The Right to Education Act was enacted in 2009 which gives a fundamental right to all the children aged between 6 to 14 for a compulsory and free education under Article 21 A of the constitution.

It places obligations on various stakeholders as-

• State- The state has the duty to make the elementary education accessible and affordable for students. It mandates opening up of schools within 5km of every village. The state should also ensure minimum basic facilities like toilets, reading rooms, laboratories in every school. The state should also ensure minimum attendance of a child and reduce the drop- out ratio. It must also endeavor to reduce the learning outcomes across sexes, places, castes and religions. It would develop a national curriculum, train the teachers and provide technical aid and resources for promoting learning and innovation.
• Parents- RTE Act added a fundamental duty making it a duty for every parent to ensure that his or her child be admitted in the neighboring school for elementary education. This ensures that the parents do not encourage child labor and involve themselves in their wards education.
• Teachers- They would ensure optimum learning outcomes, mandate regularity and punctuality, complete the curriculum timely. They should not involve themselves in private tuitions and non- teaching activities. They will strive towards excellence in every child. They will also ensure safety of children in school premises.
• Civil Society- The civil society groups are engaged in gauging the learning outcomes and prescribe the recommendations to fill those gaps. E.g.- Pratham, ACER etc. They should also ensure higher awareness amongst parents etc. regarding RTE. Bachpan Bachao Andolan of Kailash Satyarthi is working for rehabilitation of child labor.
• Other- The Act also touches upon timely curriculum development, protection of child rights by setting up of National commission for protection of Child Rights and State commission. It empowers the local governments for implementation of this act.

However, there are various challenges to this act as:

• The Act provides for free education for all children in that age- group. But state is deficient on funds for providing this.
• There are implementation challenges to the 25% provision in private schools for economically backward children.
• Lack of proper awareness about this act.
• Shortage of quality teachers to the tune of around 5 lakhs
• Security issue in schools. E.g. murder of a 5-year-old kid in a Delhi-NCR school
• No provision of PPP in elementary education

As said by TSR Subramaniam Committee, we need to strengthen our elementary education system otherwise the demographic dividend will soon convert to a liability.

Recommendations of TSR Subramaniam Committee:

• An Indian Education Service (IES) should be established as an all India service with officers being on permanent settlement to the state governments but with the cadre controlling authority vesting with the Human Resource Development (HRD) ministry.
• The outlay on education should be raised to at least 6% of GDP without further loss of time.
• There should be minimum eligibility condition with 50% marks at graduate level for entry to existing B.Ed. courses. Teacher Entrance Tests (TET) should be made compulsory for recruitment of all teachers. The Centre and states should jointly lay down norms and standards for TET.
• Compulsory licensing or certification for teachers in government and private schools should be made mandatory, with provision for renewal every 10 years based on independent external testing.
• Pre-school education for children in the age group of 4 to 5 years should be declared as a right and a programme for it implemented immediately.
• The no detention policy must be continued for young children until completion of class V when the child will be 11 years old. At the upper primary stage, the system of detention shall be restored subject to the provision of remedial coaching and at least two extra chances being offered to prove his capability to move to a higher class
• On-demand board exams should be introduced to offer flexibility and reduce year end stress of students and parents. A National Level Test open to every student who has completed class XII from any School Board should be designed.
• The mid-day meal (MDM) program should now be extended to cover students of secondary schools. This is necessary as levels of malnutrition and anemia continue to be high among adolescents.
• UGC Act must be allowed to lapse once a separate law is created for the management of higher education. The University Grants Commission (UGC) needs to be made leaner and thinner and given the role of disbursal of scholarships and fellowships.
• 10 Top 200 foreign universities should be allowed to open campuses in India and give the same degree which is acceptable in the home country of the said university.