Patna: A private schools' association have asked the state government to release funds under the Right to Education (RTE) Act under which underprivileged children are admitted in private schools.

The association's demand follows Patna district magistrate Kumar Ravi's Sunday directive where he asked schools to follow the RTE norms and admit underprivileged children.

D.K. Singh, the chairman of Bihar Public School and Children Welfare Association (BPSCWA), said: "Private schools are admitting students from economically weaker families, but at the same time the government should release the pending funds that it has to bear as reimbursement."

Singh said private schools have not received funds since 2014 and in such a situation schools are facing difficulty in meeting its expenses.

According to the RTE, the state government provides Rs 4,300 per annum per student to schools admitting children from the underprivileged society.

The norm says 25 percent of total seats at entry level (either nursery or Class I) should be reserved for poor children.

Singh said: "Many schools have failed to admit the 25 percent quota because there is no mechanism to check students' economic condition as the education department doesn't send a list of students who are from economically weaker background."

DM Kumar Ravi on Sunday asked schools to reserve 25 percent seats for children belonging to the poor section of the society under RTE Act, 2009, and issue them admission forms for LKG for session 2018-19.

Ravi had also set a deadline for schools for the submission of admission forms at the entry level.

Schools affiliated under Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and Council for India School Certificate Examination (CISCE) has to take admission forms till April 16, while the selection of candidates will be done on April 23 through lottery. Education department vigilance officials will be present when the lottery is done.

Also to create awareness about RTE, the education department has decided to rope in local non-government organisations (NGOs) working in the education sector.

These NGOs will create awareness about RTE and also help poor children on filling up forms.

According to sources, only 122 out of 389 schools in Patna are following the RTE norms and only 1,482 underprivileged children got admission in LKG in 2017-18.