About 200 parents staged a protest outside the Block Education Office of South Range-3 here on Monday, demanding action against schools which have claimed minority status without the necessary approval from the competent authority. 

Notices have been served on at least 10 schools, including Baldwin Boys’ and Girls’ School, Brigade School, St Mira School, St Xavier’s School, for “self-declaring” minority status, said M Munireddy, Block Education Officer, South-3. 

The schools had refused to accept application forms and admit students even though seats had been allotted to them under the RTE, he added. 

G Nagasimha Rao, the convener of RTE Task Force who led the protest, said: “There is a complete breakdown of the compliant mechanism. The BEO is the final authority in the matter and he must take action. Why are schools claiming minority status now when seats have been allotted and admissions begun.”