HIV positive patients' kids to get free education in private schools

Children of HIV positive patients will be entitled to free education in private schools till class 12, as per the Right to Education (RTE). Children falling between three to seven years of age, will only be eligible to apply for admission.

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New Delhi: Children of HIV positive patients would now be entitled to get free education in private schools till class 12, the government has announced in a major policy decision.

As part of the policy, free education will be given to the targeted children, falling in the age group of three and seven years, under the Right to Education (RTE).

According to The Times of India, 19 students have already been enlisted under this category so far by the anti-retroviral therapy (ART) centre located in Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh.

The initiative will commence from the 2017-18 academic year, and children between three to seven years will be given admissions in nursery and class 1 respectively.

"Admissions will be given only in nursery and Class I. We have identified 19 children under this category and have registered them with our centre. We have informed the district magistrate and the Basic Shiksha Adhikari (BSA) about them. The last date for registering students under this category is June 19," Manoj Verma, data manager, ART centre, was qouted as saying.

Children, irrespective of their family's economic status, can apply in private schools for free education.

"Though many HIV patients approached us for free education for their kids in private schools, their children were above seven and hence could not be registered. The selected students will have to apply on the RTE website. If the number of applications is higher than the reserved seats, BSA will take a final call on the basis of a lottery system," Verma was further quoted as saying.