Haryana warns pvt schools ignoring 25% RTE quota for economically weaker section students

Mahipal Dhanda, the Haryana Education Minister, has warned of strict action against 30% of the state's private schools if they fail to fully implement the Right to Education (RTE) Act.

During a review meeting held on the evening of April 15, Dhanda stated that all private schools approved by Haryana are required under the RTE Act to reserve 25% of their Class I seats for students from economically weaker sections.

According to him, 70% of private schools have already allocated seats through the Ujjwal Portal.

However, he issued a warning that if the remaining 30% of schools do not comply soon, strict measures will be taken against them.

The minister has directed education officials to ensure that the rule is enforced, adding that non-compliance may lead to the revocation of the school's recognition.

Dhanda also emphasized that no recognized school in the state is allowed to compel students or their parents to purchase textbooks, stationery, or uniforms from a specific store, as per Rule 158(6) of the Haryana School Education Rules, 2003.

As of April 30, 2024, 207,685 students were registered in Class V in government schools. By April 15 this year, 204,163 students had already been admitted.

Dhanda expressed confidence that by April 30, the number of admissions would surpass last year’s total.