25% of seats for financially disadvantaged (poor) children

Re: 25% of seats for poor children
You started the topic right when I was about to do the same. Anyway, here goes my thoughts about this whole issue. These are all purely my opinions and does not have to be accepted by everyone.
1. The landmark judgement is no doubt, a step in the right direction. By virtue of this judgement, children from the poorer sections of the society will atleast be provided with an opportunity to study and rub shoulders with their richer counterparts. However, there is no clear direction on how this ruling would be implemented accross India. There are several reasons behind my saying this:
a. Since there are no clear directions on how these admissions are going to take place, we can assume that there will be enormous numbers of people wanting to admit their wards in missionary and convent schools. The question, thus arises, that will the government machinery, (which can only direct private schools to follow certain directions but cannot act as a watchdog to the administration of such schools) be able to stop any foul play that can arise if there are too many applicants. Many guardians may even be prepared to pay some ‘donations’ to get their children admitted. The whole purpose of this ruling would then be defeated.
b. I have seen the book lists of some convents in our locality. They are absurdly huge. Add to that a whole array of classwork, homework and test copies for every subject. Will it be possible for a parent living below poverty level, to provide his children with so many books and copies? The same applies for uniform which needs to be perfectly clean and regularly ironed, day in and day out. This requires at least three sets of uniforms. Will a BPL parent be able to afford such expenses?
2. It has usually been observed that private schools inevitably extract extra money from the students through a number of means. Donations for charity, for construction purposes, fetes, cultural programmes etc. The reservation, I believe, only provides relief from tuition fees. How will poor parents be able to pay all that much of extra money?
3. With all this hankering after private schools, it would seem that government or government aided schools lag far behind in their quality of education. We, who work in rural areas, might just lose out on some potentially good students who might choose to join the neighbouring convent. The fact however remains that in most cases the teaching quality of teachers in government and government aided schools is much better than that of some of the highly rated convents, most of which are not prepared to pay a deserving compensation to the teachers. So will most students from the poorer sections of society, really be benefitted in the long run? At least, in schools like ours, I feel, teachers are much more approachable, which encourages students to speak about their problems to them. Will the students from poorer sections of the society really get such help from teachers of private schools? I am stressing on this point because, such students will not be able to afford many tuitions and will need all the help they can gather from their school teachers.
4. And last but not the least, the private schools will try their level best to ensure that their income remains steady. If 25% seats should become free seats, they will surely leave no stones unturned to extract the fees of those 25% seats from the remaining 75%. This would mean an increase in tuition and capitation or donation fees. This would come as a blow to the parents of all regular students and clashes with the school administration regarding this cannot be ruled out. This would create a total chaos in the educational system, over which, I doubt, the Supreme court would, or could pass a judgement.

Re: 25% of seats for financially disadvantaged (poor) childr
Thanks a lot Shantanil and Kaushik for participating on this discussion and sharing your expressions, feelings, emotions, knowledge etc. The last Para wrote by kaushik compled me to write something being the thread holder of this topic
Let me have a review of the fact first for General viewers:-
The apex court bench of Chief Justice S.H. Kapadia and Justice Swatanter Kumar upheld the constitutional validity of Section 12 1C of the RTE act that provides 25 percent reservation for students from weaker sections of society.
In a dissenting judgment, Justice K.S. Radhakrishnan, held that the mandate under RTE providing for reservation of seats was not constitutionally valid, thus none of the unaided schools could be compelled to earmark 25% seats in their institutions for weaker sections.
Most of the private schools opposed it saying that since they did not take any grants from the government, they could not be legally bound to reserve seats and also the per child cost as suggested by the government was very low. The government spends between Rs.6,000 and Rs.18,000 a child annually on elementary education and this will form the broad basis for reimbursement under the RTE, though the final amount will vary from State to State.
From my point of view, I welcome the positive steps taken by the Supreme Court for some welfare of the weaker section without considering the barrier of Caste and Community.
Now I would like to quote some of the points raised by my dear friends as I think not much they left to be disclosed

The same applies for uniform which needs to be perfectly clean and regularly ironed, day in and day out. This requires at least three sets of uniforms. Will a BPL parent be able to afford such expenses?

I think its the vital observation made by you. It looks like a king without kingdom. Govt. Should think first whether the policy will achieve the goal or not otherwise the whole impression will fade away.

It has usually been observed that private schools inevitably extract extra money from the students through a number of means. Donations for charity, for construction purposes, fetes, cultural programmes etc. The reservation, I believe, only provides relief from tuition fees. How will poor parents be able to pay all that much of extra money?

I think the Private schools will not have any authority to charge the extra money as per the judgment of the Apex Court. Its my personal thought, more discussions are solicited.

Will the students from poorer sections of the society really get such help from teachers of private schools? I am stressing on this point because, such students will not be able to afford many tuitions and will need all the help they can gather from their school teachers.

I am also in doubt about this. The main problem will be faced when they will prepare their home works. Describing more I would also like to point out one thing that the distinguish between the pupil of poor and rich family will make the whole atmosphere cloudy. The quality of Uniform, School bag, Tiffin and all aspects the weaker class students will suffer from some inferiority complex.

extract the fees of those 25% seats from the remaining 75%. This would mean an increase in tuition and capitation or donation fees. This would come as a blow to the parents of all regular students and clashes with the school administration regarding this cannot be ruled out.

Good thinking my friend, this will be the actual scenario on which Govt. cant interfere but who knows that the matter of fees will also be controlled by making some further Order?

Now my question to all of you: How many such schools do actually exist in rural areas? My guess would be less than 1% in our state. Comments from more knowledgeable friends are welcome here.

Yes, I think you are absolutely right and a very good point you disclosed. I dont think that the reservation policy will run in a longer way as we are not the citizen of an well equipped country.

Notwithstanding the fact that teachers in aided schools are more qualified, more competent and yes, the management and teachers are more approachable by the parents than their counterparts in pvt. schools.

Sorry dear friend, I am not agree with you on this aspect. There are many private schools you may find having very much qualified teachers and the matter of competency is also upto the mark. Though the percentage of that schools in a whole may be low against the Govt. aided schools. I am praying for prior pardon if I am wrong but I think the document you referred is not enough to prove that.

friends share your feelings, be optimistic, prepare to press for what you believe is right and be pressed but do not remain silent and see your future wade through the murky water of dirty elements of the society and ultimately die.
So, please post your views.

Thanks for the invitation and of course we are now in a situation which compel us to think about our future generation as the Govt. encouraging too much experiments with the education system.
Now let me conclude: Sorry for the lengthy writing but I think it should be discussed as the nice points raised by our dear friends were inviting some comments as well deserve some encouragements.
How would it be if the Govt. be some more active to take responsibilities of the pupil of weaker section affording them more educational facilities without knocking the door of the Private Schools? How would be if the Govt. be more active for upgradation the infrastructures of aided schools upto the level of the Private schools? I think the necessity and reputations of the Private schools would fade away automatically and we would happily look at the moon for our future generation
Waiting for more comments from our friends.

Re: 25% of seats for financially disadvantaged (poor) childr
It will be helpful to those pupils who are really talent but poor and want to do something. In other instances the out put will be zero.