Private schools in Odisha cautioned regarding admissions of Economically Weaker Section (EWS) students.

Students must submit applications through the RTE Paradarshi portal, and schools are assigned to them via a lottery system.

In Bhubaneswar, the state government issued a stern warning to private schools, cautioning against charging fees from students enrolling under the economically weaker section (EWS) quota in accordance with RTE regulations, threatening legal repercussions.

The School and Mass Education (SME) department disclosed that 17,235 students have been selected in the initial round of a lottery system for admission to 25% of seats reserved in private schools under the EWS quota. To aid students seeking enrollment under the RTE act, the department also unveiled a helpline number, 1800-3456-722. SME officials revealed that applications were solicited for admission to 41,333 seats earmarked under the EWS quota across 3,331 private Odia and English medium schools.

During the first phase, 30,423 applications were submitted online through the RTE Paradarshi portal between February 22 and March 20, with 17,235 students selected through the lottery system. The department sternly warned private schools against levying fees for student enrollment, emphasizing that any such action would be met with legal consequences.

Meanwhile, a parents’ association, previously protesting alleged irregularities in free admissions under the EWS quota, demanded an investigation into reduced seat availability in some private schools.

 The Odisha Abhibhabak Mahasangh also urged measures to enlist more private schools to augment total seat availability, which they claim has decreased by approximately 20,000 compared to the previous year. Under section 12(1)(c) of the RTE Act, private schools are mandated to reserve 25% of their seats for economically weaker section (EWS) children from the locality, including 10% for scheduled caste and scheduled tribe students, 10% for children from below poverty line (BPL) families, and 5% for homeless children.

Applicants must apply through the RTE Paradarshi portal, with school allotments determined through a lottery system. Sources indicate that applications for the second round of admissions to private schools under the EWS quota are expected to commence from April 6.