Lok Sabha Question No. 2992 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-03-20
Subject: Social Awareness on RTE Act
Ministry: Education
Asked by: Naranbhai Bhikhabhai Kachhadiya

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION & LITERACY

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2992 ANSWERED ON 20 th  MARCH, 2023

## SOCIAL AWARENESS ON RTE ACT

## 2992. SHRI NARANBHAI KACHHADIYA:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  the  Government  is  aware  that  the  Right  of  Children  to  Free  and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 is inadequate in promoting incentive-based system for  children's  education  without  generating  awareness  about  the  importance  of schooling in the country;
- (b) if so, the aspects of the Government for improving the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 in a substantial way by creating social awareness for the importance of school education in the country; and
- (c) if so, the reasons thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION (SMT. ANNPURNA DEVI)

(a)  to  (c)  :  The  Right  of  Children  to  Free  and  Compulsory  Education  Act,  2009, (hereinafter referred as 'RTE Act, 2009'), mandates that every child of the age of six to fourteen years shall have the right to free and compulsory education in a neighborhood school till the completion of his or her elementary education.  Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA)  was  designated  as  a  vehicle  programme  for  universalization  of  elementary education up-to 2017-18, which was implemented in coordination with the States and UTs.  Now, the provisions of RTE Act are implemented through the Samagra Shiksha which  subsumes  the  erstwhile  Centrally  Sponsored  Schemes  of  SSA,  Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) and Teacher Education (TE).

The  Department  of  School Education and  Literacy (DoSEL),  Ministry of Education  has  developed  the  Unified  District  Information  System  for  Education  Plus (UDISE+) system to record data on indicators of school education provided by all the

States and Union Territories. As per  UDISE+, the Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) for Elementary Education has shown improvement in last four years. The details for the GER is given as under:

| Year   |   2018-19 |   2019-20 |   2020-21 |   2021-22 |
|--------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-----------|
| GER    |     96.09 |     97.78 |     99.09 |    100.13 |

Through Samagra Shiksha, Ministry of Education provides funds for community mobilization under RTE Entitlement. The key indicator of this provision is to promote community  participation  and  monitoring  for  universal  access,  equity  and  quality.    All States/UTs carry out various activities like nukkad natika, student rallies, PTM, SMC meetings, competitions etc. to spread awareness about RTE Act, 2009 and importance of  school  education.    Financial  support  is  given  to  the  States  and  UTs  to  take appropriate measures for awareness of provisions of RTE Act in the schools. As per the programmatic and financial norms of Samagra Shiksha, funds upto Rs 1500/- per government  school  subject  to  specific  school  development  plan  for  Community Mobilization and upto Rs 3000/- per government school for training of SMC/SMDC are provided.

In order to increase the awareness of the RTE Act, 2009, many other measures have also been taken from time to time which include issuance of advisories to States and UTs and other organisations on implementation of various provisions of RTE Act, 2009,  activities  to  enhance  community  participation  through  various  campaigns, workshops/lectures/  programmes  for  creating  Awareness  on  RTE  Act,  Learning outcomes etc., training for School Management Committee Members on implementation of RTE norms in the schools.

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