The state government is dragging its feet on the implementation of the 25 per cent quota for poor students in private schools under the Right to Education Act. Despite the SC upholding the constitutional validity of 25 per cent RTE quota exactly a month ago on April 12, the state government has failed to take any concrete steps in this direction.
While states such as Delhi, Maharashtra, Bihar and Karnataka have made considerable progress and even started admissions of poor students, the state government has so far only constituted an eight-member committee on May 1 to finalise the modalities of implementation of the RTE quota.
The committee, which was directed to submit its reports by May 15, has not conducted a single full-fledged meeting yet. Rather, it has issued a public notice, inviting opinions from all the stakeholders concerned. It has fixed a deadline of May 20, the indications being that implementation will take time.
While the primary education department officials are looking to S. Shailajanath, the minister for primary education, for guidance, the minister has been busy campaigning in his native Anantapur district for the forthcoming by-polls and has been unavailable to discuss the RTE issue over the last month.
“Andhra Pradesh is already lagging behind other states in implementing the 25 per cent RTE quota for the poor in private schools. Instead of taking concrete measures, the government is trying to drag the issue by appointing committees and inviting suggestions. The modalities were already finalised and are part of the RTE rules, notified by the state government two years ago. There is no need to start the process afresh,” said Achyut Rao, an RTE activist.