Private schools within one km of govt schools not obligated to have RTE seats

Private schools within one-kilometre vicinity of a government or aided school in Maharashtra will not be obligated to provide admissions under the Right to Education (RTE) quota for students from economically backward sections of the society, according to amended rules for implementation of RTE in state.

So far, it was mandatory for all unaided and private schools to reserve 25 per cent of its entry level (nursery to Class 1) seats to children from socio-economically backward sections under RTE, which ensures free and compulsory right to education to children of age group 6 to 14 years. The government provides reimbursement of the fees.

The school education department of the state issued a gazette notification dated February 9.

The notification also clarifies that in case of no aided school in the area, private schools will be identified to give RTE admissions and will be eligible for reimbursement for the fees.

A new list of schools obligated for the RTE admission will be prepared now, considering the new rule, the notificated stated.

A senior official from the school education department said that the RTE admissions led to an additional expenditure of reimbursement of the fees.

Private school managements have welcomed the move, pointing out the pending reimbursements to be paid by the government for RTE admissions. 

They have been opposing RTE admissions for some time now, especially due to the pending reimbursements, which they claim is over Rs 2,000 crore.