Right to Education (RTE) Act: Reserved seats more than applicants, seats remain vacant for an entire session... why?
From 10 seats reserved under Right to Education (RTE) Act for most schools, only one student has been admitted and now, the schools must wait for another year to allot the seat to nine students. Hence, these nine seats will remain vacant throughout the academic session, which could have given a chance to a student to gain primary education.
This is the case with most schools in the state, which include about 28,303 schools in Madhya Pradesh (MP), which were registered under RTE. Moreover, 291,111 seats were reserved in the state, but most of them remain vacant.
In Indore, there were 12,000 seats reserved for students under RTE. There were 10,000 applicants for these seats.
Further, only 8,000 admissions are recorded. The 4,000 seats will remain vacant for the year now.
There are many manifolds to the admission system, which include technical reasons and parents’ choice. In such a situation, many seats are vacant every year, but state education department doesn’t find the need to add any revisions, citing their aims are different.
This is the case with most schools in the state, which include about 28,303 schools in Madhya Pradesh (MP), which were registered under RTE. Moreover, 291,111 seats were reserved in the state, but most of them remain vacant.
In Indore, there were 12,000 seats reserved for students under RTE. There were 10,000 applicants for these seats.
Further, only 8,000 admissions are recorded. The 4,000 seats will remain vacant for the year now.
There are many manifolds to the admission system, which include technical reasons and parents’ choice. In such a situation, many seats are vacant every year, but state education department doesn’t find the need to add any revisions, citing their aims are different.
Reserved seats more than applications
“This is the situation every year, we are doing whatever the protocol is,” district project coordinator Akshay Singh Rathore said. He added that parents step back from admissions most of the time or face an error.
“We conducted two counselling, allotted seats via lottery system, but we can’t force parents to follow deadline and complete the rest of the process,” Rathore said.
When asked about RTE reserved seats in Indore being more than applications, Rathore said, “Every year, we record more or less about 8,000 admissions only under RTE, so more number of seats is bound to remain vacant.”
“This is the situation every year, we are doing whatever the protocol is,” district project coordinator Akshay Singh Rathore said. He added that parents step back from admissions most of the time or face an error.
“We conducted two counselling, allotted seats via lottery system, but we can’t force parents to follow deadline and complete the rest of the process,” Rathore said.
When asked about RTE reserved seats in Indore being more than applications, Rathore said, “Every year, we record more or less about 8,000 admissions only under RTE, so more number of seats is bound to remain vacant.”
Lower RTE admissions is ‘good’, Govt schools preferred
“The protocol for reserving seats under RTE is only for initial classes, so we reserve the same,” Director State Education Centre Dhanraju S said. He added that following the protocol, 291,111 seats were reserved in state.
“We completed the process and now, if kids don’t want to take admission in sub-standard schools, then it is understandable,” Dhanraju said. He added that lower admissions in RTE indicate that students and parents prefer government schools.
“Clearly, some of these private schools are not good enough and government schools are better than them, so it is good news for us,” Dhanraju said.
When asked if some changes should be brought in for seats that remain vacant due to RTE reservations, Dhanraju said, “I don’t worry about the change in RTE, because my interest is getting more and more kids into govt schools.”
“The protocol for reserving seats under RTE is only for initial classes, so we reserve the same,” Director State Education Centre Dhanraju S said. He added that following the protocol, 291,111 seats were reserved in state.
“We completed the process and now, if kids don’t want to take admission in sub-standard schools, then it is understandable,” Dhanraju said. He added that lower admissions in RTE indicate that students and parents prefer government schools.
“Clearly, some of these private schools are not good enough and government schools are better than them, so it is good news for us,” Dhanraju said.
When asked if some changes should be brought in for seats that remain vacant due to RTE reservations, Dhanraju said, “I don’t worry about the change in RTE, because my interest is getting more and more kids into govt schools.”
All schools are good CBSE/MP board!
“All the schools are good, whether private or government, whether affiliated to Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) or Madhya Pradesh Board of Secondary Education (MPBSE),” UK Jha, chairman, Indore Sahodaya Complex of CBSE schools, said.
He added that all the private schools are running successfully with parents who are willing to pay fee for the admissions. “It’s a clear indication that schools are good and they are just working for students’ welfare,” Jha said.
On RTE, he felt puzzled that admissions are in a tiff. “Perhaps because of technical issues or some others in the process,” Jha said.
“All the schools are good, whether private or government, whether affiliated to Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) or Madhya Pradesh Board of Secondary Education (MPBSE),” UK Jha, chairman, Indore Sahodaya Complex of CBSE schools, said.
He added that all the private schools are running successfully with parents who are willing to pay fee for the admissions. “It’s a clear indication that schools are good and they are just working for students’ welfare,” Jha said.
On RTE, he felt puzzled that admissions are in a tiff. “Perhaps because of technical issues or some others in the process,” Jha said.
Admissions were to be provided in all pre-primary classes, not just initial
As per RTE norms, 25 percent seats are reserved for admissions in the initial classes. “However, the admissions should be allotted in pre-primary classes, which means admissions should be given in Nursery, KG-1, KG-2 and class 1st,” Gopal Soni, state vice president of association of MP board private unaided schools, said.
He added that because MP govt refuses to provide the option of admission in these classes, most parents have to think twice. “If my school starts at Nursery, then the child can only take admission in Nursery under RTE, not KG-1 or higher levels,” Soni said.
He added that this becomes a major issue as most parents are unable to apply for their kids to be admitted from Nursery onwards and fit in the age bracket. “Further, even after considerations, many parents and students have to go back because of high number of technical errors like despite being a resident of Indore, the parent has BCL card of other district cards, SC/ST card issued in names of grandparents, etc.” Soni said.
As per RTE norms, 25 percent seats are reserved for admissions in the initial classes. “However, the admissions should be allotted in pre-primary classes, which means admissions should be given in Nursery, KG-1, KG-2 and class 1st,” Gopal Soni, state vice president of association of MP board private unaided schools, said.
He added that because MP govt refuses to provide the option of admission in these classes, most parents have to think twice. “If my school starts at Nursery, then the child can only take admission in Nursery under RTE, not KG-1 or higher levels,” Soni said.
He added that this becomes a major issue as most parents are unable to apply for their kids to be admitted from Nursery onwards and fit in the age bracket. “Further, even after considerations, many parents and students have to go back because of high number of technical errors like despite being a resident of Indore, the parent has BCL card of other district cards, SC/ST card issued in names of grandparents, etc.” Soni said.
2011 development: extend principle till Class X
RTE Act makes education a fundamental right of every child between the ages of 6 and 14 and specifies minimum norms in elementary schools. It requires all private schools to reserve 25% of seats to children (to be reimbursed by the state as part of the public-private partnership plan).
A critical development in 2011 has been the decision taken in principle to extend the right to education till Class X (age 16) and into the preschool age range. The CABE committee is in the process of looking into the implications of making these changes. +Box 6
RTE Act makes education a fundamental right of every child between the ages of 6 and 14 and specifies minimum norms in elementary schools. It requires all private schools to reserve 25% of seats to children (to be reimbursed by the state as part of the public-private partnership plan).
A critical development in 2011 has been the decision taken in principle to extend the right to education till Class X (age 16) and into the preschool age range. The CABE committee is in the process of looking into the implications of making these changes. +Box 6
Districts with highest number of seats reserved
|
District |
No. of schools |
Total seats |
|
BHOPAL |
1,457 |
17,453 |
|
UJJAIN |
999 |
12,447 |
|
INDORE |
1,635 |
12,338 |
|
REWA |
1,232 |
11,683 |
|
DEWAS |
905 |
11,056 |
|
SATNA |
1,035 |
11,010 |
|
GWALIOR |
1,241 |
10,429 |
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