Rights Commission Orders Mohali Private School to Grant RTE Admission to Student

The Punjab State and UT Human Rights Commission has instructed Narayana e-Techno School, located in Sector 119, Mohali, to provide admission to an eligible student under Section 12(1)(c) of the Right to Education (RTE) Act, 2009.

In a formal communication issued on September 18, 2026, commission member Jitender Singh Shunty underscored that the institution must not refuse admission benefits to the child on grounds violating statutory rules or official government mandates, provided all standard eligibility criteria are fulfilled.

Year-Long Dispute Over Fees and Enrollment

The directive follows a grievance lodged by the student’s father, a resident of Sector 127 in Kharar. According to the complaint:

• The student was originally enrolled as a general, fee-paying pupil during the 2025–26 academic year.
• Upon reviewing the Punjab government’s circulars issued in late March 2025 regarding the mandatory execution of Section 12(1)(c), the family petitioned the school to convert her enrollment under the RTE quota.
• Despite multiple representations to local educational authorities since September 2025, the application remained unresolved for roughly a year.
• The school administration continued to demand regular tuition dues and repeatedly barred the student from attending classes pending fee payment. The father highlighted that this interruption disrupted her studies, placed significant stress on the young child, and risked disqualifying her from the 2026–27 examinations.

The parent emphasized that under statutory guidelines, the financial settlement for quota seats remains strictly between the government and the educational institution, rather than the student’s family.

Administrative Action and Statutory Framework

While the private school management declined to speak on the ongoing case, the human rights panel has escalated the complaint to the Secretary of the School Education Department and the Deputy Commissioner of Mohali for administrative intervention.

Deputy District Education Officer (DDEO) Ritu Verma confirmed that an investigation is underway, stating that a preliminary inquiry report has been submitted and further procedural steps will be determined by the District Education Officer (Elementary).

Under Section 12(1)(c) of the RTE Act, 2009, private unaided schools are legally mandated to reserve at least 25 per cent of their entry-level or Class 1 capacity for children hailing from economically weaker sections and disadvantaged groups, supported by ongoing implementation guidelines issued across the state.