The Directorate of Matriculation Schools in Tamil Nadu has seen a surge in applications for the Right to Education (RTE) Act for the academic year 2026-27, with over 20,000 submissions. Parents are actively seeking admission for their children in private schools through the 25 per cent reservation quota. Applications can be submitted online via the official portal until May 18, as confirmed by officials from the School Education Department.
Under the RTE Act, eligible private schools are mandated to reserve a quarter of seats at the entry level for children from economically weaker and disadvantaged backgrounds. The number of available seats in each school has been determined based on the total entry-level student strength recorded on the Education Management Information System (EMIS) portal.
Document verification for applicants will continue until May 19, with parents receiving application status updates through SMS notifications from the department. The selection process for admissions will be carried out via a lottery system on May 22 in the presence of government officials to ensure fairness and transparency.
Admissions for selected candidates are scheduled between May 25 and May 27. The RTE quota’s available seat details have been posted on notice boards of participating schools across Tamil Nadu. Applications are strictly accepted online, with offline submissions not entertained.
Only schools with valid recognition and government approvals are allowed to admit students under the RTE reservation category. Private schools must also disclose their fee structures on the EMIS portal in compliance with the Tamil Nadu Schools Fee Regulation Act, 2009.
Education activists and parents’ associations have lauded the increasing applications, emphasizing the RTE quota’s role in offering educational opportunities to underprivileged children in esteemed private institutions throughout Tamil Nadu.
