Mir Farhat
Srinagar, July 9: The Cabinet Sub-Committee has failed to hold any deliberations on the Right to Education (RTE) Bill after a row erupted between the coalition partners, National Conference (NC) and Congress when it was to be tabled for discussion in the last Assembly session held in Jammu.
“No meeting has been held so far over the RTE Bill,” sources said.
They said the Bill is unlikely to be discussed and passed in the coming Assembly session to be held later this year.
The Bill was not tabled for discussion in the last Assembly session after differences rose between NC and Congress as each party wanted to take credit for legislating the RTA Act in the State.
Sources said Congress wanted to implement Central RTE Act of 2009 in toto in the State to create a perception that the Congress brought the new law. But NC opposed it saying that State has its own School Education Act which grants same benefits to student as the Central RTE.
RTE Act -2009, passed by the Centre to give free and compulsory elementary education to children in Government schools, has not been implemented in the State yet after five years have passed. Thus, blocking the advantages to the children, particularly those from low economic and underprivileged people.
“It is a matter of creating a perception in the public that the vital bill was stalled by the two parties to implement the new Act. Legislating the Act has become a political issue between them,” sources said.
The State has its own JK School Education Act 2002, but needed few changes like inclusion of 25 per cent reservation for low-income and underprivileged children in Government-aided private schools and schools operating on Government-leased land.
An official in the Education Department said that the department has submitted a draft of the new Act to the Government after recommending best provisions from both RTE and SEA Acts.
“We have incorporated best provisions in the new draft like 25 per cent reservation in aided private schools, teacher-student ratio, formation of school development committee, and reimbursement of money for children from weaker sections who will be given reservation in private schools etc.,” the official said.
Additional Law Secretary Achal Sethi told Excelsior the department has read the new draft bill from the legal point of view and forwarded to the Government.
“It is upto the Government to see whether they want to amend the State School Education Act or implement the Central law,” Sethi said.
The CSC is headed by Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand, and comprises Minister for Law, Mir Saifullah, Minister for Rural Development, Ali Mohammad Sagar, Minister for Health and Medical Education, Taj Mohi-ud-Din and Minister for Housing, Raman Bhalla, to examine the recommendations, provisions of Central Right to Education Act and existing laws of the State on the subject before submitting the draft to the Cabinet.
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