With this, the Education Department issued a written directive on July 20 asking grant-in-aid and private schools to admit those students who do not have a pre-school certificate in Class 1 (Source:Pixabay)
In June, at the beginning of the academic year, several people from across the state visited the Education Department headquarters in Gandhinagar to highlight an issue which had gone unnoticed by the authorities so far. They have a common concern: their children were denied admission in Class I by self financed schools citing that they lack ‘pre-school certificate’.
While the issue was ‘sorted’ by giving oral directions to the respective schools, in July a few other parents from Ahmedabad City visited the education department’s headquarters in Gandhinagar with similar complaints.
With this, the Education Department issued a written directive on July 20 asking grant-in-aid and private schools to admit those students who do not have a pre-school certificate in Class 1.
The directive was issued to all District Primary Education Officers(DPEOs), District Education Officers (DEOs) and Administrative Officers (AOs).
“In June, the parents’ complaints were addressed through oral instructions to the schools concerned through the DEOs and DPEOs. However, some parents from Ahmedabad again complained in July that a few private schools were denying admission to the children who do not have a pre-school certificate,” Director, Primary Education (DEP), Prakash Trivedi told The Indian Express.
DPE’s office issued the order for ‘exemption from pre-school certificate for admission to Class I’ citing Section 14 of the Right to Free and Compulsory Education Act-2009 (RTE Act-2009) and the Gujarat Right to Free and Compulsory Education Rules-2012.
“Please inform all government, aided and private primary schools in the state under your control that Section 14 of the Right to Free and Compulsory Education Act-2009 has made clear provisions for proof of age for admission purposes for a child….According to this legal provision, only the prescribed age (proof of age) of the child has to be taken into consideration for admission to Class I. Having a certificate/certificate of completion of Balvatika (pre-schooling) in the state is not mandatory for admission to Class I,” the directive issued to all DEOs, DPEOs and AOs stated.
The education department also warned of stringent action against the schools which deny Class 1 admissions for want of pre-school certificate.
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“As per the provisions of Section 14, if any private or government, aided school obstructs the admission of a child due to lack of a nursery school certificate, it will be considered a violation of Section 14 of the RTE Act and strict action will be taken against the school concerned as per the rules,” the directive said.
Parents said some private schools refuse to issue a leaving certificate if even some minor amount of fee is pending.
“My son couldn’t attend the pre-school for a few months due to health issues and we didn’t pay the remaining fee. When we approached a Gujarati medium private school in the eastern part of the city seeking a pre-school certificate, they refused. Finally, we approached the officials in Gandhinagar,” a parent from Ahmedabad city told The Indian Express.
Officials said some private schools had declined admission in Class I despite submission of a leaving certificate from Balvatikas. “The action was necessary as some private schools were openly violating the RTE Act,” an education department official stated.
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What RTE Act says
As per Section 14 of RTE Act-2009, “Proof of Age for Admission” for the purpose of admission to primary education is determined primarily on the basis of the birth certificate issued under the Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Act, 1886, or on the basis of any other document as may be prescribed by the government. “No child shall be denied admission to school due to lack of proof of age,” the RTE Act further states.
Ritu Sharma is an Assistant Editor with The Indian Express' Gujarat bureau, an editorial position that reflects her experience and Authority in regional journalism. With over a decade of concentrated reporting experience, she is a highly Trustworthy and specialized journalist, especially noted for her Expertise in the education sector across Gujarat and previously Chandigarh.
Expertise
Primary Authority (Education): With over ten years of dedicated reporting on education in both Gujarat and Chandigarh, Ritu Sharma is a foremost authority on educational policy, institutional governance, and ground realities from "KG to PG." Her coverage includes:
Higher Education: In-depth scrutiny of top institutions like IIM-Ahmedabad (controversies over demolition/restoration of heritage architecture), IIT-Bombay (caste discrimination issues), and new initiatives like international branch campuses in GIFT City.
Schooling & Policy: Detailed coverage of government schemes (Gyan Sadhana School Voucher Scheme), the implementation and impact of the Right to Education (RTE) Act, teacher recruitment issues, and the impact of national policies like the NEP.
Student Welfare: Reporting on critical issues such as suicide allegations due to caste discrimination, and the challenges faced by students (e.g., non-delivery of NAMO tablets). ... Read More
