Parliament Question: Quota for EWS Seats in Private Unaided Schools

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION AND LITERACY LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO - 1260 ANSWERED ON 27/07/2026 Quota for EWS Seats in Private Unaided Schools 1260. Shri P C Mohan: Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state: (a) the number of seats reserved and filled under the 25 per cent quota for economically weaker sections in private unaided schools in Karnataka, including Bengaluru, during each of the last five years and whether this represents growth or decline from the earlier average of about 1.5 lakh admissions annually; (b) the impact of Karnataka's 2018 amendment introducing the neighbourhood school exemption on RTE admissions in the State; (c) whether reimbursement of per-child cost to private schools in Karnataka under the Scheme is being released in a timely manner and the amount pending, if so, the details thereof; and (d) the steps being taken by the Central Government to ensure States including Karnataka do not dilute the RTE quota for underprivileged children? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION (SHRI JAYANT CHAUDHARY) (a) to (d): The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009 mandates the appropriate Government to provide free and compulsory elementary education to every child of the age 6 to 14 years in a neighbourhood school. ‘Education’ is in the Concurrent List of the Constitution and majority of schools are under the jurisdiction of the respective State Government and Union Territory Administration which are the appropriate Government for implementation of the provision of the RTE Act, 2009. Section 12(1)(c) of ‘The RTE Act, 2009 provides for admission of children belonging to weaker sections and disadvantaged groups in Class I (or below) in the schools specified in sub-clauses (iii) and (iv) of clause (n) of section 2 of the Act tothe extent of at least 25 percent of the strength of that class. For implementation of the provision of the Act, the respective State Governments / UT Administrations notify the disadvantaged groups and weaker sections and per child cost as per the laid down procedure. Section 12(2) of the RTE Act, 2009 provides for reimbursement to the private unaided schools for admitting children under Section 12(1)(c) of the Act. The Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Samagra Shiksha, provides financial assistance to States and Union Territories for various activities/works including reimbursement of expenditure incurred for admissions made under Section 12(1)(c) of the Act, in accordance with the norms of the scheme. As per information provided by the State Government of Karnataka, the Karnataka Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (Amendment) Rules 2018 were notified to provide that admission under Section 12(1)(c) would be available only where there is no Government or aided school in the defined neighbourhood offering the relevant class. The reimbursement of per-child cost to private schools for students enrolled in all elementary classes under RTE Act in Karnataka is being released in a timely manner as informed by the State Government. The year-wise number of seats earmarked and actual admissions during the last five years under Section 12(1)(c) of the RTE Act in Karnataka, including Bengaluru, for which the State claimed reimbursement under Samagra Shiksha and details of financial achievement are as follows: Year Total number Actual number Amount Reimbursed to of seats of admissions Sanctioned schools (Rs. in (Rs. in crore) crore) 2021-22 446304 446304 199.98 199.98 2022-23 160810 160810 191.80 191.80 2023-24 345057 345057 199.99 199.99 2024-25 233110 44605 200.00 85.11 2025-26 167860 159131 156.10 148.68 Source: PRABANDH The position of implementation of various interventions under Samagra Shiksha is reviewed by the Central Government from time to time and States and UTs including Karnataka are advised to ensure compliance with the provisions of the RTE Act including Section 12(1)(c). *****