Karnataka: Confusion over failed link on Day 1 for admission under RTI

Bengaluru: This year, admissions under the Right To Education Act is already delayed by around one-and-a-half months. Finally on Wednesday, the Department of Public Instruction started accepting applications for the 25% quota seats available under RTE in private unaided schools.

But for the shock of thousands of parents and students, the department didn't activate the application link on its website, creating chaos across the state. The parents and activists said the DPI had announced that it had made arrangements at BEO offices and Bangalore One Centres of the city help parents submit applications online.

But even though the parents waited till late evening, no link was available on schooleducation.kar.nic.in to submit the applications. “There is a lot of confusion on the RTE admission process this year. It is already delayed by nearly one month. I decided to apply on day one itself. I took a day's leave to ensure that I applied by evening. But when I went near the Rajajinagar BEO office and Bangalore One Centre in Malleswaram, officials told me that the application link was not activated. They asked me to come two to three days later as some issues were yet to be sorted out,” said a woman, who is a garment worker and mother of a six-year-old girl child.

BEO officials too were clueless. Several officials told DC that their seniors had not updated them about the process. “There is still time. The last date is March 31 and parents need not worry,” said an officer.

Activists too were upset with the confusion. Mr Nagasimha G. Rao of the RTE Task Force said that parents from across the state complained about the link not opening. "No one could apply. Every parent is confused," he said. “We will wait for two more days. If the DPI fails to resolve the issues, we will hold a protest,” he warned.