Chennai, May 7 (IANS) The Directorate of Matriculation Schools has received more than 20,000 applications under the Right to Education (RTE) Act across Tamil Nadu for the 2026-27 academic year, reflecting a strong response from parents seeking admission for their children in private schools under the 25 per cent reservation quota.

According to officials from the School Education Department, parents can continue submitting applications online through the official portal until May 18. The admissions are being processed through the dedicated website maintained by the department for RTE admissions.

Under the provisions of the RTE Act, all eligible private schools are required to reserve 25 per cent of seats at the entry level for children from economically weaker and disadvantaged sections.

Officials said the number of seats available in each school has been calculated based on the total entry-level student strength available on the Education Management Information System (EMIS) portal.

Education Department officials stated that document verification for applicants will continue until May 19. Parents will receive updates regarding the status of their applications through SMS notifications sent by the department. The selection process for admissions will be conducted through a lottery system on May 22 in the presence of government officials to ensure transparency and fairness in the allotment process.

Admissions for selected candidates are expected to take place between May 25 and May 27. Officials clarified that details regarding the number of seats available under the RTE quota have already been displayed on the notice boards of all participating schools across the state.

Authorities have also reiterated that applications will be accepted only through the online mode and no offline submissions will be entertained.

The department further stated that only schools possessing valid recognition and mandatory approvals from the government would be permitted to admit students under the RTE reservation category.

In addition, private schools have been instructed to upload their fee structure details on the EMIS portal in accordance with the provisions of the Tamil Nadu Schools Fee Regulation Act, 2009.

Education activists and parents’ associations have welcomed the steady rise in applications, stating that the RTE quota continues to provide educational opportunities for children from underprivileged backgrounds in reputed private institutions across Tamil Nadu.

–IANS

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