Karnataka RTE admissions in private schools drop by 98% since 2019: Report
Karnataka's implementation of the Right to Education (RTE) Act has seen a drastic decline in compliance since 2019, with entry-level admissions dropping by 98.87 per cent from 1,16,273 in 2018-19 to just 1,312 in 2023-24, according to a report by Indus Action, a New-Delhi based policy implementation organisation.
In recent years, this figure has remained low, hovering just over 1,500 annually, placing Karnataka significantly behind other South Indian states like Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh in ensuring educational access for disadvantaged children. From 1.16 lakh in 2018-19, the number dropped to 1,795 in 2019-20, 1,713 in 2020-21, and 1,412 in 2021-22, before rising slightly to 1,512 in 2022-23.
The decline in RTE admissions coincides with a 2019 amendment to Karnataka's RTE rules, specifically Rule 4, which exempts private unaided schools from admitting RTE quota students if a government or aided school exists in the locality. According to the Indus Action report, this policy change led to a 98 per cent reduction in participating private schools, from 12,165 in 2018-19 to 221 by 2020-21. The report also showed that in Bengaluru, no private schools are covered under the RTE quota for the 2024-25 academic year, effectively barring disadvantaged students from accessing private education in the city.
In contrast, Tamil Nadu has maintained robust RTE compliance, with 56,166 to 74,283 admissions annually between 2019 and 2022, supported by over 8,200 participating private schools – approximately 40 times Karnataka's recent figures. Andhra Pradesh, despite delaying RTE implementation until 2022-23, recorded 28,998 admissions in its first full year, with 9,607 private schools participating by 2024-25, surpassing Karnataka's numbers by over 43 times. Telangana is set to begin RTE implementation in 2025-26, while Kerala has opted out of the RTE admission provisions.
Despite the sharp decline in admissions and participating schools, Karnataka has maintained annual RTE reimbursement funding at approximately Rs 200 crore from 2019-20 to 2024-25, with a slight dip to Rs 191.81 crore in 2022-23. 'This indicates that while financial commitments remain, the policy shift has severely restricted new admissions, denying an estimated 1.2 lakh children annually access to private school education under the RTE Act,' said Tarun Cherukuri, Founder and CEO, Indus Action.
He added, 'Research demonstrates that RTE's benefits extend beyond individual students to create more inclusive learning environments that benefit all children. Parents of RTE beneficiaries have reported significant positive outcomes, including access to English-medium education, greater participation in extracurricular activities, and notably increased confidence in their children.'
Cherukuri also recommended, 'Karnataka government should urgently reconsider its approach to RTE implementation by revoking Rule 4 to restore the original intent and scope of RTE Section 12(1)(c); reopen approximately 12,000 private schools to disadvantaged students, extending RTE provisions to grades 9 and 10 and allow students to complete their education in the same school which will potentially benefit up to 1.2 lakh children annually through restored implementation.'
An official from the Department of School Education stated, 'The lack of RTE seats in private schools, particularly in Bengaluru, is due to the amendment. Additionally, parents' preference for better private schools over available government or budget private schools has further reduced admissions.'
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