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Even up until 2017 only 11 states and union territories in India had started implementation of Section 12(1)(c). To address this RTERC approached esteemed higher-education institutions across the country to share its model of creating volunteer networks and strategic partnerships for high impact work on policy implementation.
Such institutions were approached that, similar to IIM in Ahmedabad, had a certain influence in their respective communities, and some level of resources accessible to students. Students from five institutions picked-up the idea- BITS Pilani, IIT Kharagpur, National University of Juridicial Sciences Kolkata, Kalinga Institute of Industrial Techonology Bhubhaneshwar, and Aligarh Muslim University. These city chapters of RTERC were led by students of these institutions through their independent efforts and resources.
Four of these chapters were able to make sustained efforts to promote and raise awareness about the provision among communities around their institutions. Outcomes of these chapters included organising frequent seminars for awareness raising and with government officials for discussions on implementation challenges, dissemination of key information and assisting applicants complete application process, and assisting schools with implementation of provision.
RTE-RC Aligarh Muslim University (Uttar Pradesh)
RTE-RC Aligarh Muslim University (Uttar Pradesh)
This centre was started by a team of student volunteers from Aligarh Muslim University in 2014, getting 267, 362 and 457 children admitted in private schools under section 12 (1)(c) in the 2015-16, 2016-17 and 2017-18 admission cycles, respectively.
The team also organizes community- level "RTE fairs" with the help of local elected representatives to disseminate information about the policy, and is part of an ongoing Public Interest Litigation in Allahabad High Court for proper implementation of policy in the state.
This center was started in 2016 by a participant of the 2014 Winter school. In Odisha there are no proper guidelines laid by the state for the implementation of the policy. Student teams carried out surveys in slums areas in an attempt to define the population of school children eligible for admissions through the provision. A team of fifty students assisted applicants, and went from getting 5 students admitted under the provision in 2017-18 to successfully submitting 104 applications in 2018-19. Student teams in this centre also help children cope with their studies by providing evening classes.
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