CAG flak for state on RTE admissions

REPORT Delay in implementing 25% quota and irregularities in students’ intake criticised

JAIPUR: The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) has criticised the Rajasthan government for delay in implementing 25% RTE (right to education) quota and irregularities in admissions to non-government schools.

Under the Right to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009, private schools are required to admit at least 25% of children in pre-primary and Class I from disadvantaged and weaker sections, and provide them free education.

“The state government made the provision of admission under 25% RTE quota applicable since academic year 2012-13, that is, with a delay of two years from the commencement of the Act.

“Hence children belonging to weaker sections and disadvantaged groups were deprived of free education in non-government schools to that extent,” said the CAG report on general and social sector, which was submitted in the assembly recently.

Education department officials attributed the delay to departmental procedures.

“Also, 11,300 non-government schools representing 16.36 per cent did not adhere to the provision of 25% RET quota. Further, 1,434 non-government schools did not apply for grant of recognition and are running in violation of the provisions of the RTE Act,” the report stated.

CAG also expressed concern over lack of transparency in the process of refusing admissions under the RTE quota.

“During 2014-15, 49% children who applied for admission under RTE quota were not enrolled in non-government schools. State government stated that many seats under 25% RTE quota remained vacant as many children applied in more than one school but took admission only in one school.

“The fact remained that it was not possible to distinguish between the cases where the school denied admission and where the parents opted not to enroll their child in that school. In absence of any system of assessment, it was not clear how the government was convinced of the school’s claim that children were not interested in claiming admission in that school under the 25% quota,” the report said.

EDUCATION OFFICIALS ATTRIBUTE THE DELAY TO PROCEDURES IN THE DEPARTMENT

Looking at the prices, the existing salary and sumptuary allowance appear to be inadequate. It has been considered to hike salary and allowance to the chief minister, ministers and parliamentary secretaries