Bombay HC Halts Maharashtra's RTE Act Changes: AAP Parents Union Hails Decision

A day after the Bombay High Court stayed the changes made by the Maharashtra government in the rules of the Right To Education Act, reprimanding the state government, AAP spokesperson Mukund Kirdat said that AAP Parents Union welcomes the decision.

AAP Parents Union has been raising its voice in this regard by protesting and burning copies of this order.

The RTE Act grants admission to children from disadvantaged and weaker sections in private schools through 25% reserved seats. However, the Government of Maharashtra had changed this by stating that if there is a government or subsidised school within one kilometer radius, free admission under RTE will not be given in the private schools there. Due to this change, only 68,402 applications were filed until today for 886,411 seats from Maharashtra, the party claimed.

Every year, seven to eight lakh applications are received for admission in private schools, but most parents avoided filling RTE online applications as government schools were available, the party noted.

"Now, in fact, we demand that Education Minister Kesarkar and Education Commissioner, keeping in mind the Constitution and the purpose of socialisation of children, should immediately cancel this order and start online admission registration as per the original law," said Kirdat.