The Patna district administration has asked unrecognised private schools to register themselves with the government by April 30, before start of the next admission season, or lose affiliation.

In a letter sent to all private schools in and around Patna on March 2, the district education officer has directed the officials to submit applications concerned for the mandatory registration. This step has been taken to find out whether private schools are following the 25 per cent reservation rule under the Right to Education (RTE) Act, 2009.

District education officer Chandrashekhar Kumar said: 'Registration forms have been sent to all private schools. Those schools, which do not register with the administration by April 30, can lose their affiliation.'

He said many private schools - recognised and unrecognised - have been found violating RTE norms. Some authorities have allegedly even submitted fake figures to show they observe the 25 per cent reservation rule for students from economically weaker sections of society. He said: 'This was the main reason why all the private schools have been asked to furnish details of their below poverty line students from the new session.'

Chandrashekhar added: 'All private registered schools have alsobeen asked to hand over acquiescence reports on whether they fill 25 per cent of the seats with below poverty line students under the RTE Act from the next academic session. A letter was issued in 2011 regarding the registration of private schools under RTE but many institutions ignored it. But this time, we are giving them a final warning. If they do not abide by it, the schools' affiliation would be cancelled.'

The district education office would also scrutinise if the schools have adequate infrastructure and teachers. 'I will personally scrutinise the schools' infrastructure, course material, teachers and whether they admit children from BPL families or not. According to RTE rules, registration of all private schools, except minority institutions, is mandatory,' said Chandrashekhar.

Shamael Ahmad, the president of Private Schools and Children Welfare Association, had a different take though.

He said: 'In 2011, around 1,649 schools had filled up the registration forms but only 168 private schools were registered. Only 20 per cent schools have been inspected by the district education officer in the past five years. If all private schools get registered, it will only be beneficial for children from the economically weak families. The process to register the private schools is too slow and I do not think that all the private institutions would get registered by April. It will be a loss for the students who can achieve their goals but do not get the proper platform.'

Satish Kumar, a tea stall owner, said: 'My daughter is in Class VIII and wants to be a doctor. She pleads to be admitted in a private school where she can learn new things but I cannot afford it. If the private schools give reservation to economically poor students, it will be advantageous for us.'

There is a different take to that as well.

A homemaker, living on SP Verma Road area, who has two school-going sons, said: 'The institutions should bring students from weaker sections of society into the mainstream in such a way that it doesn't affect our children.'