- The Central Government has told the Delhi high court that the extension of the Right to Education Act(RTE) to secondary education is a policy decision which could be decided only once the new government comes.
- The government response came on a PIL which had sought for extension of RTE for students from the economically weaker sections (EWS) and disadvantaged groups (DG) up to class 12 in private unaided schools.
- At present,the RTE Act allows students from the EWS and DG categories to avail facilities of free education till class 8.The plea had contended that after the completion of class 8 private schools either force students to leave or make them pay higher fee.
- Article 21A of the Constitution makes it obligatory on the State to provide free and compulsory education to children between the ages of 6 and 14 years.The Parliament enacted the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education(RTE) Act in 2009 to give effect to it.
- Recently,the RTE act was amended by the Parliament.The amendment scrapped the no detention policy which had ensured that no student could be held back (or failed) in a class until the end of elementary education that is till Standard 8th.
New govt. to decide on extension of RTE Act
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