The Tamil Nadu government has announced the commencement of admissions under the Right to Education (RTE) Act for the 2025–26 academic year. This follows the release of ₹700 crore in reimbursement funds by the Union government, which had previously withheld the amount due to disagreements over the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) in the state.
The admission process will begin today, October 6, and continue until October 17, 2025. However, this year, the application procedure has changed. Unlike previous years, parents can no longer apply directly through the online portal. Instead, the state government has mandated that private schools identify eligible students who have already been admitted to entry-level classes (LKG or Class 1) and include them under the RTE quota. Schools are also required to refund any fees collected from these students.
The RTE Act ensures that 25% of seats in private schools are reserved for children from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. Priority is given to children from vulnerable groups, including orphans, HIV-affected children, transgender children, children of manual scavengers, and differently-abled children.
Parents seeking to have their children included in the RTE quota should contact the respective school authorities for further guidance and assistance.