On August 4, 2009, India enacted the Right to Education Act that describes the modalities of the importance of free and compulsory educatio...
On August 4, 2009, India enacted the Right to Education Act that describes the modalities of the importance of free and compulsory education for children between the age of 6 years and 14 years in India. When the Act came into effect on April 1, 2010, the country became one of 135 nations to make education a fundamental right of every child.
This Act was a watershed moment for Indian education because universal elementary education was enshrined as a fundamental right in its Constitution. Some of its key features included laying down parameters for teacher qualification, infrastructure and teacher-pupil ratio.
It also banned corporal punishment in any form. A controversial and significant part of the Act was Article 12 1(C), which requires non-minority private-unaided schools to reserve 25% of their seats for the socially and economically disadvantaged. While the Act has been considered vital legislation, it falls severely short on several aspects. It merits a thorough relook, especially in a post-Covid-19 scenario.
Where it’s going wrong?
To begin with, an interesting factor to consider here is that learning outcomes are not mentioned anywhere in the RTE Act. There is a significant emphasis on inputs but none on outcomes. As mentioned before, the act stipulates various norms...
