14 Mumbai schools under dept scanner for flouting 25% RTE quota norm

At least 14 renowned schools in the city have come under the government scanner for not following Right To Education (RTE) rules that mandate admission of 25% students from economically weaker sections (EWS) at the entry level.

At least 14 renowned schools in the city have come under the government scanner for not following Right To Education (RTE) rules that mandate admission of 25% students from economically weaker sections (EWS) at the entry level.

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Following a complaint lodged with the state government by a group of activists, the school education department is going to conduct inquiries on schools that are not following these norms.

The activists from the Anudanit Shiksha Bachao Samiti, staged a protest on Wednesday, outside the state assembly at Nariman Point.

They complained that 14 schools from the western zone between Bandra and Dahisar were not following some of the stipulated RTE norms.

In response, deputy director of education, Mumbai division, NB Chavan said he had asked the western zone education inspector to conduct an inquiry of the schools mentioned.

In the complaint, activists also alleged that the schools had not displayed a notice inviting applications from EWS students for admissions to the 25% RTE quota.

“All schools are supposed to display such a notice according to a March 15 government resolution, but these schools have violated that too,’’ said SM Paranjape, committee member.

Another school in Andheri rejected admission to 135 students who had applied under the RTE as their income certificates were dated 2012-13 and not 2013-14.

“We had received special permission from the education inspector of that area to allow admissions based on the existing certificates. But the school did not consider it,’’ said Paranjape.

The committee also pointed out that schools with an aided secondary section but an unaided primary section such as the Holy Family school in Andheri were not following the quota rule.

However, principal of Holy Family school, Father Francis Swamy said, “Our entry point is kindergarten, which is unaided.”

“So the rules don’t apply. In other classes, we anyway admitted more than 25% students whose family income is less than one lakh.”

“In such schools with two separate sections and with separate heads, RTE will not be applicable to the unaided section,’’ added Chavan.