IMS circulates guidelines on 25% RTE admissions

(Rep image)

The Inspectorate of Matriculation Schools has circulated guidelines to private schools in the district on the procedure to be followed to reserve 25% seats for admission at entry level class.

Schools have been instructed to comply with the schedule issued by the Directorate of Matriculation Schools.

They have been issued instructions to carry out online registration of eligible candidates from April 20 to May 18 and display their names on the notice board. Parents belonging to socio-economically backward sections will be facilitated to register the names of their wards online in the offices of all department officials, Inspector of Matriculation Schools, Tiruchi, C. Vimala, said.

As per the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act 2009, it is mandatory for private schools to reserve 25% of seats for admission at entry level class for children belonging to disadvantaged group/weaker section, following the norms of neighbourhood schooling.

As per the provision, the children belonging to the above groups whose residence is within one km for primary classes and three km for upper primary classes are eligible for the reservation.

Every school has to prepare details of entry level class and calculate intake capacity, display the same on the notice board.

Subsequently, besides displaying the list of selected children on the notice board, the schools are also required to submit 'return statement'. Usually, the process is completed by the end of May.

Last year, there was about 95% compliance, Ms. Vimala said, adding that this time, the department is looking forward to further improving the level of compliance.

Last year, the department filled close to 1,700 vacancies in 111 schools at entry level in two phases through online process.

The department usually faces testing times in filling seats in private schools in urban areas where a ward constitutes the neighbourhood. The department faces a tough task in convincing parents to desist from choosing schools outside the wards they reside in.

The waiver of tuition fee by the schools for such admissions has to be reimbursed by the Department, as per the provision of the RTE Act.

The department reimbursed Rs. 1.72 crore to 106 schools to recompense for tuition fee waiver for 2015-16, and had arrived at a calculation of Rs. 2.72 crore as settlement to 108 schools for 2016-17.

Source