State Education Centre Extends Deadline for Private Schools to Submit Fee Reimbursement Proposals under RTE Act

The State Education Centre has announced an extension to the deadline for non-government (private) schools that are not receiving grant-in-aid to submit their fee reimbursement proposals for the 2023-24 academic session under the Right to Education (RTE) Act. The original deadline of 15 October 2024 has been extended, with the new window set between 25 March 2025 and 2 April 2025.

Ensuring Continued Financial Support for Disadvantaged Students

The extended deadline aims to ensure that students from disadvantaged groups, who are entitled to free education under the RTE Act, continue to receive the necessary financial support. The decision comes after a significant number of non-government schools failed to submit their proposals before the original deadline.

Harjinder Singh, Director of the State Education Centre, emphasized the importance of this extension, saying, “This extension has been granted to protect the interests of students studying under the RTE Act. Schools must ensure that their proposals are submitted within the new time frame. If they fail to do so, they will not be eligible for reimbursement and will be responsible for covering the costs themselves.”

Final Opportunity for Schools

The Centre has made it clear that this is the final opportunity for schools to lock in their fee reimbursement proposals. Schools that fail to meet the new deadline will lose their eligibility for fee reimbursement for the 2023-24 academic session. In such cases, these schools will be obligated to bear the cost of educating the students themselves.

District Authorities Informed of Extended Deadline

To ensure compliance, the State Education Centre has instructed district authorities to inform all non-government schools about the new deadline and encourage them to submit their proposals without delay.

Government's Commitment to Education for All

This extension reflects the government’s continued commitment to ensuring that students, especially those from underprivileged backgrounds, have access to education without financial barriers. The decision aligns with the government’s efforts to provide free education to eligible students under the RTE Act.