Over Rs 1,000 crore dues are to be reimbursed to schools against the fees of children admitted under Right to Education (RTE) Act from Government. The amount is pending from 2017-18 onwards. Of the total amount pending, Government released only around Rs 200 crore. According to an estimate, some schools are awaiting to get the amount from 2012. In the Assembly session, Government filed official reply on this issue where it has made it clear, Rs 707.49 crore from 2012-13 to 2021-22 was pending. For the academic year 2022-23, the government budgeted Rs 200 crore, of which Rs 84 crore was distributed. But school organisations don’t agree with the Government statistics and say that the pending reimbursement amount is much more.

As per the rule, it is mandatory on schools to fill 25 per cent seats with the students of Economically Weaker Section. The schools admitting the EWS students can not charge any fees from the students. But Government is expected to reimburse them the fees. Schools completed the formalities but Government was never meticulous in paying the reimbursement. Centre and State Governments pay the amount in 60:40 ratio.

Earlier Maharashra’s Education Department had fixed an amount of Rs 17,600 per student which was shockingly reduced to Rs 8,000 from 2020-21. Despite decrease in amount, Government failed to do maximum disbursement