Right to Education is constitutionally valid: SC 

[Source: http://ibnlive.in.com/news/right-to-education-is-constitutionally-valid-sc/248200-3.html ]

The Supreme Court on Thursday upheld the constitutional validity of the Right to Education Act. It means all schools except unaided minority institutions and boarding schools now will have to reserve 25 per cent seats for economically backward students.

Reacting to the judgement, Union HRD Minister Kapil Sibal said, "I am glad the Supreme Court brought clarity. Education can now be child centric and not institution centric."

The Right to Education Act, which came into force two years ago, aims at providing free and compulsory education to all children between the ages of six and 14. While many called it landmark legislation, the RTE had private schools fuming.

They took the matter to court saying that 25 per cent reservation for poor students was a financial and administrative burden that violated their fundamental right.

Damodar Prasad Goyal, a petitioner, said, "It is something like asking mineral water companies to give away 25 per cent of their bottles free to areas with no water and the government paying tap water rates as compensation."

The argument over reservations in private schools may have been settled, but the real challenge for the RTE is far from over. The quality of education in government schools, which caters to 80 per cent students in the country, still remains a huge cause for concern.