A total of 332 seats under the right to education (RTE) act were filled in private schools in Trichy district on Thursday at the end of the second phase of admissions to the seats. This means, there were no takers for 2,207 RTE seats in the district that will go vacant if the state government decides to not go for yet another round of admission.

Out of the total 4,207 RTE seats across 313 private schools in the district this year, 1,668 seats were filled in the first phase of admission. Since 2,539 seats were vacant, the state government decided to invite application again by extending RTE admissions. A total of 810 applications were received from October 12 to November 7 in the second phase.

Since 60 schools received more applications than the seats available, random admission was conducted in these schools based on lot system. Admission was made on the spot in schools where the number of applications received was less than the available RTE seats.

A senior official of the Trichy district chief education office said that 332 seats were filled at the end of second phase of admission. “Roughly, 500 were applications were rejected as they were deemed ineligible,” said the official. Asked on the 2,207 vacant seats, the official said the government will take a call on extending RTE admission to the third phase or leaving the seats vacant.

Though it was anticipated that there would be good demand for RTE seats this year due to the pandemic, things did not turn out as expected. A good number of applicants were rejected for not residing within one km of the schools. The distance norm was two to three kilometres last year but the one-km norm was strictly adhered to this time.