Complete RTE admissions in a week or face action, DM tells 28 schools

Ghaziabad: Twenty-eight private schools in the city came under the district administration’s scanner on Monday for failing to complete admissions under the Right to Education (RTE) Act. District magistrate Ravindra Kumar Mander warned that strict action, including sealing of school premises, will be taken against institutions that continue to deny admission to eligible children.At a review meeting, the DM, along with chief development officer Kumar Saurabh, conducted a school-wise assessment of pending RTE admissions and directed all defaulting institutions to complete the process within a week. Officials said many schools had admitted less than 50% of students allotted seats under the scheme despite repeated directives from the administration.Representatives from several schools, including Delhi Public School, Ghaziabad, Indirapuram Public School, KR Mangalam School, Seth Anandram Jaipuria School, DPS Siddharth Vihar, Dashmesh Public School, Allen House School and Cambridge School, were also in attendance.The DM told school representatives that negligence in granting admission to children selected under the RTE scheme would invite punitive action. “No eligible child should be denied admission. If any school fails to comply, sealing proceedings will be initiated,” Mander said.Several parents have also raised complaints about repeated delays, lack of communication and alleged reluctance by schools to admit RTE students even after allotment letters were issued.“My daughter was allotted a seat in March, but the school kept postponing admission formalities. We visited four times and still got no confirmation. Schools should not make parents run from one office to another,” said Pooja Sharma, a parent from Indirapuram.Block education officers have been directed to coordinate with schools in their respective areas and ensure that all eligible children are admitted within the stipulated deadline, officials said.