Right of Children to free and compulsory Education

Right of Children to free and compulsory Education Bill 2009 was passed by Lok Sabha on 4^th of August and President of India has given her consent. Hence the bill which was pending from 2002 for various reasons has become the law of the land. Unfortunately education is in the concurrent list of the constitution and states can have their own laws. But most of the states have agreed to implement the most of the provisions of the bill.

                According to this bill, every child of age 6 to 14 years has the right to get free education till 8^th standard in their locality. A child may be mentally differently-abled, physically challenged, suffering from learning related disorders or economically poor  has a right to get free education  in  any local school of any medium of instruction, either run by the State or Central government. Even unaided private schools should reserve 25% of the seats for such disadvantaged children. Unaided minority schools can reserve 50% seats to their community but still, 25 % seats have to be reserved for disadvantaged children. Government will reimburse the fee of these children to the institution. Infrastructure of the schools must be disabled friendly.

          According to this bill, receiving donations from the children below the age of 14 is forbidden. This bill also prohibits  oral or written tests and interview for these children for admission. A child cannot be detained or dismissed from the class till the age of 14. . Giving corporal punishment or mental torture is also prohibited. Teachers will not be given any other work except census once in every ten years and election duty. They will be available to teach the children. Giving tuitions at home by the teachers is also forbidden.

          School syllabus will be light. Qualified teachers will have to be appointed. There must be sufficient facilities like toilets etc. especially for girls. Many parents do not send their girl child to schools after they are have reached puberty due of lack of facilities in schools.

Why this Bill?

Even after 62 years of independence more than 50 % of the children below the age of 14 are school drop outs or never went to school. Special children who are mentally challenged or physically disabled are not sent to schools. . Only 12% of the children admitted to first standard reach graduation level. This bill aims to increase this ratio to 15% by 2012 and 35% by 2020. Today education is commercialized and only government and aided local language schools are catering the education need of the poorer section of the society. Many schools do not have proper facilities and study atmosphere. Many schools use illegal methods to get good results. Students who are expected to fail are detained in the lower class or asked to leave with a transfer certificate. Some are asked to answer the exam privately. This is a mental torture to those children and their parents. Hence, HRD ministry has made 10^th standard exam optional for central schools. Many state schools are falling in line.

Challenges before the ministry

HRD minister and his ministry is doing a commendable job by passing and implementing this bill. From 2011 10th Board exams will be optional. In 2010 only grades will be given to 10th  STD students and no marks card.  But who will bell the cat?  Today prestigious schools are run by politicians, business houses, powerful religious congregations.  These are either part of the government or part of vote banks. If this bill is implemented in letter and spirit, a new era will usher in India and we can see egalitarian powerful India by 2020.