New Delhi: On Thursday i.e. on April 1, 2010,Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister Kapil Sibal announces that all private and minority schools have to reserve 25 percent seats in elementary education for underprivileged children, and any breach of the Right to Education (RTE) act will fetch punishment
Mr Sibal mentioned that it was obligatory to set aside a quarter of all seats for poor children from classes 1 to 8, but added that the reservation would start in Class one only from 2011. He also pointed out that it would take eight years by the time the reservation extends to Class 8. He said that it is now a law, and it can be statutorily enforced. Moreover, there will be penalty for not complying with the legislation.
The HRD minister said both aided and non-aided schools across the country have to follow the legislation. Sibal warned that schools will not be allowed to segregate students from the disadvantage community in any form, which is not acceptable. The minister clarified that minority schools were not exempt from the Act. Further, Sibal said that the legislation would succeed only if all the stakeholders join hands. Educating the child is a community effort.
