Supreme Court directs implementation of Right to Education Act: 25% free quota in private schools for EWS

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court has ruled that 25 percent free quota in private schools should be ensured for children belonging to the weaker sections and disadvantaged groups of society. The Right to Education Act states that 25% of the seats in primary and upper primary classes in private unaided and special category schools should be ensured for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) and disadvantaged group. A bench of Justices P.S. Narasimha and A.S. Chandurkar directed that the state governments and local bodies are responsible for ensuring this. The court also clarified that private schools can recover the amount spent on the children from the government.

Parents from disadvantaged groups in Maharashtra approached the Supreme Court, alleging that their children were denied admission to private schools under the 25% quota for free education. The private school took the stand that they could not apply for admission through online channels under this quota. The Supreme Court made the verdict applicable nationwide. The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights was made a party to the case. The Supreme Court directed the central and state governments to implement the order and file an affidavit.