Chennai: Expressing satisfaction over the steps being taken to fill seats in the 25 per cent quota for students belonging to disadvantaged group/weaker section, available with different educational institutions, the Madras high court on Monday directed the educational authorities to set up a committee within a week, to monitor compliance of RTE Act by schools and if there is any violation, report the same to the authorities.
A Division Bench comprising the Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice T. S. Sivagnanam gave the directive on a PIL from CHANGE India (A centre for Advocacy and Research) represented by its trustee/director
A. Narayanan.When the case came up, P. Alagesan, Principal Secretary School Education Department, filed a compliance report, listing the steps being taken to fill up the 25 percent quota under RTE.
In its order, the Bench said, “We are thus, satisfied that all necessary steps are being taken. However, in case of non-compliance by schools or refusal of admission or schools demanding money against the quota comes to light, they can be brought to the notice of the authorities. In order to facilitate this process, the authorities will set up a monitoring committee and duly publicise the names in the website so that aggrieved persons can approach the committee for redressal of grievances. Such a committee will be set up within a week. List the matter for compliance on October 9.”
In his report, P Alagesan submitted that the order of this court dated June 2 had been fully complied with and school wise data had been put up on the website of the Directorate of Matriculation schools on June 5. Instructions had also been given in it for convenience of parents, he added.
Listing out the activities made to ensure 100 percent admission under the Act, he added that pursuant to the action taken by the department, 65,838 children were admitted in the private self financing schools in LKG or first standard during this academic year 2015-16.
School- wise vacant number of seats available under the 25 percent reservation were also published in the website with an instruction that these seats will be kept vacant till the end of November 2015 to benefit eligible children.
Further, showcause notices had been issued to school managements which had not admitted students under this RTE even after repeated instructions. On receipt of the explanation, appropriate action will be initiated against the schools.
