The state govt has revised the system of providing admissions to underprivileged children in private schools, introducing stricter rules and stronger monitoring. The application process will now be fully online, with Aadhaar cards of both parents and the child made mandatory.

The age limit for pre-primary admission has been set between 3 and 6 years, and for Class 1 between 6 and 7 years. For the first time, a district-level implementation and monitoring committee has been formed, chaired by the district magistrate.

“More than a dozen district-level officers will serve as members to oversee the process. Additionally, disputes arising during admission will be resolved by a four-member committee under the chief development officer (CDO),” a govt spokesperson said.

“This initiative of the government will prove to be a milestone in making education accessible to all. No underprivileged child will be deprived of quality education. It is the responsibility of the govt to ensure equal opportunities for every section of society,” Sandeep Singh, basic education minister said.

The scheme covers children from Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, socially and educationally backward classes, orphans, destitute children, children of parents suffering from HIV/AIDS or cancer, and children from families with disabilities. Families with an annual income of up to Rs 1 lakh are also eligible.

All applications will be submitted via portal www.rte25.upsdc.gov.in. Schools must upload details of their available seats on the portal. The list of allotted students will be made public to prevent discrepancies.

According to the govt order, parents attempting admission with fake or forged documents will face legal action.

Director general of school education, Kanchan Verma, said that after a child is allotted admission, the school must upload the details on the RTE online portal and UDISE portal, ensuring the creation of a UDISE ID. If this process is not completed, the school will not be eligible for fee reimbursement.