RTE deadlock in CG: Govt warns schools, boycott threat puts admissions at risk

Raipur: Chhattisgarh's RTE admission season has turned into the state's biggest flashpoint, with a looming face-off between the govt and private schools threatening to derail admissions for thousands of children from weaker sections.Even as the state has rolled out the admission process and warned schools of derecognition for denying 25% quota seats, private institutions have dug in, threatening to boycott admissions over a 14-year freeze in reimbursement — setting the stage for a high-stakes confrontation. The school education department said admissions for the 2026–27 academic session are being conducted through the RTE portal in a "transparent and time-bound manner", with the first phase of seat allotment through lottery scheduled between April 13 and 17. Officials said over 38,000 applications have been received so far, of which more than 34,000 have already been verified, and the remaining are being processed on priority. As per the schedule, admissions will be completed between May 1 and May 30, while fee reimbursement verification for 2025–26 will be carried out from May 25 to June 25. A second phase will follow from June, including fresh school registrations, verification and another round of lottery and admissions in July–August. The govt reiterated that under the RTE Act, 25% seats in entry-level classes of private unaided schools must be reserved for children from economically weaker and disadvantaged sections, and warned that denial of admissions could invite action, including derecognition. However, private schools have strongly objected to the reimbursement structure, arguing that the per-child amount has remained unchanged since 2011–12 — ₹7,000 annually for Classes I to V and ₹11,400 for Classes VI to VIII — despite a sharp rise in operational costs. The Chhattisgarh private school management association said reimbursement is calculated as per the law, based on per-child expenditure in govt schools or actual private school fees, whichever is lower and demanded that the state disclose current per-student spending in govt schools. "There has been no revision in 14 years, while salaries and operational costs have increased three to four times. If the govt claims reimbursement is adequate, it should make public the actual per-child expenditure in govt schools," said association president Rajeev Gupta. The association claimed that due to financial constraints, the actual expenditure may have dropped significantly and could be as low as ₹4,000 per child annually, making current reimbursements unviable for private institutions. It also reiterated its decision to continue its non-cooperation agitation, warning that selected students may not be admitted unless reimbursement rates are revised — a move likely to further escalate tensions with the state. Govt data shows that over 3.6 lakh students are currently enrolled under the RTE quota across nearly 7,000 private schools in the state, underlining the scale of the scheme. Officials, meanwhile, have appealed to parents not to rely on "misinformation" and to follow only the official RTE portal for updates. With admissions underway, private schools in protest, and the high court already flagging delays in implementation, the RTE admission cycle in Chhattisgarh is shaping into a legal and administrative showdown with wide implications for access to education.