Congress regime in Assam violated RTE Act

Over 33,000 students detained in Class VIII during 2010-16
BY OUR STAFF REPORTER
Guwahati, July 29: The previous Congress government in Assam had violated the Right to Education Act (RTE), a legislation introduced by the Congress-led UPA at the Centre to ensure free and compulsory education to children up to 14 years. 
Sources told The Sentinel that the State detained over 33,000 students in Class VIII between 2010 and 2016 when the Congress was holding the reins in Dispur. From 2010 and to March 31, 2016, 33,930 children were retained in class VIII which was a clear violation of the RTE Act introduced in the country in 2009 by the then Manmohan Singh-led government at the Centre.
Section 16 of the RTE Act envisages that no child should be held back in any class or expelled from the school till completion of elementary education. The Act stipulates that there will be no pass or fail system from Class I to VIII. Retaining a student in a particular Class according to the RTE Act could prove to be insulting, and out of frustration the student might leave school or studies permanently which can defeat the basic purpose of the legislation. 
“Unfortutely the previous Congress regime in Assam had violated the Act which was introduced by the same party in power at the Centre. The development has also exposed the mess that prevailed in the education sector in the State during the previous regime,” the source said. 
According to sources, besides Assam, many other Congress ruled States including Aruchal Pradesh also violated the RTE Act by retaining students during the same period (2010-2016).
Union HRD minister Prakash Javadekar recently said that the Centre will reintroduce the pass and fail system in Classes V and VIII with support from the States to ensure quality education. Even though a few States have opposed the Centre’s move, Assam has decided to introduce the retention system at Classes V and VIII. 
At a time when the present State Education Minister has been pulling up teachers of vercular medium schools for deteriorating condition of education including zero pass percentage in the HSLC exam results this year, sources said the State had violated the RTE Act by utilizing the service of a large chunk of teachers in the NRC update work. Interestingly engagement of teachers in the NRC update also took place during the previous Congress regime in the State.