Seats allotted under RTE drastically cut in Kodagu, Chamarajanagar

MYSURU: Reduction in the seats allotted to students in private schools under the Right To Education (RTE) Act – consequence of a modification in the legislation – could result in many children from the economically weaker sections of society in Kodagu and Chamarajanagar being deprived of quality education. Both the districts in question boast a sizeable population of members from Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) communities, and the decline, in some cases a manifold decrease, in the allocation of free seats under the RTE Act is likely to impact kids from these communities the most.

Kodagu district nodal officer for RTE Kashinath confirmed the steep decline in the number of seats allotted under the quota in comparison to the previous academic year. While 619 seats were allotted under RTE in the 2018-19 academic year, the number has slid to a paltry 46 for the current year. Last year, 555 seats set aside under the quota were filled. “Since there are hardly any seats, the number of applications we have received for RTE seats is also very low,” said Kashinath.

In Chamarajanagar, another district that neighbours Mysuru, the situation is equally grim. “In the four taluks, 25 private schools have listed seats for the RTE quota . Although the total number of seats allotted under the act is 222, the department of public instruction in Chamarajanagar has received just 106 applications. “Last year, the total number of seats available was 1,128, of which 912 were lapped up,” said an official in the Chamarajanagar DPI.

Of the 25 private schools that are offering seats under RTE, seven are in Chamarajanar taluk, five each in Gundlupet and Hanur, four each in Kollegal and Yelandur.

Explaining the steep decline in the allotment of seats under RTE DPI commissioner S Jayakumar told TOI, “The government has dropped seats of private unaided schools in those areas where there are state-run institutions. I will talk to the deputy directors of public instruction of the districts concerned and inquire into any problems faced by students.”

Karnataka Hindulida Vargagala Jagrutha Vedike president KS Shivaramu decried the reduction in the number of seats under the quota, a move he dubbed an ‘injustice’ to students from SC/ST and OBC communities. “Government schools are not on a par with private schools. That is a sad reality we have to face up to. By reducing the number of seats in elite schools, the government is depriving children from the vulnerable sections of society an opportunity to obtain quality education,” said Shivaramu.