BHUBANESWAR: The state government on Friday warned private schools of legal action if they charge any fee from any student enrolling under economically weaker section (EWS) quota as per RTE norms.
The School and Mass Education (SME) department stated a total of 17,235 students have been selected in the first round of lottery system for enrolment to 25 per cent seats reserved in private schools under EWS quota. The department also issued a helpline number 1800-3456-722 to extend support to students seeking enrolment in the reserved seats under RTE act.
SME officials said applications had been sought for admission of students to 41,333 seats reserved under EWS quota in 3,331 private Odia and English medium schools. In the first phase of selection process, 30,423 applications were received online through RTE Paradarshi portal between February 22 and March 20 and 17,235 of them were selected through lottery system.
“The students will be enrolled to the private schools allotted to them free of cost. Any fee charged for their enrolment will invite appropriate legal action,” the department stated in its warning to the private schools. Parents’ body that had earlier gheraoed the OSEPA office alleging irregularities in free admission of students under EWS quota, on the other hand, demanded a probe into reduced number of seats in some of the private schools for enrolment of the students under the RTE norms.
The Odisha Abhibhabak Mahasangh also sought measures to bring more number of private schools to the fold to increase the total number of seats, which it alleged has plunged by around 20,000 compared to the previous year.
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 are required to apply in the RTE Paradarshi portal and the schools are allotted to them through a lottery system.
Sources said applications for the second round admission to private schools under EWS quota is likely to be received from April 6.