EWS admissions: 3 years on, UT private schools await reimbursement - Hindustan Times
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EWS admissions: 3 years on, UT private schools await reimbursement

Hindustan Times, Chandigarh | BySrishti Jaswal, Chandigarh
Sep 12, 2019 12:29 AM IST

The reimbursement process was earlier delayed as the model code of conduct was in place during the Lok Sabha elections.

Majority of private schools in the city are waiting to receive reimbursement, in crores, for giving admission to children under economically weaker section (EWS) and disadvantaged group (DG) category under the right to education (RTE), despite being assured by the administration seven months back.

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In a meeting convened by UT adviser Manoj Kumar Parida with the Independent Schools Association (ISA) on March 13, the administration had guaranteed that it will clear all such outstanding dues within 90 working days.

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However, ISA president  HS Mamik said no school has been reimbursed to date since last three years.

All private unaided recognised schools ,except for minority institutions, have to keep 25 per cent of their total seats reserved for EWS category under RTE. Children whose parents earn less than 1 lakh a year are eligible for admission under the category.

WHY THE DELAY

In August, the finance department had notified that the per child expenditure has been calculated as per RTE rule.

The reimbursement process was earlier delayed as the model code of conduct was in place during the Lok Sabha elections.

The education department had sent a proposal to the Election Commission (EC) of India after whose approval the rates were to be notified by the UT administration.

A day after the meeting held on March 13, the final call on reimbursements was taken by a high-powered committee convened by the UT education department. The rate per child for the last three years was decided as -- 1,767.39 for 2015-16, up to 2,197.32 for 2016-17, and up to 2,348.38 for 2017-18.

The department had decided to increase the rate per child in 2015-16 but by then, the reimbursements had partially been made at the previous rate of 750.

Since then, no reimbursements have been made to the UT schools.

“Approval for reimbursement of fee to private schools with respect to EWS quota was granted a couple of months back. The district education officer (DEO) is in process of reimbursing the fee to all those schools which have submitted claims and have completed the documentation,” education secretary BL Sharma said.

The DEO Anujit Kaur said the authorities are working on the issue.

BLURB: On March 13, the UT administration had guaranteed that it will clear all such outstanding dues within 90 working days

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