Kolhapur: Of the 347 schools which were eligible for the Right to Education (RTE) admission process, 101 schools have not got a single application, revealed data from the district primary education department.

Despite the number of applications doubling this year compared to the previous year, the schools have not received any application.

Data revealed all the 44 eligible private schools from the city have got over 1,500 applications this year, surpassing the combined number of applications (city and district) last year.

Talking to TOI, district primary education officer Subhash Chougule said the schools, which have not received any applications, are from the rural and remote areas. All the schools from the city and town have received good response in terms of online applications.

Many English medium schools in the rural areas do not have a good reputation when it comes to the quality of education and the fee charged. People prefer Zilla Parishad (ZP) schools over private ones in the remote area. “We are offering digital mode of education along with many other facilities. The midday meal scheme is one of the major reasons why children from remote or rural areas are sent to the ZP schools,” said Chougule.

The ZP schools offer free textbooks, uniforms and a host of other facilities while the private ones charge an exorbitant amount for the same.

“People from the rural, especially the remote regions with low employability, hardly have the money to pay for the schools and hence prefer ZP schools. Our students are sharp. Besides being bright in studies, they are also good in athletic activities,” he said.

He added in the last few years, there has been a reverse trend of students migrating from private schools to the ZP schools. Hence, the poor response to the RTE in rural schools doesnt come as a surprise for them.

Sattappa Mohite, a city based education activist, said that students are preferring ZP schools over private ones in rural areas is a welcome trend.

