following which the agitation was called off.

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