Children across Telangana can now walk into any school, be it private or government, without a single identity document in hand and still secure admission. Aadhaar, birth certificates, and transfer certificates (TCs) can no longer be used as a barrier, with the School Education Department issuing a clear order: no child should be turned away for lack of documents.

For years, parents have faced frustrating demands, Aadhaar for address and age verification, PAN details, TCs from previous schools and in some cases, an entire file of paperwork.

The issue came to a head during a public hearing organised by the Telangana Education Commission in February, where numerous parents raised concerns about these requirements. Taking note, the commission recommended that the government mandate admissions without any identity proof.

Acting on this recommendation, the School Education Department has now issued an order confirming that students must be admitted even without such proofs. The order cites Section 5(3) of the Right to Education (RTE) Act, 2009, which mandates that the headmaster or in-charge of the previous school must issue a transfer certificate immediately.

Importantly, a delay in producing a TC cannot be used as a reason to deny or postpone admission, and any official responsible for delaying the issuance of a TC will face disciplinary action.

Further, under Section 14(2) of the RTE Act, 2009, no child shall be denied admission for lack of age proof.

A senior official from the Education Department noted that District Education Officers have already been instructed to comply with Section 5(2) of the RTE Act, which states that any child moving from one school to another — within or outside the state — has the right to seek admission in another school to complete their elementary education.

At a glance

- Every child can now enter any Telangana school and get admission even without a single document

- Parents had raised repeated complaints about schools demanding long lists of IDs, prompting the government to step in

- Officials who delay issuing TCs will face disciplinary action

- RTE Act also states that no child can be denied admission due to missing age proof

- Children moving from one school to another anywhere in or outside the state are protected under the RTE and must be admitted

- DEOs have been instructed to ensure every school follows the rule without exception

(Written By Meghna Nath of The New Indian Express)