Patna District Issues Ultimatum to 922 Private Schools Over RTE Compliance

The Patna District Education Office today issued a strict ultimatum to 922 private schools for failing to comply with the Right to Education (RTE) Act’s enrolment and reporting requirements, warning that action will be taken if they do not rectify their deficiencies through the Gyandeep portal within a specified deadline. The directive aims to ensure that private institutions honour their obligation to admit RTE-eligible children and properly update student data in the state’s centralised education system.

Education officials said that periodic audits revealed that hundreds of private schools in Patna have either not filled their required RTE slots or failed to upload accurate enrolment information for RTE students on the Gyandeep online platform. The portal is used by the Bihar government to track admissions, attendance and compliance with RTE norms, including reservation of seats for children from economically weaker sections and disadvantaged groups.

The district office stated that schools that neglect these mandates despite repeated notices risk facing penalties, including withdrawal of recognition, fines and restrictions on future admissions. Officials emphasised that RTE compliance is legally binding under state and national education regulations, and that failure to adhere undermines equitable access to quality education.

School administrators were instructed to ensure that all pending entries, documentation and student particulars are correctly entered into the Gyandeep portal by the deadline, after which inspections and reviews will be conducted. Education authorities said local inspectors would follow up with individual schools to assist with technical issues related to portal

submission.

Parents of RTE-eligible children welcomed the enforcement action, saying that many had faced delays or uncertainty in securing rightful admissions due to administrative lapses. Civil-society groups working on education equity hailed the ultimatum as a necessary step to uphold students’ rights.

Officials reiterated that the intent is not punitive but corrective, and that schools should view the directive as an opportunity to align processes with statutory requirements. They also urged parents to verify their children’s RTE status on the portal and report discrepancies.

The education department said it would monitor compliance closely and publish a list of schools that have updated their records as required after the deadline passes.

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