The Union Cabinet today approved the introduction of a Bill in Parliament for carrying out certain amendments to the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009. The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 has been enacted by the Parliament to provide for free and compulsory education to all children of the age of six to fourteen years. After receiving the assent of the President, the aforesaid Act was published in the Gazette of India on 27th August, 2009.
The Department of School Education and Literacy received representations from various organisations (a) working for the welfare of the children with disabilities and (b) who set up minority institutions, seeking certain amendments to the legislation. Consequent upon examination of the issues/points raised in these representations it is proposed to make the following amendments in the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009:
(i) Inclusion of children with disabilities within the meaning of ‘children belonging to disadvantaged group’
(ii) Providing that children with disabilities as defined in the National Trust for Welfare of Persons with Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation and Multiple Disabilities Act, 1999 shall have special rights to pursue free and compulsory elementary education; and
(iii) School Management Committee constituted under the Act by aided minority institutions shall perform advisory function.
A Bill will be introduced in the Parliament.
