Gauhati High Court asks Education Department to File Affidavit

25% seat reservation for weaker section

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The Gauhati High Court asked the Assam Education Department to upload on April 1, 2024, details of information regarding the reservation of 25 percent of the seats in private schools for the students belonging to weaker sections who reside in the nearby areas of such schools. The court will hear the PIL in this regard on April 2, 2024.

The high court asked the Director of Elementary Education and the Director of Secondary Education to file their respective affidavits stating the district-wise implementation of the order issued by this court earlier. The court also asked the two directors to inform it if all private schools launched portals and websites regarding the admission of students from the weaker section of society.

Earlier, the Court issued the order under the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009, and the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Rules, 2010, as framed by the Government of India.

The division bench heard the PIL (24/2023) filed by Debargha Roy in March 2023. The petitioner sought a direction to the authorities in the Government of Assam to ensure proper compliance and implementation of the requirement of Section 12(1)(c) of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009, providing for education to the extent of at least 25 percent of the strength of a class for children belonging to weaker sections and disadvantaged groups in the neighbourhood of the school and providing free and compulsory elementary education till its completion.

In the earlier order, the Court said that “there is a requirement to implement the policy and guidelines provided in the office memorandum dated September 2, 2021, as regards the admission benefits in the unaided, non-minority institutions as provided under Section 12(1)(c) of the Act of 2009. We accordingly direct the respondent authorities to do the needful as may be required to implement the policy and guidelines contained in the office memorandum dated September 2, 2021, so that the benefits provided therein are made available to the children belonging to the weaker section and disadvantaged group by availing of the benefits of free and compulsory elementary education till its completion, for the academic year 2023–24. Similar directions would also remain for all subsequent academic years.”

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