TNN | Sep 7, 2015, 06.04 AM IST

PUNE: Coming under an umbrella to counter admission hurdles under the Right to Education (RTE) Act, parents have formed a union in the city.

The union — the first of its kind in the city — conducted its maiden meeting on Sunday after the process of implementing free admission under the law failed this year. The parents of students who got admission under the RTE Act as well as those whose children are waiting to be admitted to schools despite allotment have formed the union.

The parents claimed to have faced several difficulties in coordinating with the schools and the government authorities over the provisions of the act. Therefore, forming a group was deemed necessary.

The Aam Aadmi Party, Pune, took an initiative to conduct a meeting with the parents from the economically weaker section of the society. of children benefitting from the RTE scheme for children belonging to economically weaker section of society

Mukund Kirdat, the spokesperson of AAP-Pune, said: "Parents raised their concerns regarding the admission process because a number of students are still waiting for schools to admit them. Some institutions even refused to admit a few students allotted seats in the first round of the state education department's centralised admission process. They are now sitting at home despite the academic year beginning in June."

Some parents complained that the school authorities turned down their applications despite receiving an SMS confirming an allotment for their children. Kirdat explained, "As many as 150 parents have signed up with the union and we will find solutions to the problems they face. We will also support the union and help its members in every way."

As many as 446 schools of Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad admit students under the RTE Act. Over 13,000 applications were confirmed for admission before the lottery was drawn. The total number of seats available in Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad is 13,782.

Besides getting involved with the RTE-related admissions process, the union will deal with issues such as discrimination at schools, conduct follow-up with students up to class VIII for free education under the RTE Act and cleanliness- and hygiene-related issues on campuses.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/pune/Parents-form-union-to-fight-RTE-issues/articleshow/48850626.cms