Right to Education (RTE) 2014 Admission Details

RTE admissions 2014 under the Right to Education Act in unaided schools for the next academic year are all set to begin from January, parents have urged the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) to streamline and bring in transparency in the process.

Some of them, who attended a seminar here on Sunday, explained the hurdles they faced in the current academic year. The event was organised by the RTE Task Force. Twenty-five per cent seats in unaided schools are reserved for “weaker and disadvantaged” groups under section 12 (1) c of the RTE Act.

Sumalatha (name changed), whose son got a seat in Class 1 this year, said the school management pressured her to pay fees for extra classes. “Even Education Department officials urged me to pay up to ensure that my son does not face any discrimination. Though some other parents had to pay the fees, I refused to do so saying the government is reimbursing the fees for our children.” She said that there was a need for united action against school managements if they were exploiting parents.

RTE Act came into effect on 1 April 2010. The title of the RTE Act incorporates the words ‘free and compulsory’. ‘Free education’ means that no child, other than a child who has been admitted by his or her parents to a school which is not supported by the appropriate Government, shall be liable to pay any kind of fee or charges or expenses which may prevent him or her from pursuing and completing elementary education. ‘Compulsory education’ casts an obligation on the appropriate Government and local authorities to provide and ensure admission, attendance and completion of elementary education by all children in the 6-14 age group. With this, India has moved forward to a rights based framework that casts a legal obligation on the Central and State Governments to implement this fundamental child right as enshrined in the Article 21A of the Constitution, in accordance with the provisions of the RTE Act.