72,294 students admitted to private schools under RTE: Guj to HC

Private schools admitted 72,294 students from the weaker sections of society under the Right to Education Act, the state government told Gujarat High Court today.

Responding to a PIL filed by activist Chandravadan Dhruv over a delay in the process of admission under the RTE Act, the government told the division bench of Chief Justice R Subhash Reddy and Justice V M Pancholi that for 1,12,265 seats available for the year 2018-19, a total of 1,87,660 applications were received.

"After scrutiny, 1,25,784 applications were confirmed and approved by respondent authorities. A total of 3,097 applications were rejected, out of which 2,208 were rejected on the ground of 'fake income certificate' as these certificates were not issued by the Mamlatdar," the state government told HC.

The state government informed court that it would proceed against the erring applicants.

Private schools admitted 72,294 students from the weaker sections of society under the Right to Education Act, it said.

The government also said that respective DEOs (district education officer) and DPEOs (district primary education officer) were issued letters, dated July 11 this year, instructing them to hold meetings with schools in order to provide proper environment for children granted admission under the RTE Act.

"Schools are instructed to conduct pre-admission meetings with the parents of those children who were granted admission under the RTE Act, for overall development of children," it said.