Exemption to minority schools: SC seeks reply from Centre, UP

The Supreme Court today sought response from the Centre on a plea seeking relook by a constitution bench on whether minority institutions - both aided and unaided - were excluded entirely from the ambit of the Right to Education Act.
A bench of Justices Dipak Misra and C Nagappan sought response from Uttar Pradesh government on the plea which also sought a relook on the issue whether minority institutions were excluded from some provisions like reservation for students from weaker sections.
The plea said the minority institutions needed no recognition as mandated under the Right To Education Act after they have been excluded from its purview.

The five judges constitution bench in its May 6, 2014 verdict had upheld the validity of the RTE Act, 2009 and said that it was not applicable to the aided or unaided minority schools.
Advocate Ravi Prakash Gupta apearing for the petitioner - Independent Schools Federation of India - said that after the May 6, 2014, verdict minority educational institutions did not need even the recognition as provided under Section 18 (No School to be established without obtaining certificate of recognition) and Section 19 (Norms and standards for school) of the RTE Act.