Private schools in Patna are up in arms about the government serving over 1,000 institutions showcause notices for their alleged failure to enrol children from economically weaker sections of society.

Reserving 25 per cent of private school seats for these children at the entry level is a provision under the Right to Education (RTE) Act. The government is supposed to compensate the schools for it.

The education department's primary education directorate last week served showcause notices to 1,190 private schools in Patna, asking them to explain the reason for failing to abide by the RTE norms.

Private schools assembled under the banner of Bihar Public School & Children Welfare Association staged a dharna on Wednesday. The protesters claimed the government has been irregular with its payments to the schools, while the government accuse the institutions of passing the buck.

Association president D.K. Singh said: "The government's directive on the RTE Act is unclear because of which the private schools are facing difficulties in implementing its provisions."

The RTE Act was introduced in Bihar in 2011, under which the government had to bear the tuition fees of the students enrolled in private schools. The government has to give the school Rs 4,300 per annum for each such student.

Singh, however, said: "The government has been irregular in giving money to the private schools. It claims the Union government is supposed to give the money. But the Centre claims the state government has to first pay the schools and then it will issue the reimbursement."

"The state government notification's on the RTE Act is vague," Sri Ram Global School chairman Rajiv Ranjan Singh said. "It is not clear who will be the authority - the district magistrate, the district education officer or the block education officer - recommending admission of students from economically weaker families in private schools."

Association president Singh said this confusion on the recommending authority stops students from poor families from turning up for admission in private schools.

The education department claimed the private schools are passing the buck on the government, as their intention was unclear. Pushpa Jha, deputy director, education, said: "Private schools have to admit poor students from their 3km radius. The schools can easily get many students from slums around their schools, but they are unnecessarily creating confusion."

The Act mandates the schools to reserve seats at the entry level for children from families whose income is less than Rs 1 lakh per annum (Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe) or Rs 2 lakh per annum (general).