Record number of applications received under RTE in MP

A record number of applications were received under the Right to Education (RTE) in Madhya Pradesh this year following the system’s switch to an online process.

Around 2, 25,000 applications have been recorded in the state with most of them from four cities — Bhopal, Indore, Jabalpur and Gwalior.

“Bhopal recorded a total of 16,955 applications which is 55% more than the last year,” said Rajya Shiksha Kendra commissioner Deepti Gaur Mukherjee.

In the last three years , Bhopal recorded a total of 30,000 applications, said sources.

Indore registered 18,129 applications which is an increase of 28% from last year while 6,000 applications were recorded in Jabalpur and 7,181 in Gwalior.

The RTE Act guarantees that every child has a right to full-time elementary education and mandates a minimum of 25% free seats for children belonging to weaker sections in all private unaided primary schools.

The admissions of students under the Right to Education for different schools take place in January every year but the state government decided to change the process of submission of applications and quota into an online one to end complaints of irregularities in the selection process.

‘First time so many applications received’

The district education officers said this was the first time that so many applications had been received, which was unexpected as the entire system was changed into an online process.

“There were many irregularities found in the manual lottery system regarding false admissions and admission given to ineligible candidates. This year, the school education department had collaborated with National Informatics Centre (NIC) to provide a portal for the same,” said minister of state (MoS) for education Deepak Joshi.

July 19 was the last date for online registration. The admissions will be done through an online lottery system, which is scheduled to be held on July 25 through the National Informatics Centre (NIC).