Centre to amend Free and Compulsory Education Act - India News and Travel Times Provides India-centric and other News and Features

The Union Cabinet on Thursday approved the introduction of an amendment to the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 in the parliament. The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 has been enacted by the Parliament to provide for free and compulsory education to all children of the age of six to fourteen years. The Department of School Education and Literacy received representations from various organisations working for the welfare of the children with disabilities and also from minority institutions, seeking certain amendments to the legislation. Consequent upon examination of the issues and points raised in these representations the Human Resources Ministry agreed to bring amendments to the Act. The proposed amendments bring the children with disabilities within the meaning of children belonging to disadvantaged group. The Bill would also concentrate in providing those children with disabilities as defined in the National Trust for Welfare of Persons with Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation and Multiple Disabilities Act, 1999 shall have special rights to pursue free and compulsory elementary education. School Management Committee constituted under the Act by aided minority institutions shall perform advisory function is also likely to figure in the new Bill.