Now Reading: Bombay HC orders Maharashtra to fix RTE reimbursement timeline
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Bombay HC orders Maharashtra to fix RTE reimbursement timeline
The Bombay High Court on Friday directed the Maharashtra government to set a fixed timeline for reimbursing private unaided schools that admit children from weaker sections under the Right to Education (RTE)…
The Story in Brief
The Bombay High Court on Friday directed the Maharashtra government to set a fixed timeline for reimbursing private unaided schools that admit children from weaker sections under the Right to Education (RTE) Act's 25% quota. The court also ordered a review of the reimbursement rate, stuck at Rs 17,690 per child per year since 2016-17. The order came on a contempt petition by three schools that are owed over Rs 3.6 crore since 2018-19. The court noted that 133 such petitions have been filed this year alone, calling the delays a recurring issue that undermines the RTE Act's objective. The state told the court it will release the pending amount by September 4. The bench expects the government to form a committee of senior officials and complete the exercise by year-end.
The Indian Opinion
The court has rightly called out the state's foot-dragging, but the narrative that private schools are somehow profiteering from RTE misses the point. Schools bear the upfront cost of free education for years while waiting for reimbursement. The real test is whether the promised committee finishes its review by December and whether the new rate reflects actual costs.
Sources (2): timesofindia.indiatimes.com, hindustantimes.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources.
