Implementation of RTE Act in Private Schools

There have been sporadic media reports about the implementation of 25% reservation in private unaided schools as provided under Section 12(1)(c) of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009. Such matters are immediately referred by the Central Government to the concerned States/UTs for enquiry and remedial action.

In the light of the RTE Act, the model rules framed by the Central Government provide that children admitted under Section 12 (1) (c) shall not be segregated from the other children in the classroom, nor shall their classes be held at places and timings different from the classes held for other children. It further provides that the children admitted in pursuance of Section 12 (1) (c) shall not be discriminated from the rest of the children in any manner pertaining to entitlements and facilities such as textbooks, uniforms, library and ICT facilities, extracurricular activities and sports.

The RTE Act provides for notifying the local authority for grievance redressal and the setting up of a State Commission for Protection of Children Rights (SCPCR)/Right to Education Protection Authority (REPA) to monitor the child’s right to elementary education.

The implementation of Section 12(1)(c) of the RTE Act was carried out by 7 States in 2011-12 and in 2012-13, 13 States have admitted children under the provision. The total enrolment of children in class I in 2011-12 was 29,624,145. However, disaggregated data for children admitted under section 12(1)(c) of the RTE Act is not maintained separately.

This information was given by the Minister of State for Human Resource Development, Dr. Shashi Tharoor in Rajya Sabha today7.12.12