Over 70,000 students admitted under RTE Act in T.N. this academic year

As many as 70,449 students have been admitted to various schools under the Right to Education Act for the current academic year across Tamil Nadu, according to the School Education Department.

As many as 28,077 students were admitted to the lower kindergarten class in 4,070 nursery and primary schools, while five were admitted to the 1st standard in four schools in the same category across the State. “In matriculation schools, 42,273 students were admitted to LKG in 3,647 schools, while 94 were admitted to the 1st standard in 17 schools across the State,” said B. Chandra Mohan, Secretary of the School Education Department.

Over 81,000 applications were received for RTE admissions in the final phase. A total of 81,927 students applied for LKG and 89 students for the 1st standard under the RTE Act.

This is a marginal decrease from last year, when 71,306 students were admitted to LKG and 92 students were admitted to the 1st standard in 7,609 schools across the State.

Under the RTE Act, 25% of seats in entry-level classes, including LKG and the 1st standard, in private schools must be reserved for students from marginalised sections of society. However, as the Centre had not disbursed funds under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), the State was unable to begin the scheduled admission process for the current academic year in May.

The School Education Department, on October 2, announced that the State would begin RTE admissions on October 9 for the current academic year following the release of ₹538.39 crore under the RTE Entitlements component under the SSA after a notice from the Supreme Court.