Pvt school principal booked for denying admissions under RTE quota

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: A principal of a private school has been booked by the police for allegedly refusing to admit students eligible under the Right To Education (RTE) quota.The move came after a formal complaint was filed by Sachin Shinde, who is the office superintendent of the primary education department.According to the complaint, the SBOA School, located at N-11, Hudco, was repeatedly directed, both orally and in writing, to admit 67 students who were shortlisted through the education department's official portal.These students were eligible under the RTE quota, which ensures that children from economically weaker sections (EWS) have access to private school education. Despite issuing clear instructions, the school failed to provide admission to these students, prompting action from the authorities.Parents of the affected children had staged protests in recent weeks, demanding that the school comply with the RTE norms. The protests caught the attention of education officials, leading to the filing of an FIR against the school principal.Zilla parishad (ZP) chief executive officer Vikas Meena said the school's defence, claiming that the state govt had not compensated them for previous RTE admissions, was not valid. "Compensation cannot be provided if the school has already availed any benefits from the govt. This school has been constructed on a govt land, which means they have already received govt support," Meena said. He added that irrespective of the compensation dispute, the school has no legal right to deny admission to students qualifying under the Act.When contacted, Cidco police station inspector Atul Yerme confirmed the news. "The school principal will be summoned to record her statement in connection with this case," he added.What's Right to Education ActThe RTE Act, 2009, requires private schools to reserve 25% of their seats for children from disadvantaged sections. The govt reimburses the schools to promote access to education for all.