As compared to 2018, for the academic year 2019-20, there were fewer applications for admissions to schools under Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) quota in Karnataka.

Apparently, the department of public instructions has received 17,000 applications, with April 25 being the last day of the submissions. The number has significantly gone down to 17,336 from 1.2 lakh in the 2018-19 academic year applications, reported The New Indian Express. There is a 92.7% drop.

“I feel this is a violation of rights of the children”

Officials said that since parents do not want to admit their children to a government or aided school, this number is not likely to go up this year. The government gives priority to government and aided schools, while its amendments restrict admission under RTE quota at private unaided schools. Economically backward families are highly disappointed by this, who wanted their children to get admission in private schools.

In fact, RTE Students Parents Association has moved High Court. Members of this collective are questioning the government’s amendments. The case is still pending.

“The department that said it would release the list of private schools where we could apply in absence of government or aided schools, has failed to provide any such information. I feel this is a violation of the rights of the children by the government,” a parent said.

Activists, however, believe this is a bad trend. Nagasimha G Rao, an RTE activist, said that this being continued would mean there is no reason for the existence of RTE in the state. It was found that in the last academic year, there were over 10,000 unfulfilled seats at private aided schools. Aided schools not being different from unaided schools, parents tend not to prefer aided schools. “This time too, those who have applied have tried their luck with the hope of getting a chance to consider applications in unaided schools,” Nagasimha G Rao said.

The government had decided to bring in the amendments because after RTE was implemented in the state, admission rates at government schools became low. However, in case there is a lack of government and aided schools in a certain neighbourhood, or if there are admission restrictions, RTE students could apply to private unaided schools.

Also Read: Karnataka: Cabinet Gives Nod To Amend RTE Act; To Give First Preference To Govt Schools