EWS admissions: UT to increase income limit from Rs 1.50-2.50 lakh

CHANDIGARH: After a gap of almost ten years, the UT education department has decided to increase the income limit for EWS admission from Rs 1.50 lakh to Rs 2.50 lakh. This has been approved in the state advisory council (under the RTE Act) meeting held recently under the chairmanship of UT adviser Manoj Parida. The recommendation was made by the internal departmental committee to enhance the income limit to consider the child under the EWS category.
This recommendation has been accepted and the same will now be sent to the UT administrator VP Singh Badnore for approval. “Once approved, a formal proposal will be sent to the ministry of human resource and development (MHRD) to issue a notification in this regard under Sector 2(e) of the RTE Act.
Section 2 (e) of the RTE Act states that a child belonging to ‘weaker section’ refers to ‘a child belonging to such parent or guardian whose annual income is lower than the minimum limit specified by the appropriate Government, by notification.’
Free books to underprivileged kids
The UT education department is also mulling over providing free books, stationary, uniform to underprivileged children studying in government schools after Class VIII. This is being planned keeping in view that no student opts out of the school post Class VIII for lack of money to afford education. As per officials of the UT education department children opt out of school after Class VIII as education is no more free for them.
In the meeting of state advisory council, chairperson Chandigarh commission for protection of child rights (CCPCR) raised concern over children dropping out of schools. It was in response to this that secretary education BL Sharma shared that some of the students, who cannot afford expenditure relating to books, fees, uniforms, do not get themselves enrolled in Class IX.
Director school education Rubinderjit Singh Brar had informed that attendance scholarship for the girls students of classes IX and X may be beneficial to reduce the drop-out rate at secondary level.
After discussion, it was recommended that the education department may submit a detailed proposal by calculating the requirement of funds in case free education (books, uniforms, mid-day meal, scholarship) is to be provided to at least 20% poorest students of classes IX and X. Deputy director school education and district education officer have been asked to look into it.
It was also decided that counselling/guidance camp may be organized to inform the students to appear through National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS), as NIOS provide credit transfer facility to the students, which is very helpful for the weak students. This facility is useful for those candidates, who cannot pass all the five subjects/papers in one attempt. Under this facility, a candidate is given credit for one/two subjects/papers passed by him/her in first attempt. To pass Class X exam through NIOS, he/she has to appear/pass in remaining three papers in subsequent attempts.
Three language formula
Chairman, CCPCR had also raised the issue regarding implementation of three language formula in Chandigarh. After discussion, it was decided that it is to be ensured that textbooks in Punjabi medium are available in all schools