Over 2.27 crore EWS students enrolled in private schools in last five years, highest in MP: MoE

New Delhi: More than 2.27 crore students from the EWS category enrolled in private schools in the last five years, with Madhya Pradesh accounting for the highest number at over 53 lakh, followed by Rajasthan, the Union Ministry of Education said on Wednesday.

The information was shared by Union Minister of State for Education Annapurna Devi in response to a written question in the Rajya Sabha.

According to the data, 2,27,72,124 (2.27 crore) students from the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) category enrolled in private schools from 2018-19 to 2022-23.

Madhya Pradesh recorded the highest enrolment of EWS students in private schools during the period under review with over 53 lakh, followed by Rajasthan at 38.11 lakh and Karnataka at 23.97 lakh.

Devi said, "The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009, mandates the appropriate government to provide free and compulsory elementary education to every child of the age six to 14 years in a neighbourhood school. Section 12(1)(c) of RTE Act, 2009, provides for admission of children belonging to weaker sections and disadvantaged groups in the schools to the extent of at least 25 per cent of the strength of that class."

She added, "The RTE Act provides for reimbursement to the private schools for admitting children under Section 12(1)(c). The reimbursement is based on the per-child expenditure incurred by the state or the actual amount charged by the school from other children, whichever is less."