Covid-induced economic crisis pushes up demand for RTE

Seats under the Right to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) - which seemed to have lost relevance in the last three years, is back in demand this year.

The department of public instruction (DPI) has received more than 20,000 applications for admissions to various grades under RTE.

It has received 20,414 applications so far, for the 18,555 seats available for the academic year 2022-23.

Officials attributed the sudden rise in demand to the economic crisis caused by the pandemic.

According to sources, the highest number of applications seeking admissions in schools under the RTE quota is from Bengaluru South.

A total of 3,989 applications were received for 1,276 seats in schools there.

This is followed by Mysuru district, with 2,600 applications for 928 seats.

Officials told DH that a majority of the parents who have applied for seats under the RTE quota for their children are those hit severely during the pandemic.

“Not all parents are capable of paying fees demanded by private unaided schools. This year, a few parents who were earlier sending their wards to private schools are now trying their luck under RTE,” said an official.

A parent who has applied under RTE for a school in Bengaluru North said, “Our elder daughter is studying in a private school and the fee is around Rs 80,000. Now, we need to admit our younger one as well. Keeping in mind the high costs, we have applied under RTE.”

In 2021-22, the number of available seats was 14,036. For these, 11,531 applications were received and 3,070 seats were filled. In 2020-21, the number of seats available was 17,453 and 11,026 applications were received. But only 3,070 seats were filled.

The DPI will conduct the first round of lottery for seat allotment on April 4.

The demand for RTE seats dropped considerably, after amendments brought by the department, giving priority to seats in government schools, followed by aided schools.

If there is no government or aided school nearby, seats will be allotted in a private school.

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