MUMBAI: If you have enrolled your child in the pre-primary section or Class I of a private unaided school this year, you could be in for much anxiety. First, schools may have to reopen admissions to make space for candidates belonging to economically weaker sections (EWS) and socially disadvantaged groups (SDG). Second, in a game changer, SC/ST and OBC reservations will be made at the school level.
On Wednesday, officials from the school education department said no private unaided school barring minority unaided institutions can get away from the Supreme Court's April 12 verdict on the RTE Act. This means EWS and SDG children will comprise 25% of a class at the entry level. Much chaos might be in store as schools do not know how to accomplish this without either increasing class size or cancelling admissions of confirmed students.
Also, though SDG has not been defined, it will in all likelihood include children from scheduled castes and scheduled tribes, OBCs and nomadic tribes, minorities (as defined by the state), and those living in orphanages and children's homes. SC/STs and minorities are likely to be part of SDG irrespective of their income.
As for EWS, again, though a formal definition is yet to come, the category is likely to include below-poverty-line (BPL) card holders and those with an annual family income of Rs 1 lakh or less. The 25% quota is to be equally divided between SDG and EWS candidates.
As per the SC directive, the quota, an RTE requirement, is to be made applicable on all schools except unaided minority schools from this year onwards.
To get away from implementing the provision, a number of schools had argued that their admission process was over before the apex court pronounced its verdict. Based on the order, the state government has now clarified that such schools, too, will have to adhere to the RTE quota. "The SC verdict clearly states that only admissions carried out in unaided minority schools before the pronouncement of the judgment will not be reopened," a senior official from the school education department said.
On Wednesday, the state cabinet discussed a proposal for defining EWS and SDG, and a formal notification is expected in a couple of days. The school education department had earlier proposed including only BPL card holders in EWS. But the Rs 1 lakh ceiling was decided on after a section of ministers from urban areas (Nitin Raut, Naseem Khan and Suresh Shetty) argued that the BPL norm might not be practical for cities. The law and judiciary department has been assigned the task of drafting the notification.
A fine of Rs 25,000 would be levied on schools failing to adhere to the act. For second time offenders, the fine would increase to Rs 50,000. Officials said the RTE permits the derecognizing of a school for repeated offences. Also, the government will reimburse a school Rs 10,217 per quota child per annum. The school must bear the remaining expenditure.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/Mumbai-schools-must-make-space-for-more-students/articleshow/13183788.cms
On Wednesday, officials from the school education department said no private unaided school barring minority unaided institutions can get away from the Supreme Court's April 12 verdict on the RTE Act. This means EWS and SDG children will comprise 25% of a class at the entry level. Much chaos might be in store as schools do not know how to accomplish this without either increasing class size or cancelling admissions of confirmed students.
Also, though SDG has not been defined, it will in all likelihood include children from scheduled castes and scheduled tribes, OBCs and nomadic tribes, minorities (as defined by the state), and those living in orphanages and children's homes. SC/STs and minorities are likely to be part of SDG irrespective of their income.
As for EWS, again, though a formal definition is yet to come, the category is likely to include below-poverty-line (BPL) card holders and those with an annual family income of Rs 1 lakh or less. The 25% quota is to be equally divided between SDG and EWS candidates.
As per the SC directive, the quota, an RTE requirement, is to be made applicable on all schools except unaided minority schools from this year onwards.
To get away from implementing the provision, a number of schools had argued that their admission process was over before the apex court pronounced its verdict. Based on the order, the state government has now clarified that such schools, too, will have to adhere to the RTE quota. "The SC verdict clearly states that only admissions carried out in unaided minority schools before the pronouncement of the judgment will not be reopened," a senior official from the school education department said.
On Wednesday, the state cabinet discussed a proposal for defining EWS and SDG, and a formal notification is expected in a couple of days. The school education department had earlier proposed including only BPL card holders in EWS. But the Rs 1 lakh ceiling was decided on after a section of ministers from urban areas (Nitin Raut, Naseem Khan and Suresh Shetty) argued that the BPL norm might not be practical for cities. The law and judiciary department has been assigned the task of drafting the notification.
A fine of Rs 25,000 would be levied on schools failing to adhere to the act. For second time offenders, the fine would increase to Rs 50,000. Officials said the RTE permits the derecognizing of a school for repeated offences. Also, the government will reimburse a school Rs 10,217 per quota child per annum. The school must bear the remaining expenditure.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/Mumbai-schools-must-make-space-for-more-students/articleshow/13183788.cms
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