Bring In Policy For Pre-Primary Education In Maharashtra Before Year-End: Bombay HC Tells State Govt [Read Judgment]

Expressing displeasure over the lack of procedure or policy with regard to pre-primary education in Maharashtra, the Bombay High Court has directed the state government to bring in a policy that is in consonance with Section 11 of the Right to Education Act, 2009.

Chief Justice Manjula Chellur and Justice RM Borde were hearing a PIL filed by one Dr. Jagannath Patil highlighting grievances and hardships that the general public go through for securing pre-primary education in the state.

Chief Justice Chellur, who had been sitting at the Aurangabad bench at the time, stated that under Section 11 of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009, the state government is under an obligation to lay down the procedure for pre-primary education as well.

She further noted that there were so many establishments that cater to pre-primary education where there are no proper norms or guidelines, therefore “a serious disparity is caused amongst the institutions and also quality of the education given in the pre-primary education institutions”.

In light of Section 11 of the said Act, the court expressed an inability to understand why there was no policy in place within the state and passed the following directions: “In that view of the matter, we failed to understand, why the respondent-authorities are not able to bring any procedure or policy with regard to pre-primary education in the State of Maharashtra even after having a study tour in the other states like Rajasthan etc. If such policy is under active consideration of the authorities, we fail to understand, why they need one year to bring out such policy.

Under these circumstances, we dispose of the petition directing the Respondent-State authorities to bring a policy into existence by the end of 2017   i.e. on or before 31.12.2017 in consonance with Section 11 of the Right to Education Act, 2009.”

Read the Judgment Here