Pune: High Court Petition Challenges Changes in Right to Education Reservation

A petition has been filed in the High Court against the changes made by the state government in the 25 percent reservation admission process in the Right to Education (RTE) Act. Additionally, the Akhil Bharatiya Samajwadi Adhyapak Sabha from Pune has challenged the court through a public interest petition.

The state government’s decision, implemented through a gazette notification on February 9, 2024, has been suspended following the petitions. The petitioners seek to revert to the previous provision of applying the 25 percent reservation to unaided schools.

Executive President of Samajwadi Adhyapak Sabha, Sharad Javadekar, and President of 25 Percent Reservation Parents Association, Surekha Khare, highlighted these developments in a recent press conference.

The petitioners argue that the state government’s decision violates constitutional provisions. The Right to Education Act 2009 emphasizes the importance of inclusive education, promoting the development of children from diverse backgrounds by learning together. Previously, terms like “same school” and “same locality” were used; now, the focus is on inclusive teaching.

The forthcoming hearing in the Bombay High Court, scheduled for May 8, will address these petitions, which include PILs from Movement for People’s Justice in Pune and Nagpur, along with the petition from Samajwadi Adhyapak Sabha. Javadekar and Khare emphasized that providing quality education to marginalized, backward, and underprivileged children is not solely the responsibility of government schools but also extends to schools without government subsidies.