The education department of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Thursday held the first lottery for admissions under the Right to Education Act. In its bid to ensure transparency, the civic body will send SMSes to parents of the children selected through lucky draw. Based on their response, it will put out a list of the students in the coming week.
The education department of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Thursday held the first lottery for admissions under the Right to Education Act. In its bid to ensure transparency, the civic body will send SMSes to parents of the children selected through lucky draw. Based on their response, it will put out a list of the students in the coming week.
Under RTE, all schools, barring the exception of those having minority status, have to reserve one-fourth of their seats for underprivileged students from their vicinity. The government had last year made it mandatory for schools and parents to take the online route for this.
The winners were picked up through chits by three students in the presence of BMC education committee chairman Vinod Shelar, principals of different schools, NGOs working towards education of children from poor families.
Civic officials said they have set up guidance centres in all 24 wards where parents can get the documents of their children verified and then contact respective schools. Officials said they will send letters of admission to the children as well as the schools.
This year, the BMC has received 4,088 applications for admission under the RTE in 313 schools in the city. However, the number is much less than the actual intake capacity – 11,837. The BMC's education department has decided to complete admission of kids selected through the first lottery by April 15. More lotteries will be held in phases from the second week this month.
Civic education officer Shambhavi Jogi said, "If an application is rejected, the parents will receive a message giving the reason for rejection. Those children will again get a chance to apply after making necessary rectifications in their applications."
RTE numbers for city
313 Number of schools
266 English medium schools
47 Other medium schools
24 Guidance centres for parents
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}