The filing of online application for 5,715 sets reserved under Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009, in 443 private schools in Madurai district began on Thursday.

According to the RTE Act, private schools have to set aside 25% of their entry-level seats for students from economically weaker sections of the society.

The School Education Department’s website shows that the majority of the 5,715 seats in Madurai district are for LKG. According to the website, the parents can file the application till September 25.

Abdullah Maideen Pichai, a resident of New Meenakshi Nagar (ward 54) who applied for his twin sons, said that commencing online RTE admission process amidst the pandemic was a boon for many unprivileged parents who wanted to admit their wards in private schools. “The lockdown has financially affected many families. It is only through the RTE seats that children from underprivileged can enter the private schools,” he said.

The People’s Awareness Trust, a Madurai-based non-governmental organisation, along with the support of the Students Federation of India (SFI) are helping parents to fill the online application for RTE seats. K. Hakkim, an activist from the People’s Awareness Trust, said that in the previous years, they had set up centres to assist parents in filing online RTE applications. “But, due to COVID-19 pandemic, centres cannot be set up this year. But, if parents reach out to us at 9786077999 or 8122134909, then our volunteers will reach the houses of the students to assist the parents,” he said

R. Charles, a volunteer who assisted few parents in filing RTE applications on Thursday, said that many parents were anxious as they were unable to make corrections in their identity proof documents amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mr. Hakkim said that RTE seats that are vacant in all classes must be published so that it can be ensured that children from underprivileged families fill them up.

SFI’s Madurai District (Urban) Secretary S. Veldeva said that in the previous years there were irregularities in selection of students for RTE seats. “The officials must continuously monitor the admission process to avoid such a scenario this year,” he said.