Over 7,500 RTE quota students denied admission in Andhra; schools defy government, court orders
VIJAYAWADA: Despite clear directives from the State government and the High Court, several private unaided schools across Andhra Pradesh continue to defy Section 12(1)(C) of the Right to Education (RTE) Act, 2009, by refusing to admit underprivileged children entitled to 25% reservation in Class 1. As a result, more than 7,500 students allotted seats in the first round remain unadmitted.
According to Samagra Shiksha officials, 37,427 applications were received under the RTE quota for Class I admissions. Of these, 28,561 were found eligible. In the first round of allotment, 23,118 students were granted seats, but only 15,541 joined. A second round has now allotted 8,583 seats, with admissions scheduled from June 21 to 28. Final figures will be available after this phase concludes.
However, implementation of the Act remains patchy. Many schools are allegedly refusing to admit students, often citing a lack of official communication or pending fee reimbursements from the government. In one incident in Vijayawada, a parent said his son, selected in the first round, was denied entry by a reputed school. 'This is not an inn to serve everyone for free,' a staff member reportedly told him, despite the parent presenting the government order and court directives.
Another parent said school managements claim their associations are still negotiating with the government for reimbursement clarity. 'The delay not only denies our children their right to education but also affects benefits like the Talliki Vandanam scheme, which has already closed for the year,' he added.
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