Chandigarh – The Right to Education Act, 2009 (RTE Act), which came into force on April 1, 2010 across India, mandates all private schools to reserve 25% of seats from Pre-Nursery to Class 8 for children belonging to economically weaker and disadvantaged sections.
However, due to an unconstitutional provision — Rule 7(4) — introduced by the Punjab Government, the law was never properly implemented in the state. As a result, from 2010 to 2025, nearly 10 lakh underprivileged children were denied access to quality education in private schools.
Following a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by concerned citizens on January 18, 2024, the Punjab and Haryana High Court, in a landmark judgment on February 19, 2025, struck down Rule 7(4) and declared it in violation of the spirit and intent of the RTE Act. The Court directed the state to ensure 25% reservation in private schools from the academic session 2025-26 onwards.
Subsequently, the Punjab Cabinet annulled Rule 7(4), and on March 21, 2025, the Department of Primary Education and all District Education Officers were issued explicit instructions to implement the court’s order. On March 24, similar directives were sent to all private schools.
However, the ground reality remains deeply concerning. Many private schools are still refusing admissions to children from economically weaker sections, and District Education Officers are failing to enforce the court’s mandate. This amounts to blatant contempt of the High Court’s order and a grave violation of the constitutional right to education.
In this situation, social organizations and vigilant citizens are left with no choice but to take action. A public agitation will be launched if implementation does not begin within the next ten days, and a contempt petition will be filed in the High Court against the Punjab Government and non-compliant private schools to ensure justice for underprivileged children.
