Tamil Nadu: Free Admission in Private Schools – When Will Applications Start?
Under the Right to Education (RTE) Act, 25% of seats in private schools across Tamil Nadu are reserved for children from economically weaker and disadvantaged sections. For the academic year 2025-26, the application process will begin next week through the official website https://rte.tnschool.gov.in.
There are over 1.1 lakh seats available in more than 8,000 private self-financing schools across the state. Children admitted under this scheme in LKG or Class 1 will be able to study free of cost up to Class 8.
Who Can Apply?
- Children from economically weaker sections (annual income less than ₹2 lakh).
- Children from disadvantaged categories including:
- Third gender
- Differently-abled children
- Children of sanitation workers (These will be given priority and selected without a lottery).
Documents Required:
- Income certificate
- Residence proof
- Caste certificate
Application Guidelines:
- Parents can apply to a maximum of 5 schools near their residence.
- Applications must be submitted through the website:
https://rte.tnschools.gov.in.
- If the number of applications exceeds the available seats in a school, an open lottery system will be used for selection.
Parents are advised to prepare all necessary documents in advance to avoid last-minute delays.
