Right to edu becomes law, puts India in select league
New Delhi: India on Tuesday joined a select global club with the passage of the Right to Free and Compulsory Education Bill, setting in motion an ambitious, if much-delayued, scheme of providing education to every child between 6 and 14 years.
The law is unique as, while providing compulsory education, it would not fail any student till Class VIII. It also enjoins all government and private schools to provide 25% quota to disadvantagedkids. The law provides for building neighbourhood schools in three years whose definition and location will be decided by states.
The legislation, which has already been passed by the Rajya Sabha, will soon be enacted after getting the assent from President Pratibha Patil.
In an indication of importance which the Congress attaches to the law, party chief Sonia Gandhi sat through its passage on Tuesday while observers speculated if she would speak. She didnt, but hers wasnt a token presence. Not only was she attentive, she even prodded HRD minister Kapil Sibal to switch from disabled persons to the politically correct differently abled.
Sibal, on his part, clarified doubts on the right of disabled persons, raised by some groups, saying they were part of the category of disadvantaged sections who would get reservation. He added that the Disability Act, which was part of the RTE, was being amended to include cerebral palsy and autism, automatically bringing in its ambit children with these disabilities.
A lingering doubt remains on the bill not exempting minority institutions from reservation. MIM MP Asaduddin Owaisi warned it could be challenged in court for violating the Constitution. Sibal, however, said the minority institutions could give quota to disadvantaged sections among the minorities. The bill aims to do away with the practice of schools taking capitation fees.
The RTE would empower the seven-year-old 86th Constitutional amendment that made free and compulsory education a fundamental right. The Bill sets down guidelines for states and the Centre to execute and enforce this right. Earlier, education was part of the directive principles.
Both Centre and states will be responsible for funds. The Centre will prepare the capital and recurring expenditure and provide it as grants-in-aid to each state. Even private unaided schools would have to reserve 25% seats for poor children in the neighbourhood. The government will compensate for 25% quota.
The bill says schools which got land at a concessional rate and were anyway obliged to give quota to 25% poor children in the neighbourhood will not be compensated. Relief will be based on per child expenditure by government on educationcurrently around Rs 2,100 per annum.
THE FINE PRINT
25% quota for disadvantaged groups in neighbourhood schools
No child would be failed till Class VIII
No capitation fees, no screening of parents for admissions
No private tuition by teachers
School management to have 50% women
RTE to cost Rs 12,000 crore annually
THE FINE PRINT
25% quota for disadvantaged groups in neighbourhood schools
No child would be failed till Class VIII
No capitation fees, no screening of parents for admissions
No private tuition by teachers
School management to have 50% women
RTE to cost Rs 12,000 crore annually