The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 remains inadequate in promoting…

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The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 remains inadequate in promoting incentive-based system for children's education without generating awareness about the importance of schooling. Analyse.

Ghissu Editorial · Accepted Answer

The RTE Act, 2009 removed cost barriers through free schooling, material incentives and a 25% private-school quota, but without parental awareness these produced enrolment rather than attendance and learning. ASER 2024 found only 23.4% of Class 3 government-school children could read a Class 2 text.

**Introduction**

The RTE Act, 2009 gave effect to Article 21A through entitlements for every child aged 6-14. ASER shows enrolment above 95% for over a decade, but ASER 2024 found only 23.4% of Class 3 children in government schools could read a Class 2 text.

**How the RTE Act Built an Incentive-Based System**

1. **Free schooling**: Sections 3 and 13 remove fees, capitation and screening, and state rules add free textbooks and uniforms alongside the mid-day meal.
2. **Section 12(1)(c) quota**: Private schools reserve 25% of entry seats for disadvantaged children at state cost, and the no-detention clause aimed to keep them in school.

**Why Incentives Falter Without Awareness of Schooling's Value**

SKETCH: forcefield | Incentives vs Awareness Gap
center: Regular schooling and learning
driving: Free schooling, Mid-day meals, 25% private seats, Free textbooks
restraining: Low perceived returns, Child labour, Unaware parents, Dormant SMCs

1. **Unclaimed entitlements**: IIM Ahmedabad's studies found many quota seats unfilled because parents did not know the right or the process.
2. **Enrolment without attendance**: Where schooling seems to offer little return, child labour and early marriage win; Census 2011 counted about 1 crore working children aged 5-14.
3. **Dormant SMCs**: Parents hold three-fourths of SMC seats under Section 21, but rarely use them.
4. **Passive promotion**: Without parental demand for learning, no-detention became automatic promotion, diluted by the 2019 amendment. Teacher vacancies, as PROBE (1999) showed, add a supply gap.

**Way Forward**

1. **Awareness plus learning**: Scale Gujarat's Shala Praveshotsav drives, train SMCs, and track learning through NIPUN Bharat and PARAKH so parents see results.

**Conclusion**

The criticism largely holds: the Act secured access but under-built demand. Entitlements joined to awareness and visible learning would make Article 21A and SDG 4 a lived reality.

The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 remains inadequate in promoting incentive-based system for children's education without generating awareness about the importance of schooling. Analyse.

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