TN private schools urge govt to withdraw 25% reservation under RTE Act

CHENNAI: The private schools associations in Tamil Nadu has urged the State government to immediately withdraw its recent notification on implementing the 25% reservation under the Right to Education (RTE) Act and provide "corrective measures".

In a statement, Tamil Nadu Private Nursery, Primary, Matriculation, Higher Secondary Schools Association's secretary KR Nandhakumar pointed out that the Madras High Court, in line with a Supreme Court directive, had on October 2, 2025, instructed private schools to allocate 25% of LKG seats to children from economically weaker sections under the RTE Act.

He said that this year’s LKG admissions were already completed in June, fees had been collected, books, notebooks, and uniforms distributed, and quarterly examinations conducted. "Asking schools to convert 25% of the already admitted students into RTE beneficiaries, which would impose heavy financial strain on school managements", he added.

Criticising the government’s order to refund fees collected from parents of LKG students within seven days, calling it impractical and legally untenable, Nandhakumar also noted that reimbursement of RTE dues had been withheld for more than two years, and shifting the burden onto private schools reflected hostility towards them.

Pointing out that admissions under the RTE for the academic year 2025-26 were expected to open in April through the state’s official website and E-Service centres, M Arumugam, State President, Federation of Private Schools Associations (FePSA) said while RTE admissions have taken place in all other states across India, Tamil Nadu alone has not commenced the process this year due to ongoing litigations.

"Across the state, nearly 75,000 children have already secured the necessary certificates and are waiting for RTE seats in private schools", he said adding "many of these children are currently enrolled in anganwadi centres, play schools, or are at home".

Alleging that the School Education Department on October,2, ( Vijayadasami Day), has brought shock and disappointment to parents and private school administrators, he said schools have been instructed to refund the fees already collected from these students, with a promise that the government will reimburse the amount at a later stage.

Terming this move as punitive, he said such a measure imposes not only severe financial losses on private schools but has no clarity on when reimbursed funds will be released—whether in one year, two years, or longer.