Raipur: The Chhattisgarh government on Wednesday instructed private schools in the state to take steps to reserve one-fourth of their total seats for the Scheduled Tribes (ST), Scheduled Castes (SC) and socially backward classes under the Right to Education law.

"In order to ensure strict following of the Right to Education Act, 2009, the private schools across the state have been instructed to keep 25 percent of their seats reserved for the ST, SC and socially backward classes," an official statement said.

The order was issued as reports from several areas said that private schools are reluctant to honour the Right to Education of these socially weaker sections or admit these students from Class one to eight. These schools were also denying admissions to students aged between 6-14 years, said an official from the education department.

The government has also decided to launch a high-voltage publicity campaign for the RTE that provides for free and compulsory education to children between 6 and 14 years, so that maximum number of students belonging to weaker sections and disadvantaged groups can access education. IANS