Letting them off the hook Schools that are refusing to admit children under RTE may be allowed to go scot-free

The education department is mulling to let off the hook schools that are refusing admissions to children under the Right to Education (RTE) Act.

A process is on to start the third round of RTE admissions, and that when admissions under the second round that took place on 4 July are still pending. There are precisely 105 admissions pending from the second round.

Sources say the numbers could be higher. Since the third round cannot be held till the pending allocations of the second round are cleared, the department is said to have cleared the pending list by showing these children as 'not approached' for admission. This is the case in state board school allocations. Totally, of the 1,618 children allocated schools in the second round over 1,500 are said to have not approached.

In an official communication between the deputy education officer of the BMC, which oversees RTE admissions and the education officer, the former has asked for permission to go ahead with the third round keeping the pending admissions of the second round aside.

The letter cites that in spite of several notices sent by the deputy director of education to the noncooperative schools, they are not ready to budge, hence delaying the third round. It further says that there is a mounting pressure from parents and people’s representatives to conduct the third round.

The software does not allow the third round to be conducted unless the pending list is cleared. The letter further says that National Informatics Centre (NIC), which manages the software for the process, has agreed to go round the hurdle but with permission from the concerned authority.

It names ten schools – all CBSE and IGCSE board, which have denied admissions. Though no state board schools have been mentioned in the letter, sources said that some schools have used political influence to escape action.

The letter also seeks an order for action against these ten schools. It is to be noted that no action was taken against schools which denied admissions in the first round. Though a list with their names was sent to the state government for de-recognition, no school has yet been de-recognized.

Instead, schools which refused admission in first round were not allocated any children in the second round to avoid complaints. “When we know they will create trouble in giving admission, why should be allocate children that school?” an official reasoned.