As per the modified guidelines issued by the Education department for the implementation of the Right to Education (RTE) Act, schools are under the obligation to ensure that all eligible applicants get the benefits under the Act.
Addressing an awareness programme about the Act, at Guru Bhavana, in the city, on Monday, Mysuru taluk Block Education Officer M Vivekananda said, parents, guardians and NGOs can apply on behalf of children and it was the responsibility of the schools to upload the application and scanned copy of supporting documents online.
The process is on to issue passwords to school managements in the district to facilitate uploading of applications. The passwords were issued to schools under Mysuru taluk block on Monday. However, there is an option for direct online application on www.schooleducation.kar.nic.in
Vivekananda said, schools cannot give any excuse for not receiving applications. “Even if a school does not have either computers or internet facility, it has to upload the application from outside at its own cost. Not a single rupee should be collected from the applicants. Under inclusive policy of the government, besides SC and ST, BPL cards holders and backward community students, children of migrant workers, HIV/Aids infected families, destitutes, special children and transgender children should be accorded priority. Schools cannot reject any application,” he said.
Unfortunately, neither parents nor guardians attended the awareness programme at Guru Bhavana. It was attended by only representatives of school managements.Mysuru North Block Education Officer Susheelamma said, the awareness programme held at Vidyavardaka College, on Monday, was attended by only a couple of parents. She said, the passwords for schools will be issued shortly.
The process for admission under RTE Act has begun and the last date for applications is February 18. The decentralised lottery system for individual schools, like in previous years, has been phased out. The system has been centralised to ensure transparency and all applications are sorted out at the office of the Commissioner for Public Instruction and the list of eligible candidates will be published online as well as at the office of the respective BEOs and schools on February 26. If the applicants have objections, they can file them before March 2.
After sorting out the objections, the final list will be published on March 9. Schools can admit general students only after admitting students under RTE Act and fulfilling the 25 per cent quota. The schools have to follow the guidelines even while admitting general students and general reservation policy has to be fulfilled, Vivekananda said.