The Parliament has unanimously passed the Right to Education bill envisaging free and compulsory education for children in the age group of 6 to 14 years Debate on the Bill was taken up in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, which passed the bill. Speaking about the Bill, Union Human Resources Development Minister Kapil Sibal said that it is responsibility of the state governments to implement the provisions of the Bill. He said as far as disabled clause is concerned, proper care has been taken in the Bill in this regard. He also said that availability of money for implementing the bill would not be a problem and the Centre and state governments would settle the matter. The HRD Minister also said that availability of money for implementing the bill would not be a problem and the Centre and state governments would settle the matter. Clarifying the doubts raised by members about absence of any mechanism to provide pre-school education to children before attaining the age of six years, Sibal said, "This Bill is drafted in accordance with the the constitutional amendment that provides for free and compulsory education for children between the age of 6 and 14 years." "However the states are free to provide pre-school education to children since these days education starts at the age of three or four years in the country", he said. In a reply to the question asked by Jayaprada (SP) about inclusion of children with disability under the Bill, he said, "This legislation provides for the inclusion of children who are disadvantage because of disability. The upper age limit for such children would be 18 instead of 16 for others." About not having any penal law or clause under the Bill for parents not sending their children to schools for elementary education, Sibal said, "There is no rationale to bring such law or include such clause in the Bill". " We don't have right to send such parents to jail and make their children orphan." Earlier during the debate on the Bill, Rama Devi (BJP) came down heavily on the present education system in the country and said it was only examination based and had failed to inculcate values and groom talent of the students. Her impassioned speech was welcomed by several members, including women MPs from the Treasury Benches despite her criticism of the government. Making his maiden intervention, Ijyaraj Singh (Cong) said there should be a concept of neighbourhood schools on the lines of the East Asian countries. He said the country should encourage private schools to reserve seats for the weaker sections but prevent rise of inspector raj in the new system. Mirza Baig (NC) said Jammu and Kashmir was the first state to implement free and compulsory education in the country. He said the state of government schools in the country was so pathetic that none of the MPs would send their children to these schools. Asadudin Owaisi (MIM) made some suggestions for improving the "supply side" of education. He said public-private partnership should not be encouraged in education. He demanded implementation of the Food Security Act to improve attendance in schools". Rajan Sushant (BJP) described the Bill as "important, inclusive and historic". He warned against increasing "centralisation of industries" and influence of western values in India
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