The Punjab and Haryana high court has strongly criticised the Punjab government for not properly implementing the Right to Education (RTE) Act in the state’s private schools. The court said that the delay in following its earlier orders appeared to be “wilful” and asked the government to submit a clear timeline of what action has been taken so far.
The matter relates to the court’s order dated February 19, 2025, which directed all private unaided schools in Punjab to reserve 25% of class 1 seats for children from the economically weaker section (EWS). This is a requirement under the RTE Act, 2009, which is a central government law already implemented across the country. The court had ordered that the rule must be followed starting from the 2025–26 academic session.
The case reached the high court again after KS Raju Legal Trust, the petitioner in the original case, filed a contempt petition in July. The trust alleged that the Punjab government had failed to obey the February 19 order and had shown wilful disobedience.
In response, the state’s school education secretary, Anindita Mitra, filed an affidavit. She claimed that the government had issued the required notification on March 20, 2025, to implement the 25% quota. She further stated that instructions were sent to all district education officers for compliance. According to her, a standard operating procedure (SOP) for implementing the EWS quota was also released on August 14.
Mitra argued that the order had, in fact, been complied with, and any delay was not intentional or deliberate. She maintained that the government was making efforts to ensure smooth implementation.
However, after studying the affidavit, Justice Vikram Aggarwal of the Punjab and Haryana high court expressed dissatisfaction. He observed that, on the face of it, there appeared to be wilful disobedience of the court’s February 19 orders.
The court has now directed the state of Punjab to file an additional affidavit, clearly setting out the timeline of action taken after the February 19 order. The state has been asked to submit this within one week, and the matter will be heard again on September 24.
The Right to Education Act, 2009, is a central law that makes it compulsory for private unaided schools across India to reserve 25% of seats in entry-level classes for children from economically weaker sections and disadvantaged groups. The aim of the law is to give underprivileged children access to quality education in private schools.
However, in 2011, the Punjab government had issued its own rules that went against this central law. Because of those rules, many children from weaker sections were kept out of private unaided schools. For more than a decade, this mismatch between state rules and central law has blocked thousands of students from accessing their right to education in Punjab.
The February 19 order of the high court was seen as a major step towards correcting this violation. The court had made it clear that Punjab must ensure that the 25% reservation is implemented in private schools starting from the 2025–26 session.
But the state’s slow response and incomplete compliance have now come under fresh scrutiny.
This is not the first time the high court has raised concerns about lapses in RTE implementation in Punjab. In July 2025, the court had also issued notice to the Punjab government on another plea filed by KS Raju Legal Trust. That plea demanded an investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the alleged failures and violations by private schools in following RTE provisions.
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The petitioner alleged that many schools were not admitting EWS children as required, and the state authorities were not taking strict action against them. The demand for a CBI probe highlights the seriousness of the problem and the lack of trust in the state’s monitoring system.
The high court’s latest remarks put more pressure on the Punjab government to act quickly. By asking for a detailed timeline of actions taken, the court wants clear evidence of compliance rather than vague assurances. The upcoming hearing on September 24 will be crucial, as the court may take stronger action if the state fails to satisfy it.
For parents and children from weaker sections, the case is very important. If implemented properly, the RTE quota could open the doors of private schools for thousands of children who cannot afford high fees. It would give them access to better learning opportunities and reduce inequality in education.
The high court’s strong words suggest that it is determined to ensure the law is followed. For now, all eyes will be on how Punjab responds in the next hearing and whether the government can prove that it is genuinely committed to fulfilling its obligations under the RTE Act.
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