Over 14,000 students in Haryana, who are rightfully eligible for free admission under the transformative Right to Education (RTE) Act, find themselves in an agonizing state of limbo, awaiting enrollment in schools as the new academic session commences. This significant delay in admissions is a multi-faceted issue, attributed primarily to the ongoing implementation of a new centralized online admission system and the intricate integration with the provisions of the New Education Policy (NEP), particularly the introduction of ‘Bal Vatika’ (kindergarten classes) which has complicated the provisional lists for primary admissions. The uncertainty has left thousands of parents anxious, grappling with the fear of academic loss for their children as schools have already reopened after the summer break. The shift to a new centralized online system, while intended to streamline the admission process and facilitate reimbursements to private schools for RTE admissions, has evidently encountered teething problems, causing procedural bottlenecks and missed deadlines. This central server, now responsible for the allotment and random selection of students, has introduced a layer of complexity that local bodies are navigating. Furthermore, the reluctance of some private schools to admit students under the RTE Act has historically been a significant hurdle, with reports of schools refusing to accept forms, leading to vacant seats despite eligible applicants. This systemic resistance likely contributed to the government’s decision to centralize the seat allotment process. The NEP’s introduction of ‘Bal Vatika’ also impacts the traditional entry points for primary education, adding another layer of administrative and logistical challenge in harmonizing admission rules. This confluence of new policies, technological transitions, and existing challenges in private school compliance has created an unfortunate backlog, leaving thousands of economically disadvantaged children in a precarious educational position. The delay not only affects their access to foundational learning but also exacerbates the socio-economic disparities that the RTE Act was designed to alleviate. Haryana’s education department now faces the urgent task of resolving these administrative snarls, ensuring that the spirit and letter of the Right to Education Act are upheld, and that every eligible child receives their fundamental right to timely and equitable education, without further impediment or anxiety for their families.
