Darda seeks report on number of seats filled

School education and sports minister Rajendra Darda on Thursday instructed the state director of education (primary) to submit a report on the number of seats filled up under the 25 per cent quota for economically weaker section students,as per the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act,2009. The minister has also asked the director to explain what efforts were taken by the primary education department if the seats have still remained unfilled.

According to a notification issued by the state government on March 15,2013,schools are expected to make all efforts to identify the children belonging to disadvantaged group and weaker section in the neighbourhood (up to 1 km) of the school. “In case sufficient children are not available within 1 km in spite of all efforts and admission committee is satisfied,the school shall try to identify children from the extended neighbourhood (up to 3 km). In any case,seats meant for children from disadvantaged group and weaker section shall not be diverted to general candidate,” the notification states.

“We have been getting unofficial details on the number of seats filled up under the 25 per cent quota across the state. If the quota seats have not been filled up,we would like to know what measures were taken by officials of the primary education department. Accordingly,we have asked for a report. We would not only rely on the district wise data but have asked the department to provide a detailed school wise data of seat vacancy under the quota,” said Darda.

Mahavir Mane,state director of education (primary),claimed that nearly 25 per cent quota seats are still unfilled. “ We don’t have a school-wise data. The seat vacancy data that we have is based on district-wise survey compiled by schools. They are supposed to give us a report of how many seats they have managed to fill under the quota.”