Gujarat : Over 182 RTE Admissions Cancelled in Ahmedabad Schools, Parents Allege Improper Verification
The schools – Udgam, Zebar, Asian Global and Anand Niketan – alleged that these students, enrolled from Class 1 to 8 under the RTE quota, had parents whose income exceeded the eligibility threshold of ₹1.5 lakhs per year.
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Ahmedabad : For the first time in Ahmedabad, the District Education Officer (DEO) has cancelled the Right to Education (RTE) admissions of over 182 students across four schools. The schools – Udgam, Zebar, Asian Global and Anand Niketan – alleged that these students, enrolled from Class 1 to 8 under the RTE quota, had parents whose income exceeded the eligibility threshold of ₹1.5 lakhs per year.
The schools submitted evidence to the DEO office, including income proofs and IT returns of the parents. The DEO then conducted hearings, calling parents in for face-to-face meetings. Following these hearings, admissions for a significant number of students were revoked.
The cancellations have caused controversy, with some parents from Udgam School contesting the decision. They argue that their income met the eligibility criteria at the time of admission. While their income may have increased subsequently, it has since fallen back below the threshold.
Nikul Barot, a parent, stated, “Our income was only ₹1.5 lakhs when we secured the admission. It did go up for a while, but now it’s down again. The government should consider income at the time of admission. Fluctuations are a government concern, not the school’s. However, our data has been misrepresented by school trustee Manan Choksi.”
DEO Rohit Choudhary addressed the situation, stating that complaints regarding ineligible students enrolled under the RTE quota had been surfacing for several months. He emphasized that the hearings were conducted fairly, with parents called in for face-to-face meetings. Based on the evidence presented by the schools, including proof of increased parental income, admissions were cancelled.
Choudhary also warned that based on the evidence, police cases could potentially be filed against parents who obtained admissions through fraudulent means. However, he reassured that parents with legitimate claims had their admissions upheld after presenting their case.
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