EWS students to be given preference in govt schools

Also,from next academic session a draw of lots would be held in the schools across the state for admissions in all the categories.

“From the coming academic session the admission to the schools,private or government,across the state would be through draw of lots and not through interview or first-come-first-serve basis,” he said,adding that those students (under EWS category) who could not get admission in government schools would be sent to the private schools.

“The district education officer (DEO) will write to the nearest private school to admit EWS students under EWS category. The state government will give nearly Rs 1300 per student to the private school as per RTE guidelines. Primary schools within 1 km radius and upper primary schools within 3 km radius would be approached,’’ Purushartha added.

However,the state has put a rider when it comes to reimbursing the expenses incurred on a EWS student in a private school. It will reimburse the expenses only if the parents of a student approach the government to get their ward admitted to a private school.

“The government will not refund the money if a EWS student approaches a private school directly and gets admission. The parents will have to pay from their own pocket,” he added.

The state has implemented 25 per cent quota for EWS in the schools across the state. There are 20,000 government and 15,000 private schools in the state with a combined strength of nearly 20 lakh children on rolls.

“Out of the 15,000 private schools,some 10,000 are unrecognised by the state government. They will get recognition under RTE,if they fullfil some conditions like one teacher per 30 students,” Purushartha said while talking to the Indian Express on the sidelines of a regional workshop on RTE here.

Speaking during the workshop,Husan Lal,secretary,school education,said a total number of 1,25,828 children with special needs have been identified,out of which 99,853 children have been enrolled in mainstream schools. More than 10,700 such students were being provided resource support through teaching in Resource Rooms set up in the general schools and 8,676 children with severe and profound forms of disabilities were being covered under the Home Based Education programme.