- (1.) Learned counsel for the petitioner has taken this court to Section 11 as well as Section 12(1)(c) of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 and its provisos which read as under: "11. Appropriate Government to provide for pre-school education- With a view to prepare children above the age of three years for elementary education and to provide early childhood care and education for all children until they complete the age of six years, the appropriate Government may make necessary arrangement for providing free pre-school education for such children. 12. Extent of school's responsibility for free and compulsory education-(1) For the purpose of this Act, a school,- (a) ................ (b) ............... (c) specified in sub-clauses (iii) and (iv) of clause (n) of section 2 shall admit in class I, to the extent of at least twenty-five per cent of the strength of that class, children belonging to weaker section and disadvantaged group in the neighbourhood and provide free and compulsory elementary education till its completion. Provided further that where a school specified in clause (n) of section 2 imparts pre-school education, the provisions of clauses (a) to (c) shall apply for admission to such pre-school education."
(2.) Learned counsel submits that the State Government had been providing upto 2019 for students at the preparation stage namely, Prep Classes i.e. elementary education for children below age of 5 years in different schools. However, for the session 2020-2021, RTE provisions have been made applicable only for Class 1st onwards.
(3.) Issue notice.;