Landmark initiatives in education sector

The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009, has been enacted by Parliament to provide for free and compulsory education to all children of the age of six to fourteen years. Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA), to enhance access to secondary education and improve its quality was launched in March 2009. The National Literacy Mission was recast with a focus on women’s literacy and renamed ‘Saakshar Bharat’. Substantive quality enhancing changes were made to the mid-day meal scheme. The Class X Board was made optional for students of CBSE Schools. The Central Universities Ordinance, 2009 was promulgated by the President on 15.1.2009 for the conversion of three State Universities in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Uttarakhand into Central Universities and establishment of a new Central University each in twelve such States which did not have a Central University. The Ordinance was subsequently replaced by the Central Universities Act, 2009. The Union Cabinet approved the proposal to introduce a Bill to amend the Copyright Act, 1957. A new scheme of interest subsidy on educational loans taken for professional courses by the Economically Weaker Students was also launched.