Academic year start almost here and BMC Edu Dept yet to hold round 2 of lottery for RTE quota admission

With the new academic year around the corner, there is a visible excitement in children as they are preparing to go back to school. New notebooks, uniforms and stationery are being purchased. However, children from the Economically Weaker section (EWS) are still awaiting their admissions under the RTE quota.

It needs to be pointed out here the RTE Act mandates private schools to set aside 25% seats for students from economically weaker section (EWS). These seats are then allocated to children who have applied using a lottery system. In the first round of lottery, out of the 3,411 students selected, 1,790 were admitted in city schools. While the first round's last date was April 30, admissions are still going on, claimed education officials.

The civic education department is now contemplating holding the second round of the admission lottery between June 18 and 22. Deputy Director of primary education Dinkar Temkar said, "We have not yet decided the date for the second round of lottery. The first round is yet to be finished."

BMC's education officer Prakash Charate said, "BMC's education department is thinking of having a second lottery for RTE online admission between June 18 and 22. The deputy director of school education recently issued a circular stating that if parents were ready to furnish a fresh income certificate from the proper authorities, then their children's admission could be considered. Right now, from the first lottery, at least 10% admissions are yet to be done."

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As an interesting aside and a testimony to how strictly the RTE quota is being implemented, recently, the Dindoshi police registered a case of forgery and cheating against unidentified agents who used to help parents obtain fake income certificates for securing admission for their wards under the 25% quota.