Lok Sabha Question No. 1247 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-07-25
Subject: Implementation of Right to Education Act
Ministry: HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: P. KUMAR, B.N. CHANDRAPPA, DODDAALAHALLI KEMPEGOWDA SURESH

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION AND LITERACY

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1247 TO BE ANSWERED ON 25 th  JULY 2016

## Implementation of Right to Education Act

## 1247.  SHRI P. KUMAR: SHRI B.N. CHANDRAPPA: SHRI D.K. SURESH:

Will the Minister of HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) whether it is a fact that the implementation of the Right to Education (RTE) Act has been tardy and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the Government proposes to conduct a review of the implementation of the Right to Education Act in the country and if so, the details thereof; and
- (c) the details of the targets achieved so far and the measures taken/proposed to be taken for the effective implementation of the Right to Education Act in the country?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (SHRI UPENDRA KUSHWAHA)

- (a): No, Madam.
- (b): No, Madam.
- (c): The  total  enrolment  in  elementary  schools  has  risen  from  18.79  crore  children  in  2009-10  to 19.76 crore children in 2014-15.  The Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) is 98.85% for boys and 101.43% for girls, which indicates almost universal enrolment at primary level.  The GER at upper primary level is  87.71% for boys and 95.29% for girls. Number of Out of School children in 2005 was 134.6 lakh which has come down to 81.51 lakh in 2009 and 60.64 lakh in 2014.  The Pupil Teacher Ratio (PTR) has improved from 32 in 2009-10 to 25 in 2014-15.

Apart from the financial assistance provided to State Governments, various initiatives have been taken up by the Central Government to meet the objectives of SSA scheme in accordance with the legal framework of Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009.  Some of these are:-

- (i) Under Swachh Vidyalaya initiative, 4,17,796 toilets were constructed in 2,61,400 elementary and secondary government schools in a period of one year from 15.8.2014 to 15.8.2015, thus ensuring that every government school has separate functional toilets for girls and boys. The initiative  was  made  successful  in  partnership  with  all  State  Governments,  64  Public  Sector Undertakings, and 12 Private Corporates. With this, about 13.58 crore children in 11.08 lakh government schools have access to gender segregated toilets.
- (ii) Since  the  inception  of  SSA  in  2001  till  31.3.2016,  3.64  lakh  new  elementary  schools, construction  of  3.11  lakh  school  buildings,  and  18.61  lakh  additional  classrooms,  2.38  lakh drinking  water  facilities,  10.14  lakh  school  toilets  and  19.48  lakh  teacher  posts  have  been sanctioned to States and UTs.
- (iii) Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (KGBVs) have been opened in Educationally Backward Blocks  (EBBs)  where  the  female  rural  literacy  is  below  the  national  average  to  provide  for residential upper primary schools for girls. 3609 KGBVs have been sanctioned till 31.3.2016, out of which 3599 KGBVs are operational in the country enrolling 3.64 lakh girls.
- (iv) The number of children with special needs that have been brought into the fold of education (through  enrolment in  formal  schools,  school  readiness  programme  and  through  home-based education) is 23.18 lakh as per the Unified District Information System for Education (UDISE) 2014-15.
- (v) The  State  Governments  and  UT  Administrations  are  supported  on  several  interventions  to improve teaching standards, including regular in-service teachers' training, induction training for newly  recruited  teachers,  training of all untrained  teachers  to  acquire  professional qualifications through Open Distance Learning (ODL) mode, recruitment of additional teachers for  improving  pupil-teacher  ratios,  academic  support  for  teachers  through  block  and  cluster resource  centres,  continuous  and  comprehensive  evaluation  system  to  equip  the  teacher  to measure  pupil  performance  and  provide  remedial  action  wherever  required,  and  teacher  and school grants for development of appropriate teaching-learning materials, etc.

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