Tamil Nadu Schools are Asked to Cover up the Gap in Last Year's RTE Quota Intake

Observing Tamil Nadu’s failure at meeting 50% of its admission goal for admissions of underprivileged children to matriculation schools in the 2013-14 academic year under the 25% reservation clause of the Right To Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, a directorate of matriculation schools issued circular to all matriculation schools and chief educational officers in various districts for the same.

Through recently issued circular, the Schools have been directed to calculate 25% of the strength of the classes at entry level, followed by informing the figures to the district committee about number of admission seats available to admit underprivileged children. The same is also to be published on the school’s notice boards by 02 April 2014.

The notice further mentioned that schools must give application out from May 3 to 9 and filled-in forms to be received within the week, subsequently schools are required to exhibit enrolled candidates' names by 14 May 2014.

Last year, Matriculation schools in Tamil Nadu enrolled only 40% of the total 58,619 students belonging to poor and underprivileged backgrounds. However, the state government wanted them all to get admission at the entry-level class in private unaided schools.

Surprisingly, despite the RTE Act not being new, more than one-fourth of the matriculation schools did not admit even a single unprivileged child to their school under the clause.

Seeing the low figures than expected, the notice via government issued just before the third year deadline of the RTE Act that expires on April 1 is no less than warning, particularly to private unaided schools.

The circular also mentioned that complaints are continuously being received by the government, concerning to various schools refusing to admit underprivileged children with a will to study.

The schools have been told to fill all of 25% seats allocated for underprivileged children in the locality, starting from this forthcoming new academic season only. The directorate has also claimed that no excuses will be entertained coming from schools, besides obliging schools to publicize the number of seats available through local media.