Changes in RTE admission portal: School edu dept told to respond

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court on Thursday directed the state school education department to respond to a Public Interest Litigation petition challenging the denial of admission to the students living beyond a radius of one kilometre by private schools under Right To Education (RTE) Act.

Hearing a Public Interest Litigation filed by D Muthu from Coimbatore, a summer vacation bench comprising Justices AD Jagadish Chandira and C Saravanan refused to pass any kind of interim orders to avoid disturbing the ongoing RTE admissions and directed the school education department to respond to a petition within two weeks.

During the hearing, counsel representing the petitioner contended that in the online application portal only the applicants whose residence is within one kilometre radius can apply to private schools under RTE Act and the option for nearest habitants is not available in the online portal even though the said Act and the press release issued by the government clearly states that children beyond one kilometre radius can be admitted when seats are available after filling up students within the one kilometre radius.

It is further submitted that the blanket denial to even apply under the RTE Act for the children who are placed beyond one kilometre radius of the private school is in violation of the additional guidelines issued by the GO No. 66 and the PR No. 341 issued by the government.

"A mere look at sub-rule 3 of Rule 8 would indicate that the one-kilometre distance rule is not inflexible. Children residing within the said walking distance will have priority. But if sufficient candidates are not available, the circle will have to be expanded. The object is to fill the RTE quota. The management cannot be permitted to take shelter behind the non-availability of sufficient candidates within the aforesaid radius. Adopting the approach laid down by the Delhi High Court alone would effectuate the constitutional vision of catering to the educational needs of the disadvantaged children," the petition stated.

Therefore, the petitioner prayed to grant an interim order directing the school education department to make necessary changes in the online portal for applicants in order to enable them to apply as nearest habitants.