Gujarat High Court: In a Public Interest Litigation (‘PIL’) challenging the Government Resolution dated 04-08-2020, alleged to be in conflict with Section 12(c) of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 (‘RTE Act’), the Division Bench of Sunita Agarwal, CJ* and Aniruddha P. Mayee, J., dismissed the PIL for being wholly misconceived and lacking proper empirical data.
Background
The petitioner filed the present PIL against a Government Resolution dated 04-08-2020, which sets standards of operating procedure for complying with the RTE Act and the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Rules, 2012 framed by the State of Gujarat. The petitioner’s case was based on the challenge that Clause-3 of the Government Resolution conflicted with Section 12(c) of the RTE Act, 2009 as it computed 25% quota based on the total strength of students admitted in the last academic year, leading to a decline in admissions due to the increase in the minimum age for admission to Standard-1.
Contentions of the Petitioner
The petitioner highlighted that Clause-3 of the Government Resolution computed the said 25% quota based on the total strength of students admitted in the last academic year. Due to an increase in the minimum age, from 5 to 6 years, for admission to Standard-1, there was a significant gap in the number of students admitted in the previous academic years compared to the last academic year (2022-2023) and the gap would prevail in the current academic session (2024-2025). It was also submitted that this gap would lead to a decline in admissions under the RTE Act, severely hampering the interests of poor children in the state of Gujarat.
Analysis and Decision
The Court held that the computation method for the 25% quota under the RTE Act, as per Clause-3 of the Government Resolution, was not arbitrary or irrational as, there cannot be a definite data of the students to be admitted in the current academic year. The Court found that the computation method for the 25% quota under the RTE Act was in compliance with Section 12(c) of the RTE Act, and that the second part of Clause-3(1) provides that 25% deduction is to be made as per the maximum strength of 40 students per class, but for any class, when the strength of the students is less than 40, actual number of students in the class concerned will be considered.
The Court also said that there was nothing on record to demonstrate any prejudice caused to any of the children belonging to the weaker section of the society. The Court added that the instant petition was filed at the verge of commencement of the admission process in the schools in the State and seems to be a result of pre-empting the whole issue.
The Court therefore dismissed the PIL, finding no substance in the petitioner’s arguments against the computation method for the 25% quota under the RTE Act, however, it granted the petitioner liberty to take appropriate action based on proper research and data collection in the future, before the appropriate forum.
[Mohamad Imran Shaikh v. State of Gujarat, 2024 SCC OnLine Guj 2263, Order dated 23-04-2024]
*Judgment authored by: Sunita Agarwal, Chief Justice
Advocates who appeared in this case:
Advocate For the Petitioner: Vishal J Dave, Nipun Singhvi
Advocate For the State: Hetal G Patel, AGP
