TN kicks off RTE admissions for 2025-26 after Centre releases Rs 700 Cr funds

The announcement came after the Centre committed to release its share of Rs 700 crore under RTE as part of the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) following a Supreme Court order. The Centre will release the funds – Rs 362 crore for 2024-25 and Rs 352 crore for 2025-26 – for Tamil Nadu in two tranches.

The Centre had allegedly stalled the fund disbursement after the Tamil Nadu government refused to adopt the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and sign MoUs for the PM SHRI Schools initiative, leading to a tussle between the two power centres.

Also read: NEP may appear erudite, but can it help repair a school toilet?

Centre releases funds after SC notice

However, the Madras High Court earlier this year instructed the Centre to delink RTE reimbursements from SSA. The court emphasised that fund releases should not be contingent on the decision of states to adopt NEP 2020 or signing the MoU with the Union government for the PM SHRI Schools.

Following this, the Tamil Nadu government filed a Special Leave Petition (SLP) in the Supreme Court, urging it to direct the Centre to release the state’s share of funds.

The apex court issued a notice to the Centre, prompting the eventual disbursement of the state's share of RTE funds.

"This enables the commencement of RTE admissions for 2025-26 across Tamil Nadu," said a press release from the School Education Department, Tamil Nadu.

What RTE rules entail?

Considering the expenditure incurred in 2024-25 by the state government, the Project Approval Board has approved an amount of Rs 604.68 crores under the RTE Entitlements Component of 2024-25, out of which the central share is Rs 362.81 crore.

Under the RTE Act, 2009, and Tamil Nadu RTE Rules, 2011, private unaided non-minority schools must reserve 25 per cent of seats in entry-level classes for children from disadvantaged backgrounds. The admissions will be conducted online via the official RTE portal, and this year, the focus will be on regularising eligible children already enrolled in entry-level classes.

Also read: Education for all, but only on paper: 15 years of Right to Education

The schools are barred from collecting tuition or admission fees from RTE-eligible students. Any fees already paid must be refunded within seven working days, with confirmations from both schools and parents.

Strict admission protocols

A condensed 10-day online admission window has been outlined to streamline the process. Starting from October 6, with the issuance of the admission notification, the schools must upload the total seats filled as of September 30 by October 7. By October 8, 25 per cent of RTE seats are meant to be identified and visible through school logins. On October 9, details of eligible children should be uploaded, including Aadhaar number, date of birth, address, and income or community certificates, along with parent declarations.

The schools should display eligible and ineligible applicants on school notice boards, with reasons for rejections provided on October 10-13. Parents get a chance to submit missing documents. The final list of eligible children will be published on October 14.

Also read: Fee rows, Aadhaar hurdles or lack of will: What ails RTE implementation?

If the number of eligible children is below 25 per cent of seats, they will be tagged under the RTE quota in the Education Management Information System (EMIS) portal on October 15. In case the applications exceed the quota, a random selection will be conducted on October 16 after prioritising certain categories, with selected names displayed immediately. The process is expected to be completed on October 17 with the tagging of selected children in EMIS.

Govt resolve on transparency

Under the RTE admissions, priority is also given to orphans, HIV-affected or infected children, transgender children, children of scavengers, and differently-abled children. In order to ensure smooth implementation of the process, district-level monitoring committees headed by Chief Educational Officers (CEOs) will oversee operations for the admissions. A dedicated helpline 14417 and email support [email protected] will handle grievances and technical issues.

The state government also reiterated its commitment to ensuring every child’s constitutional right to free and compulsory education, stating that it will see to it that RTE admissions for 2025-26 are transparent, equitable, and child-centric across the state.

Also read: TN yet to open RTE admissions online over Centre withholding funds; parents suffer

‘Victory for state’s rights in education’

State Education Department officials say that they see this development as a victory for state's rights in education policy, amid ongoing debates over federalism and NEP adoption. Education advocates have also welcomed the move, stating that it will benefit thousands of underprivileged children in Tamil Nadu's private schools.

Speaking to the Federal, educationist Jayaprakash Gandhi had also earlier highlighted that timely reimbursements remain crucial for sustaining the programme as delays impact the enrollment of candidates in the schools. With the academic year already underway, this expedited process aims to integrate eligible students without further disruption.