RTE backlog: Schools ordered to admit 10% more students

The Department of Public Instruction has issued a notification directing private schools which were part of a court case, to admit an additional 10% of students under the Right to Education Act (RTE) 2009, as per high court orders.

National Public School, Sharada Vidyalaya, New Horizon Educational and Cultural Trust, Sindhi School and others had approached the high court, contending that they were linguistic minority institutions and therefore exempted from admitting students under the Right to Education Act.

The 10% is treated as a backlog since students were deprived of admission for the past three years while the case before the court. This allocation is in addition to the 25% seats prescribed under the Act.

The schools had denied seats following a stay order by the high court. The court has directed these schools to admit the students under the Right to Education Act this year.