Fraudulent promise of education: The case of Patna

For historically oppressed communities, education is not just a means to get a livelihood, it is also a tool to reclaim dignity and to secure rights. Keeping this tool beyond the reach of the people creates a chasm between the people and their rights, stifling any possibility of socio-economic mobility.

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The right and the reality

The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 (RTE Act) came into existence after a long-drawn struggle spanning decades and a series of Supreme Court judgments.

One of the primary objectives of the RTE Act was to make education accessible across the caste and class divide. This is evident from such provisions of the Act as that which makes education in government schools free till the eighth grade (Section 3); that which ensures that government schools are within a kilometre of every neighbourhood (the RTE Rules); and that which provide reservation in private schools to children belonging to Scheduled Caste (SC)/Scheduled Tribe (ST) communities (Section 12(1)(c)). The legal safety net was further strengthened by way of enactments which provide scholarships to students who belong to the SC/ST communities once they enter high school.