Bengaluru: A task force, constituted under the State Education Policy Commission (SEP), is discussing the possibility of introducing reservation in school education.
At present, reservation for SC, ST and OBC is applicable in higher education, especially professional courses.
Sharing the information with DH, sources from the task force said that during every meeting providing reservations in school education was discussed.
“There is pressure from several stakeholders to push for reservation even in school education in line with higher education and the same has been discussed in the meeting,” said the source.
The task force is including this point in its presentation to the SEP Commission scheduled on Thursday. “As the subject was discussed in our meetings, we will be including it in the presentation and also planning to include it in the draft recommendations. However, it is left to the Commission to take a final call on it,” the sources mentioned.
Repealing amendments
Meanwhile, there are also discussions on repealing amendments brought to Section 12(1)(c) of the Right for Free and Compulsory (RTE) Education Act, which has virtually ended 25% reservation for children from economically weaker sections in private schools, as the amendment prioritises admissions in government and aided schools, first.
“There is a demand from various stakeholders, including parent associations, to bring back the 12(1)(c) as students from economically weaker sections are deprived of admissions in private schools. But we cannot amend it again as it has become a state rule. But we can recommend to repeal the amendments by placing it before the Legislature,” explained the source.
Even the RTE Students’ Parents’ Association argued that the SEP should recommend extending RTE till class 12 or up to the age of 18 years. B N Yogananda of the Association said, “We have even petitioned the SEP Commission to consider our demand to repeal the amendments brought to section 12 (1)(c) of the RTE and allow admissions under RTE 25% quota at private schools too. Another demand we submitted is to extend the RTE till the age of 18 years.”