OUR BUREAU New Delhi
In a major relief to the educational institutions run by the minorities, whether religious or linguistic, their management will not be usurped by the committee of parents and government nominees proposed under th
e Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, popularly known as the Right to Education ( RTE) Act.
While the Supreme Court on last week exempted the non- aided minority institutions from the RTE Act, Human Resources Development Minister Kapil Sibal went a step further early this week to insert an amendment in Section 21 that even in aided institutions, the management committees will have only an advisory role.
He thus kept his word to the agitated minority bodies by restoring the autonomy of their educational institutions.
He stressed before passage of the Bill by the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday to amend the Act: ” So we have protected the interests of the minority institutions.” Though the original amendment Bill pending since 2010 was limited to cover the ” disadvantaged group” of the differently- abled children, Sibal also got new amendments passed to exclude both government- aided and unaided Madrasas, Vedic Patshalas and other institutions imparting religious instructions from the RTE Acts ambit.
The Bill, that will now go to the Lok Sabha for passage before the current Parliament session ends on May 22, also makes it clear that application of the provisions of the RTE Act shall be subject to Article 29 and 30 of the Constitution that ensures autonomy to the minority educational institutions from any government interference. Since last November, the All India Muslim Personal Law Board had launched a campaign against the Act, including a convention in Mumbai last Sunday, to exclude Madarsas from its purview and protect the minority institutions established under Article 29 and 30.
” Some provisions of the RTE Act will deny our right to establish and run religious and educational institutions.
We will make it a mass movement unless this Act is amended,” the boards assistant general secretary Abdur Rahim Qureishi had threatened.
