Centre has told the Delhi high court that the extension of the Right to Education Act to secondary education is a policy decision which could be decided once the new government comes.
In an affidavit, the Union human resource development ministry informed the court that extension of the RTE to class 12 would require more “synergic cooperation between different levels of government and will have large financial implications”. It said the proposal in this regard has been submitted for the in-principle decision of the Centre and in cases of amendment to the Constitution, consultations with all states and Union territories is required.
The Centre’s affidavit came in response to a PIL by NGO Social Jurist, which had sought an extension of the benefits of the RTE Act for the EWS and disadvantaged group till class 12.
At present, the RTE Act allows students from the EWS and DG categories to avail facilities of free education till class 8. The plea had contended that after the completion of class 8, private schools either force students to leave or make them pay higher fee. Replying to the contentions raised in the plea, Centre said the implementation of RTE Act had taken seven years after making an amendment to the Constitution