Source:TOI
NEW DELHI: With the law ministry not in complete agreement with Attorney General (AG) Goolam E Vahanavati and former Chief Justice of India A S Anand about keeping Navodaya Vidyalayas out of the purview of the Right to Education (RTE) Act, HRD minister Kapil Sibal has asked law ministry officials to reconcile their view.
The HRD ministry will now send its query all over again to the law ministry. Justice Anand and AG had given the opinion that two key provisions — no-screening and giving 25% reservation to children from economically weaker section — will not be applicable to 444 Navodaya Vidyalayas across the country.
However, sources said, the law ministry had agreed with AG and Anand at one point, but later gave a different opinion — stating that Navodaya Vidyalayas cannot be excused from the key provisions. The HRD ministry wants unison in legal opinion. The law ministry says that instead of issuing notification that Navodaya Vidyalayas are a separate category, the RTE Act should be amended. But, the HRD ministry feels notification is good enough.
Votaries of RTE exemption to Navodaya Vidyalayas say these schools start from class VI. Also, the institutions — located in all districts — have 75% seats already reserved for rural children. Seats are also reserved for children from SC/ST communities in proportion to their population in the district, but not less than the national average. One-third of the seats are for girl students, and 3% of the seats are for disabled children.
The HRD ministry will now send its query all over again to the law ministry. Justice Anand and AG had given the opinion that two key provisions — no-screening and giving 25% reservation to children from economically weaker section — will not be applicable to 444 Navodaya Vidyalayas across the country.
However, sources said, the law ministry had agreed with AG and Anand at one point, but later gave a different opinion — stating that Navodaya Vidyalayas cannot be excused from the key provisions. The HRD ministry wants unison in legal opinion. The law ministry says that instead of issuing notification that Navodaya Vidyalayas are a separate category, the RTE Act should be amended. But, the HRD ministry feels notification is good enough.
Votaries of RTE exemption to Navodaya Vidyalayas say these schools start from class VI. Also, the institutions — located in all districts — have 75% seats already reserved for rural children. Seats are also reserved for children from SC/ST communities in proportion to their population in the district, but not less than the national average. One-third of the seats are for girl students, and 3% of the seats are for disabled children.
