With issues around admissions of underprivileged children under the Act raging on, all eyes are set on result of PIL filed by NGO, addressing inefficiency in RTE implementation.
Finally there might be some clarity regarding fee reimbursements for admissions of underprivileged children conducted under the 'jinxed' Right To Education (RTE).
While hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Anudanit Shikshan Bachao Samiti (ASBS) against the government's inefficiency in implementing the Act on August 4, the Bombay High Court asked the government to submit data pertaining to admissions in three weeks, explaining the delay in reimbursements, number of admissions carried out in three years, the amount left to be paid.
"The major problem is schools denying admissions to students under RTE. Schools are complaining about no reimbursements by the government," said S M Paranjape, a member of the ASBS.
On the other hand, Mahavir Mane, Director of Education (Primary), said, "We have begun the work. All schools have been sent letters to ask for information on admissions done under the Act but many are not responding efficiently."
Admissions under RTE have been dogged by issues since the beginning. Starting with parents' wrath over inefficient online systems that were introduced for the first time, schools went up in arms against free admissions which led to parents staging dharnas and protests against the government's apathy. While these issues culminated into various court cases, all eyes are now set
on the statistics to be submitted by the government.
"This will finally tell us what exactly is happening about the reimbursements which are expected from the government since three years," said Rajendra Singh, CEO of Priyadarshini School.
Echoing his sentiments, Jayashree Venkatraman, principal of the SNBP International School, elaborated, "The demand to throw light on the delay in issuing the reimbursements was long-awaited. Finally there will be some clarity."
According to the HC, schools cannot charge extra from students not under RTE to cover those being admitted under the Act. When the court was informed that out of 94,000 RTE seats available across state, only 34,000 have been filled, it ordered for all admissions to be filled by September 30, 2014.
