CAG Expressed Resentment over Implementation of RTE in Gujarat

The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India has expressed resentment over the implementation of the Right to Education Act (RTE) in Gujarat denoting out conspicuous shortcomings “indicating that the key objectives of the law for universalization of elementary education could not be fully achieved due to various deficiencies” in Gujarat.

In a report surfaced in the Assembly of Ministers, the CAG has revealed that 12.80 to 15.11 per cent of children in the age group of 6-14 years were not enrolled in any school in the state of Gujarat during 2012-17. But the state government could only identify between 2.72 to 6.12 per cent of children as “out of school children” during the same five years. The prescribed pupil-teacher ratio in the state was not achieved in 1,156 out of 10,531 primary schools and 3,098 out of 22,234 upper primary schools as on March 2017 as per the report published in PTI. According to RTE act, there should be at least two teachers in a primary school and three teachers in upper primary schools. However in a report it was stated that the process of fixation of a target was incorrect. The target fixed was much less than the mandated 25 per cent of the seats reserved as per the RTE Act. As per DISE (District Information System for Education) data (2016-17), there are total 4, 26,510 seats available for admission in Class I of unaided schools in Gujarat. However, against 1, 06,628 seats (25 per cent of total seats) available for admission to children from economically weaker and disadvantaged groups, the target fixed was only 46,000 (43 per cent). This clearly shows that the targets have been allotted by the state government without considering the mandated provision of the Act. Therefore in this concern CAG has given a few recommendations to the Gujarat government regarding education. Firstly, the state government should conduct an annual survey to identify children in the age group of 6-14 years and enroll them in schools. Secondly, the state government may ensure that the provisions of the RTE Act regarding admission under 25 per cent quota in all the unaided schools are adhered to in true spirits.

By: Anuja Arora

Content: https://www.ndtv.com/education/cag-expresses-dissatisfaction-in-rte-implementation-in-gujarat-1919715?publisher=newsstand