RTE - Boon or Bane?

 The RTE Act, 2009 has been passed with the intent of benefitting economically weaker Sections (EWS) and enabling their children to be at par with the “privileged” society kids. Their intent is extremely positive as it would not only provide quality education to under privileged children, but might also eradicate discrimination and try to bring them to a common platform.

      But the foremost problem with this is its interference with another constitutional right of free trade or business as per article 19(1)(g). With 25% of reservation of seats for EWS, private schools would have to incur the additional cost for EWS students as Government will compensate as per the Govt. fee structure only. This means school management can become apathetic towards those kids, though it’s just an assumption; it can’t be ignored. Also due to substantial increase in standard of education, lot of middle class and upper middle class people are forced to send their children to tuitions or use other resources to keep up the pace with other classmates; for EWS students, it cannot be considered as an option at all. If not tuitions, those parents are themselves helping their kids in their education but for EWS students, even this option doesn’t seem to be feasible. Now, if they are not able to compete with other kids, it can further de-motivate them which in turn can increase the drop out ratio of these kids.

       I think it’s better to put these efforts in the right direction. Either they can pay the compensation as per school standards which can solve few of the above problems or invest in Govt. schools, giving quality education to these kids but with a proper check on schools. Otherwise in current scenario, the interests of these private schools have been totally overlooked.