State revamps admission process under RTE Act 2009

MUMBAI: The state education department has revamped the admission process under the Right to Education (RTE) Act, 2009 by adding a special section for disabled students and students belonging to the marginalised sections of society.

According to the government resolution (GR) issued on Thursday, this move has been initiated to bring about more clarity in admissions and to ensure maximum admissions to  students. As of now, more than 49,308 students have been allotted in the state through the first round of the admission.

For the academic session 2018-19, the admission process under RTE began in the month of March and was extended till the month of May instead of April this year since the department aims to allot each and every student under the RTE Act.

According to officials, even after the first round, around 1,26,117 seats are vacant in schools and over 1,88,000 online applications have been received.

In the two special sections — disabled students and marginalised section students — parents or  guardians need to attach a doctor’s certificate along with an income certificate while filling the online admission form for the RTE admissions.

The government has asked all municipal corporations and ward officers to inform interested parents or guardians to apply for admissions under RTE as the window will be open for next seven days. Under the RTE Act, 2009, 25 per cent seats in private unaided schools are reserved for marginalised section students. Students of families with an annual income which is less than Rs 1 lakh can apply online for RTE admissions. The elementary education of these students from class 1to 8 is entirely funded by the state government.