National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR)
A recent survey by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has recommended bringing schools run by minority groups under the Right to Education (RTE) based on the flaws highlighted.
- The purpose of this survey report is to assess the impact of the exception provided in Article 15(5) with respect to Article 21A of the Constitution of India relating to the education of children from minority communities.
- Article 21A was inserted in the Indian Constitution by the 86th Amendment (2002). This article has established the right to education of children in the age group of 6 to 14 years as a fundamental right.
- Clause 5 was included in Article 15 by the 93rd Amendment to the Indian Constitution. Through this, the state has been facilitated to make special provisions for admission in all educational institutions including private unaided institutions (Except Minority Institutions) for members of the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and socially and educationally backward classes.
Key findings
- The largest numbers of out of-school children are from the Muslim community (11 million).
- Less than 8% of the minority children’s population is studying in schools run by minority groups.
- 5% of students in minority schools belong to non-minority communities.
- Only 8.76% of students in minority schools are from socially and economically disadvantaged backgrounds.
Recommendations made in the survey
- Madrasas should also be included in the RTE Act by expanding it.
- The general subjects of education should be included in madrasas.
- Scholarship facility should be expanded.
- Currently, only government affiliated institutions receive funding for scholarships.
National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR)
- It is under the administrative control of the Ministry of Women and Child Development. It is a statutory body established under the Commission for Protection of Child Rights (CPCR) Act, 2005.
- The commission’s mandate is to ensure that all laws, policies, programs and administrative machinery are in line with the perspective of child rights. As enunciated in the Constitution of India as well as the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Source – The Hindu
