As expected, the deadline for the recognised private schools who are yet to submit their data regarding reservation of 25 per cent seats in the first or entry-level class as per the RTE Act has been further extended, up to April 14.
The Directorate of Elementary Education, last month, had instructed all District Elementary Education Officers (DEEOs) to ensure that 25 per cent of seats in the first or entry-level class in all recognised private schools were reserved for children from economically weaker sections (EWS) and disadvantaged groups. The last date to upload the data was April 1, and since then it has been extended multiple times due to lukewarm response from the schools.
As per the latest data available with the department, as many as 66.86 per cent schools in the state have submitted their data. Of 10,701 private schools, as many as 7,155 schools have submitted their final data while 3,546 are yet to submit their data.
As per a letter issued by the Directorate, the last date for the submission of the data has been extended up to April 14. The directorate has also observed that several schools have only partially submitted their seat declaration data and have not yet submitted their data as final. Only application marked as ‘final submitted’ will be considered. The schools have been told to declare the total number of seats available on the seat declaration portal and it will automatically calculate 25 per cent of the seats.
Saurabh Kapoor, spokesperson of the Haryana Progressive Schools’ Conference, said “We have already asked the schools associated with the HPSC to follow the directions of the department and submit their data. We have also requested the Education Department to release the pending dues to the schools for teaching the students under the RTE in previous years. Besides this, such exercise should have been completed by March, so that the new academic session is started for all students from April 1.”
“In the current situation, the department is still compiling the data and later it will issue the admission schedule. The entire admission process may consume several more days and it will hamper the studies. Besides this, the schools will also face difficulties as seats may remain vacant,” he added.
Meanwhile, District Elementary Education Officer (DEEO) Sudhir Kalra said, “The date for the declaration of the seat under the RTE Act have been extended up to April 14. In Ambala, about 61 per cent schools have submitted their data. The schools have been told to follow the directions else the department may initiate action.”
