Private schools deny admission to EWS students, taking ‘no seat’ plea

413
Parents meet the District Education Officer in Rohtak

Rohtak, June 12:Parents of many students who were allotted private schools for admission in the economically weaker section (EWS) category under Rule 134 A of the RTE Act are compelled to make rounds of the local education office for the past several days as the schools are denying admission to their wards by stating that all their seats have been filled.

Incidentally, the local education authorities have several times in the past warned the schools verbally that action would be taken against them for not admitting EWS students. The authorities have now written to such schools, questioning the denial of the admissions.“My ward has been allotted a private school for Class II. I have gone there four times but every time the school has denied admission, saying that no seat is vacant. I have also lodged a complaint against the school with the education authorities but to no avail,” said Sarita, a housewife residing in Sector 4 here.

Naresh of Bohar village, Sunder Singh of Gaddi Kheri village, Yashpal of Sector 4, Anil of Sukhpura and many other parents are facing a similar problem. Their wards have been allotted different private schools in the city but they are struggling to get admission. The harried parents met District Education Officer (DEO) Parmeshwari Devi on Tuesday, urging her to look into the matter.

One set of parents told the DEO that security guards did not let them go inside the school upon knowing that they had come to get admission under the EWS category.

“Private schools cannot run away from the responsibility of giving admissions to the EWS students on the pretext of no vacant seats as the schools have been allotted keeping in view the number of vacant seats there. I have asked the block education officers to put the school operators who are denying admissions on notice,” said the DEO. The DEO said every private school was legally bound to give admission to every EWS student hence those that were not complying with the rules might lose recognition.

To be put on notice

Private schools cannot run away from the responsibility of giving admissions to the EWS students on the pretext of no vacant seats…. I have asked the block education officers to put the school operators who are denying admissions on notice. — Parmeshwari Devi, District Education Officer