PUNE: As per the admission notice displayed on the Maharashtra government’s website ‘RTE 25% Reservation’, the online applications by parents this year would begin only by March 5.
The authorities are already receiving flak for delaying the admission process under the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act this time, which usually starts by the last week of January. On February 8, Education Director (Primary) Sunil Chauhan released a notification that the online application process would begin by February 25, and would continue till March 11. However, the RTE website shows that the application process is scheduled between March 5 and 22.
“Due to delay on part of the Education Department and non-cooperation by the school owners, the dates have been changed. What is more shocking is that the new schedule is displayed only on the RTE website, and these parents, who mostly come from a backward socio-economic class are expected to see these changes online itself,” said Mukund Kirdat, RTE activist of AAP Palak Union.
“The delay causes a huge inconvenience to RTE parents. The RTE admissions must finish before the regular admissions begin. Only then, those who do not get admissions under RTE can take admissions through the regular process conveniently,” Kirdat said.
“However, when the authorities cause delay like this time, the parents need to book seats through regular process also, and many times, this leads to financial losses for them. Considering that the RTE parents come from economically backward classes, this is not incorrect,” Kirdat added.
However, while speaking to Sakal Times on an earlier occasion, Assistant Director (Primary) Dinkar Temkar had mentioned that the admission process could only start by March this year.
“We are now incorporating the new changes in the portal. The school registration process is likely to begin from next week. We are trying that the online application procedure too starts by March,” Temkar had said.
The private English schools across the State have also called out for a school bandh on Monday, February 25, owing to the delay and complications in reimbursement against the 25 per cent RTE seats. Last year, the prolonged protest and boycott by these schools resulted in delaying the RTE application and admission process, and the same is also feared this time.
“Each time, the private schools try to push their demands at the cost of students and parents at the time of RTE admissions, which in turn affects the parents. Why don’t they do anything throughout the year. Even last year, their protest caused a delay in the whole process,” Kirdat added.
