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Time of India
20 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Parents stir in city over RTE admission delay in pvt schools
1 2 Jaipur: Hundreds of parents staged a protest outside the Shiksha Sankul Wednesday, demanding immediate admissions for students selected under the Right to Education (RTE) quota in private schools. Organised under the banner of Sanyukt Abhibhavak Sangh, the protest saw aggrieved parents asserting that despite more than 20 days since the start of the academic session, thousands of children who secured admission through the lottery system are yet to be enrolled. "My daughter was selected under RTE through the lottery, but the school is not completing the admission process. Almost one month of the session has passed, and there is still no clear response," said Naina Kotia, one of the protesting parents. "Private schools are citing Rajasthan High Court orders, while the school education department has been issuing instructions this month itself that admissions must be completed. Parents and students are caught in this tussle," she said. On July 17, Directorate of Primary Education had directed all district education officers to ensure that admissions under RTE were completed at the earliest. TNN
Time of India
2 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
FePSA seeks CM's intervention to release RTE funds
Madurai: Federation of Private School Associations (FePSA) has sought chief minister M K Stalin 's immediate intervention to resolve challenges like delayed approval for schools by Directorate of Town and Country Planning (DTCP), and release of pending Right to Education (RTE) funds. In a statement, FePSA said that more than 67 lakh students and nearly 6 lakh teachers and staff depend on private schools across the state. Many institutions are on the brink of closure due to excessive bureaucracy. Several schools are struggling to renew their DTCP approval, a licence for the building, and have called for a one-time approval. Even schools established long ago are being forced to submit land ownership documents, which many find difficult to provide. For schools that were approved prior to 2018, DTCP clearance is being demanded again. Since the process moved online, there is a lack of transparency, said FePSA state president M Arumugam. He also pointed out that since RTE funds did not reach private schools, no admissions were held under the scheme this academic year. This affects at least 4 lakh students between LKG and Class VIII. "Since RTE is a legal mandate, opposing it is a violation. We are caught in a political tussle between the state and central govts," he added. FePSA has urged the state govt to act in this regard immediately.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
13,048-Page Chargesheet Filed in Massive RTE Fraud; Poaching, POCSO Links Unearthed
Nagpur: A voluminous 13,048-page chargesheet on the Right to Education (RTE) admission scam that unravelled a web of criminal activities was filed in Nagpur district court on Monday. The case, which began with fake documents used to secure RTE admissions in Nagpur during the 2023–24 academic year, exposed links to poaching, illegal arms possession, and sexual offences. The chargesheet by Sadar police names 11 accused, including key conspirators Prashant Hedau and Rajesh Buwade, both of whom submitted forged residential documents to secure RTE quota seats for their children at two city schools. The investigation, carried out under supervision of then-Zone 2 DCP Rahul Madane, then-Sadar ACP Madhuri Baviskar, and PI Manish Thakare, followed a written complaint by group education officer, Kakdu Rameshwarrao Durge. This complaint was filed after the taluka verification committee found gross discrepancies in residential documents. According to police inspector Thakare, the complainant earlier tried to seek redressal at the tehsil level, but was unsuccessful. It was only after approaching the zilla parishad that a special investigation team (SIT) was constituted by then-ZP CEO Saumya Sharma to probe the matter. Of 11 accused, six, including Hedau, Buwade, Raja Jamshed Sharif, Ruksaar alias Rupali Dhagaye, Rohit Pillay, and Shubham Bhute, have been arrested. The prime accused, Shahid Sharif, continues to be on the run for over a year, for whom a lookout notice has also been issued. Shubham Bhute, an important member of the network, allegedly forged fake documents for over 17-18 students. The fraud involved well-off families falsely claiming to be from below poverty line (BPL) backgrounds to secure RTE seats meant for underprivileged children. What started as an education scam soon expanded into a broader criminal conspiracy. As per the inspector, when they checked Sharif's phone, they found it wiped clean. "He erased all data from his phone, but we were able to recover it," he said. The cop added they discovered deleted files containing sexually explicit images of minors, resulting in POCSO charges being slapped on mastermind's brother, Raja Sharif and Pillay. In a follow-up raid, more incriminating data were recovered that revealed Raja and Shahid Sharif's involvement in tiger and deer hunting in Madhya Pradesh. Acting on this, Nagpur police collaborated with Jabalpur Forest Department. A 70-page panchnama was prepared after a raid on Raja Sharif's vehicle revealed empty gun shells, wild animal hair, and fish remains. The forest department arrested Raja Sharif and Rohit Pillay from Nagpur Central Jail under Wildlife Protection Act. Two of their associates, Aamir Aziz alias Attu Bhai and Jafar Khan, were also nabbed in Madhya Pradesh. Separate cases under Arms Act, Wildlife Protection Act, and POCSO have been registered against the network, in addition to IPC sections 420, 465, 468, 471, 472, 201, and 34 for fraud and conspiracy. As per police, the chargesheet backed by digital, documentary, and witness evidence is aimed at ensuring strong legal action against those abusing educational provisions and engaging in wider criminal networks.
The Hindu
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
YSRSU seeks action against private schools flouting rules
A delegation of YSR Students Union of Anantapur district on Monday met In-charge Collector Shivnarayan Sharma and submitted a memorandum urging him to resolve the issues pertaining to the student community. YSRSU district president Chandrasekhar Yadav alleged that the private school managements in the district have denied free seats for eligible candidates under Section 12(1)(C) of the Right to Education (RTE) Act, 2009, for the academic year 2024–25. The students' wing of YSRCP in the representation demanded an inquiry and legal action against the respective school managements. Mr. Chandrasekhar Yadav also wanted action against educational institutions operating unfit buses in violation of government regulations. He said that some school bus drivers do not even possess valid licenses and the buses which are unfit but are transporting students should be seized immediately. Later addressing the media, Mr. Chandrasekhar Yadav alleged that private and corporate educational institutions are being excessively promoted while public education is being neglected. He also pointed out that many private and corporate school buses are overloaded with students, violating safety norms.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Kerala education minister stands firm on school timings despite religious opposition
PALAKKAD: Kerala General Education Minister V Sivankutty on Monday hardened his stance against religious and community organisations interfering in the affairs of educational institutions and said school timings across the state would not be decided to suit their convenience. He clarified that neither his department nor he had any role in the school timing adjustments in the state in the current academic year. "There are several religious and community outfits in the state. We cannot fix the timing of our schools and examinations of children as per their convenience," he told reporters here. To justify the new timings of state schools, the minister also cited the examples of school timings of Kendriya Vidyalayas in the state and those in Gulf nations. "We will try to convince everyone about this. A discussion will be held with representatives of school managements on Wednesday," he said. Sivankutty also said as per the rules and procedures of the Right to Education, there should be 220 school working days. According to General Education Department sources, the discussion will be held in the chamber of Sivankutty in Thiruvananthapuram on July 23 afternoon. One representative from each management is expected to attend the meeting, where the minister will outline the reasons behind the government's revision of school timings, they said. Sivankutty recently clarified that school timings cannot be changed to "accommodate a particular community", as the government must consider the interests of lakhs of students. He stated that the decision to extend school hours by 30 minutes was based on the Kerala High Court directive, and anyone aggrieved by it can seek legal remedies. As per the revised schedule, high school students (classes 8 to 10) will spend an additional 15 minutes each in the morning and afternoon on all working days except Fridays to help schools meet the mandated 1,100 instructional hours annually. The minister's clarification comes in the wake of mounting criticism from Muslim organisations, including the Sunni clerical body Samastha Kerala Jamiyyathul Ulama, which contends that the "extended hours will interfere with religious education." Ready to navigate global policies? Secure your overseas future. Get expert guidance now!
