NCPCR writes to CBSE to exempt children of Uri martyrs of exams

The National Commission of Protection of Child Rights has written to the CBSE to exempt children of Uri's martyred soldiers from appearing in the examinations. It has also recommended that children of deceased soldiers should be notified under economically weaker section.

Taking cognisance of media reports of rare grit and composure, three daughters of martyred soldier SK Vidyarthi appeared for their school exams to keep commitment they had made to their father that they would do good in studies, NCPCR has written a letter to CBSE.

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The three daughters - Aarti, a student of Class 8; Anshu, of standard 6th and Anshika, of standard 2 student appeared in school examination of DAV Public School, Rotary campus medical unit, Gaya.

APPEARED IN EXAMS

According to the principal of their school AK Jana, the three girls took the exam even while tears kept rolling down from their eyes over loss of their father at Uri in Kashmir on Sunday.

Their father Late SK Vidyarthi of Bihar Regiment hailed from Buknari village of Gaya district and is survived by wife, three daughters and a two-year-old son.

The NCPCR has written to CBSE saying it endorses the school's request and recommends the CBSE to exempt the children from appearing in ongoing exams. In addition, it has also recommended that the CBSE may issue a circular exempting children of other martyred soldiers who are studying in schools from the ongoing exams.

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Right to Education Act, 2009

The recommendations also say Right to Education Act, 2009 makes education a fundamental right of every child between the age of 6 and 14 years and entrusts the government with the responsibility to pay any kind of expenses which may prevent the child from pursuing and completing elementary education.

As per Section 12 of the RTE Act, 2009, the private unaided schools have to admit at least 25 per cent of children belonging to socially disadvantaged groups or weaker sections at the entry level. However, certain incidents have come to the notice of the Commission wherein the children face problem in continuing their studies in case of death of the earning member of the family. This is significant but often overlooked reason for drop out of children from schools.

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Hence, to prevent the children from discontinuing their studies due to financial crisis, it is recommended that children of such families who lost their earning member, studying in private schools should be notified under EWS category as per Section 2(d) and 2E of RTE Act, 2009. The provision should also be extended to children of deceased soldiers of defence forces.
Section 29(d) states that a child belonging to disadvantaged group means a child belonging to such other group having disadvantage owing to social, cultural, economic, geographical, linguistic, gender or any such factor may be specified by the government by notification. Also Section 2(e) of the said Act defines 'child belonging to weaker section as a child belonging to such parent or guardian whose annual income is lower than the minimum limit specified by the government, by notification.