Over 1,000 applications received in just four days for RTE seats in Trichy

(File Photo)

In just four days, since the portal to submit online applications under RTE was opened, 1,100 applications have been received against a total 1,796 seats to be filled in 116 private schools in Trichy.
With May 18 as the last date to submit applications, the office of Inspector Of Matriculation Schools (IMS) is anticipating an overwhelming number of RTE applications this year. IMS officials attributed it to various measures taken in to create awareness among people.
Amidst general perception that private schools offer quality education, RTE offers people from economically weaker section and underprivileged section an opportunity to get their children in private schools with tuition fee waived.
The tuition fee for children enrolled under RTE would be reimbursed to the school by the state and central governments. As per the RTE Act, all private schools have to allocate 25 per cent of the seats in the entry level to poor and underprivileged children, with priority for students residing within a radius of 3km.
Saying that over 600 applications were received on the first day itself, officials from IMS said that this time around the number of candidates from SC/ST were high with a sizeable number from the Muslim community.
“City mosques have started creating awareness on RTE admissions which has been one of the reasons for the increase in number of applications from the Muslim community. Besides, we are also getting good support from radio channels who are taking it to the ordinary people,” said the officials.


All the schools have also been instructed to give a daily report on the number of applications received in their schools.
Applications can be filed at e-seva centres, Chief Educational Officer (CEO), DEEO and other education offices. Every school will also have to make exclusive arrangement to facilitate parents applying for RTE seats.
Last year, the number of applications went down with the introduction of online mode forcing the government to call for applications in another phase to fill around 1,700 seats.
All the seats could be filled in a single phase this year given the early interest among people in RTE admissions, said the officials, while requesting people to ensure that they opt for schools that are within the radius of 3 km from their home which is the primary reason for rejection of applications.

Source