Bengaluru: A meeting convened by the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) of all stakeholders over finalising rules and regulations for admissions under Right to Education (RTE) Act failed to decide whether Aadhaar card was mandatory for applicants.
Earlier, DPI had decided to make Aadhar card mandatory for all the applicant children to ensure transparency in the admission process.
However, in the meeting Kripa Alva, chairperson, Karnataka State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (KCPCR), raised some objections against DPI decision. The officials then decided to seek state government's opinion in this regard.
Alva informed the meeting that Aadhar card is linked to BPL cards. "If migrant families change their address for the sake of RTE seats to their children they may lose their BPL cards and various health schemes. Keeping in mind the best interest of all children, DPI should not make Aadhar card compulsory,” she argued.
Alva also urged the DPI to ensure that separate admission rules were made for students from urban and rural areas. “In corporation areas schools within one kilometre radius can be considered as neighborhood. But in villages, schools are located in faraway places. These things should be kept in mind while finalising neighborhood school norms," she urged.
The meeting also witnessed heated argument between DPI officials, representatives of various NGOs and members of Karnataka Associated Managements of English Medium Schools (KAMS) over fee issue.
KAMS General Secretary D. Shashikumar urged the DPI to make it clear that RTE fee amount fixed by the state government does not include text book and uniform fee. But KCPCR officials and NGO representatives opposed extra fee for uniforms and text books.
Minority status: The meeting decided to write to advocate general seeking legal opinion on status of 19 linguistic minority schools which have sought exemption for RTE quota this year.
