Union HRD minister Kapil Sibal on Saturday met several stakeholders to discuss smooth implementation of the RTE Act. The minister is understood to have stressed on ensuring “transparency” in the admission process under the Act.
At a meeting attended by heads of academic boards, government officials and some school principals, Mr Sibal is understood to have asked the stakeholders to follow proper procedures for the admission as laid under the Act in a “fair and transparent” manner.
“Sibal made it clear that admission based on random selections as laid down in the guidelines did not necessarily mean schools have to conduct lottery system for admission process,” sources stated. On the implementation of 25 per cent quota for children of economically weaker section, he reportedly said schools should not shy away from their duties towards the society.
The HRD Ministry guidelines issudes last month stated that children or parents should not be subjected to “testing and interview” and there should be no profiling based on education qualification of parents.
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Orissa Cong plans rally against BJD
AGE CORRESPONDENT
BHUBANESWAR
Dec. 11: The Congress on Saturday announced to hold a Maha Samavesh in Bhubaneswar on Tuesday to step up pressures on chief minister Naveen Patnaik to resign from his post following the recent Orissa high court verdict that said the state government had “illegally” acquired land for the Vedanta University project.
Speaking to reporters here, Orissa Pradesh Congress Committee president K.P. Singhdeo said the high court verdict had exposed the “ill-intention” of the ruling BJD in selling out the “precious” landed property of Jagannath temple, Puri, to Anil Agarwal Foundation.