The Tamil Nadu government has reopened school admissions under the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act for the 2025–26 academic year. In an announcement on October 2, the state said the Union government released the pending funds following orders from the Madras High Court and Supreme Court.
The Union government had earlier refused to release Rs 2,151.59 crore due to the state under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), unless Tamil Nadu implemented the controversial National Education Policy (NEP). The state government subsequently closed the admissions portal, citing insufficient funds.
As per the October 2 announcement, a 10-day schedule has been set for registering eligible students admitted under the RTE quota. The government has also identified priority categories, which include children living with HIV, transgender children, and children of sanitation workers, among others.
Additionally, any fees collected from students eligible under the RTE Act must be refunded within seven days.
The RTE Act guarantees free and compulsory education for all children between the ages of 6 and 14. It mandates that at least 25% of seats in private, unaided schools be reserved for students from low-income families, Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and other disadvantaged groups.
Private schools are reimbursed for either the tuition fee charged or the per-child expenditure in government schools, whichever is lower. Funding is shared between the Union government (60%) and state governments (40%).
