RTE Act covers admissions to KG classes too, rules Madras HC
Context:
Recently, the Madras high court ruled that Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009 also includes admissions to kindergarten classes.
Relevance:
GS-02 (Government policies and Interventions)
Key highlights:
- The ruling was in response to a writ after when the parents of the children filed it against two private schools who denied admission to LKG under the RTE act.
- Justice Anita Sumanth highlighted that the ambitious goal of the RTE Act is to ensure education from pre-school to eighth standard and this goal should take precedence over age-specific definitions within the Act.
- The judge also specified that the state government has providing financial support of ₹6,000 per annum for LKG and UKG classes and has been treating children below six years of age as beneficiaries under the RTE Act.
Significance
- It has increased the scope of free and compulsory education for the younger children as well. Moreover, This ruling has paved way for educational opportunities across different states.
- Although, India’s literacy rate is constantly increasing ever since 1951 from roughly 18% to 74% according to the 2011 census, there is more scope in this field to attain which makes it easier with such policies coming ahead. It also reduces the dropout rates.
- For certain economically weaker sections, having this access to early childhood education, sets a strong foundation for their future pursuits.
