COIMBATORE: The district school education department on Thursday directed matriculation schools and aided schools to compulsorily follow communal reservation during Class 11 admissions.
With the Class 10 results scheduled to be published on Friday, the school education department has issued this direction.
An educational officer in Coimbatore told TNIE that as per the Government Order 587, all types of schools including government, aided and matriculation schools should follow the communal reservation during Class 11 admission.
"Schools should allot 18% of seats for Scheduled Caste students and 1% for Scheduled Tribe students in Class 11. To ensure this, we have directed schools to follow this norm. If schools fail to provide admission to SC and ST students in Class 11 admissions under the communal reservation, they can complain to the office of the Chief Educational Officer. Necessary action will be initiated against the schools," he said.
Further, he warned that officers would also monitor Class 11 admissions through surprise inspections.
Tamil Nadu Teachers and School Protection Association President R Ramkumar, who welcomed this move, told TNIE that in practice, many schools do not follow this norm, and educational officers in the district do not inspect it.
"Therefore, SC and ST students who wish to join matriculation or aided schools in Class 11 often do not secure admission in their reserved places because schools refuse to obey the order," Ramkumar claimed.
He also pointed out that violating the norm, some matriculation and aided schools had already begun admissions before the Class 10 results were released.
He urged the school education department to form a committee and monitor the admission in schools instead of giving instruction.