Recently, a PIL was filed before the Delhi High Court seeking Directions from the Bar Council of India to Consider making the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009, as the mandatory subject for budding lawyers in all law colleges and Universities. The PIL was submitted by NGO Social Jurist in which they mentioned that hardly anyone among law students, lawyers and judges is aware of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act.

Last month in February, NGO requested BCI to consider the matter before the commencement of the next academic year but no response was received. Copies of the representation were also sent to the respondents namely, the University of Delhi, Jamia Millia Islamia and GGSIPU. 

“The justiciability of the right to education places a great responsibility on lawyers - for lawyers alone can take violations to Court. In the context of a child, it places, by implication, an additional responsibility on the system of legal education to ensure that lawyers are familiarized with the details of the manner in which this right is to be provided...,” the plea states

“It is submitted that perhaps much of the blame for the current inaction regarding violations of the right to education is because law students and lawyers are taught nothing about the right to education. In fact, the majority of them are unaware of the fundamental rights incorporated in the RTE Act, 2009,” the plea adds.