Question : Right to Education

(a) whether implementation of Right to Education Section 12(1) (c) by all States and UTs is mandatory;
(b) if so, whether some States that have not notified the policy and some states have not commenced admissions under the policy, if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor;
(c) Whether the Government is planning to open a chain of schools for the under privileged children in aspirational districts of Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu under RTI Act; if so, the details thereof ;
(d) The expenditure on education as a percentage of the total expenditure, since the passage of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act 2009, year-wise;
(e) whether there is a financial roadmap for the implementation of the RTE Act since according to the Unified District Information System for Education 2016- 17 statistics only 12.7% of schools are compliant and if so, the details thereof ; and
(f) whether in the light of the National Education Policy whether Government will give additional funding to ensure universalisation of education and implement its key recommendations i.e. extension of RTE act from 3 to 18 years and if so, the details thereof?

MINISTER OF EDUCATION

(SHRI RAMESH POKHRIYAL ''NISHANK'')

(a): The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009, mandates the appropriate Government to provide free and compulsory elementary education to every child of the age 6 to 14 years in a neighbourhood school. Section 12(1)(c) of RTE Act, 2009 provides for admission of children belonging to weaker sections and disadvantaged groups in the schools specified in sub-clauses (iii) and (iv) of clause (n) of section 2 in Class I (or below) to the extent of at least 25 percent of the strength of that class.
(b): All States and Union Territories (UTs) except the State/UT of Telangana, Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh have notified the disadvantaged groups and weaker sections eligible for admission under Section 12(1)(c) of the RTE Act. Further, 17 States and UTs have started admissions in private unaided schools under Section 12(1)(c) of the RTE Act, 2009.
(c): Under Samagra Shiksha, support is given to all States and UTs for various interventions including opening/upgradation of schools based on appraisal of proposals received from the States and UTs and as per the norms of the scheme.
(d) to (f): As per NEP 2020, the current public (Government - Centre and States) expenditure on education in India has been around 4.43% of GDP (Analysis of Budgeted Expenditure 2017-18) and only around 10% of the total Government spending towards education (Economic Survey 2017-18).
The percentage of Schools with RTE compliant facilities as per UDISE 2016-17 was:
<pre>
Girls Toilet Boys Toilet Drinking Water RAMP Boundary Wall Playground Library
96.74 98.79 96.96 70.40 59.29 56.14 85.46
</pre>
In order to attain the goal of education with excellence and the corresponding multitude of benefits to this Nation and its economy, the National Education Policy unequivocally endorses and envisions a substantial increase in public investment in education by both the Central government and all State Governments. The Centre and the States will work together to increase the public investment in Education sector to reach 6% of GDP at the earliest. Further, it envisages financial support for various critical elements and components of education, such as ensuring universal access, learning resources, nutritional support, matters of student safety and well-being, adequate numbers of teachers and staff, teacher development, and support for all key initiatives towards equitable high-quality education for underprivileged and socio-economically disadvantaged groups.


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