To grant minority status to primary schools, the State Cabinet has decided to reduce the total percentage of students belonging to minority community from 75 to 25, for implementing the Right to Education Act in primary education.
According to the proposed new rule, if the number of students belonging to the community concerned is not less than 25 per cent of the total strength of the institution, then the institution would be treated as a minority institution. Such institutions would get exemption from offering 25 per cent of the seats to weaker sections, for whom the government would pay the fee.
The Cabinet has decided to change the guidelines for educational institutions to bring them under the ambit of “linguistic or religious minority’ institutions for implementation of RTE in primary education. It would not be applicable to higher education.
The Cabinet, which discussed the issue in detail on Friday, decided to amend the existing rules to accord status of minority institution to schools being run by minority communities. Briefing presspersons on the Cabinet decisions, Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs T.B. Jayachandra said the previous BJP government had stipulated that institutions must have 75 per cent of students belonging to the minority community to accord status of minority institution and to get exemption from the RTE. New guidelines would be drafted following a stay order issued by the High Court against the government’s earlier rule, and suggested the State bring a new legislation, the Minister said.
The Cabinet has decided to give government guarantee to Karnataka Food and Civil Supplies Corporation to raise a Rs. 400-crore loan. It has also raised support price from Rs. 10 to Rs. 30 a kg for hybrid variety of cocoons and Rs. 40 to Rs. 50 for bolt vine variety.
