Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 14

The Chandigarh Commission for Protection of Child Rights (CCPCR) has decided and recommended that the category of the child cannot be changed after admitting the child in the school as per the RTE Act till the completion of the elementary education by the child or till any clarification is received from the MHRD over the issue.

The commission recommended that the Education Department should take up the issue of reimbursement to private schools on account of admission of children belonging to the EWS category and disadvantaged groups in elementary classes on a priority basis.

It had conducted a probe on the case of Bhavan Vidyalaya, Chandigarh, regarding converting the category of the child from the EWS to the general category.

In response to the summons, Principal, Bhavan Vidyalaya, Sector 33, Chandigarh, along with other officials and Circle auditor from the Education Department and the parent, appeared before the commission. The school representative said they had written to the DEO of the department to inform that the department would continue to reimburse fee of the child, though he no longer belong to the EWS category. The school could agree to continue the child in the EWS category if the department was agreeable to reimburse fee under the RTE Act. The department representative said the school principal had been informed not to convert students of the EWS to the general category at their own and follow the CCPCR advisory dated February 9.

As far as the reimbursement under the RTE Act, 2009, is concerned, the department had already reimbursed up to 2014-15 on actual rates fixed by the competent authority and for 2015-16, a reimbursement at Rs 750 has already been made to eligible schools.