COIMBATORE: Private school authorities have alleged that parents with a good economic background compete for seats earmarked for 'weaker sections' and 'disadvantaged groups' under the Right to Education (RTE) Act.
Tamil Nadu Private Schools Association president R Visalatchi said, "Many economically-better parents get a fake income certificate, with salary marked as low or below Rs 2 lakh from the revenue department with the officials' support and submit it in the RTE admission portal. Nearly 90 per cent of students not eligible for RTE admission study in the private schools."
A matriculation school principal in Coimbatore said children from the economically weaker section, disadvantaged group, special categories and whose parents do earn less than Rs 2 lakh per year are eligible for this.
"But, a wealthy parent, who admitted his elder son in our school through regular admissions, got an LKG seat for his second daughter under the RTE this academic year. Similarly, many parents have admitted their wards to private schools violating RTE norms. Due to this, eligible children under this Act are denied seats in private schools," she said.
"The school education department or revenue department should check parents' real income and their family background from the previous academic year. Ineligible students should be removed from the benefit," she urged.
A Chief Educational Officer said, "We know that some parents are wealthy economically. But, they produce a fake income certificate to the department. So, we cannot do anything and the department plays no role in this."
"Some parents add political pressure to get the seats. As per the norm, if there is no government school within a kilometre, eligible children can join the private schools. But it is not followed by the school education department," he said.
Repeated attempts to reach the school education secretary Kakarla Usha went in vain. When asked about giving a fake income certificate, Revenue and Disaster Management department joint secretary T Selvaraj told The New Indian Express, "This issue would be taken to the top officers’ attention."