Gurgaon: The Haryana directorate of elementary education has directed all private schools in the state to complete admissions under the Right to Education (RTE) quota for the 2026-27 academic session, warning against denying admission to eligible children without justified reasons. Admissions for children selected through the online RTE lottery held on April 29 must be completed between April 30 and May 9, the department has said.The move comes as part of the state govt’s effort to ensure that children from economically weaker sections (EWS) and disadvantaged groups (DG) are able to secure admission under the 25% reservation mandated by the RTE Act. Officials said selected students will have to report to their allotted schools within 10 days of the lottery result. If parents fail to complete the process within the deadline, the allotted seat will automatically stand cancelled. Schools have been instructed to verify all required documents carefully, including proof of age, residence and category certificates.The department has also made it clear that admissions cannot be rejected on arbitrary grounds. Rejection will only be allowed in cases where families fail to provide valid documents or, in the case of EWS applicants, if the annual family income exceeds Rs 1.8 lakh. Authorities clarified that there is no income limit for students applying under the disadvantaged group category.School-level committees have been asked to verify whether students fall within the prescribed neighbourhood limits of 0-1 km or 1-3 km from the school. The state govt will reimburse fees only for children admitted within the three-kilometre limit. A clarification issued earlier by the department stated that schools admitting children from beyond this radius would not receive reimbursement from the govt.Officials said a dedicated online portal will become operational from May 5, where schools will have to upload the status of every allotted student, including accepted and rejected cases. Any rejection beyond the approved reasons will be reviewed by block-level monitoring committees.The department has also activated a multi-level grievance redressal system for parents facing difficulties during the admission process. Complaints can first be taken to block-level committees, followed by district-level appellate committees headed by education officials. The Joint Director (Controlling Private School Officer) will act as the final authority in unresolved disputes.The Right to Education Act guarantees free and compulsory education to children between the ages of 6 and 14 years. Under the law, private schools are required to reserve 25% of seats at the entry level for children from weaker and disadvantaged sections. Every year, thousands of families in Haryana apply for admission through the online RTE portal, making the process highly significant for low-income households seeking access to private education.
