The HRD Ministry has been observed considering the proposal of extending the Right to Free and Compulsory Education to all ages of children up to Class 12th, according to the officials.
Currently, the proposal stated the Right of Free and Compulsory Education to the Children aging between six to fourteen years studying in Class Ist to VIII. This Act applies to all private schools to reserve 25 percent of seats for underprivileged children excluding the minority institutions.
The Central Advisory Board of Education’s Sub-Committee, submitted a report in 2012 stating the recommendations of the extension of the RTE Act.
“A proposal regarding the extension of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009, is under consideration of the ministry. Any decision in this regard would be intimated, once it is examined thoroughly,” a senior HRD Ministry official said in a letter to the education activist Mr. Ashok Agarwal.
The Letter was sent as a response to the recommendations of the extension of the RTE Act sent by Ashok Agarwal.
HRD Minister for State Satya Pal Singh this year informed Parliament in March stating that there is no proposal for extending the previous RTE Policy 2009 stating free and compulsory education to children studying at the nursery to secondary level.
“There is no proposal for extending the ambit of RTE Act, 2009 at present. However, in pursuance of the announcement in the budget this year to treat school and education holistically without segmentation from pre-nursery to class 12, the education department has prepared an Integrated Scheme on School Education,” Singh had said.