The Supreme Court will hear a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) on May 11th seeking comprehensive regulation of all institutions providing education to children under 14 years of age. The petition argues a lack of uniform standards and oversight across diverse educational settings – including playschools, kindergartens, and private schools – potentially harming children’s development and right to quality education.
Currently, only schools affiliated with recognized boards (CBSE, ICSE, State Boards) fall under the Right to Education (RTE) Act’s regulatory framework. The PIL contends this exclusion leaves a significant number of young children vulnerable to substandard educational practices, inadequate infrastructure, and untrained staff.
The petitioner, advocate Ashok Agarwal, highlights concerns regarding unregulated fees, lack of safety measures, and the absence of a standardized curriculum in these unrecognised institutions. He emphasizes the critical importance of early childhood care and education (ECCE) for a child’s holistic development and argues that all institutions catering to this age group should be brought under a common regulatory umbrella.
The PIL requests the court to direct the Ministry of Education to formulate guidelines and establish a national-level regulatory body to oversee all ECCE institutions. It proposes the implementation of minimum standards relating to infrastructure, teacher qualifications, curriculum, safety, and hygiene.
The petition further points out that the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 recognizes the importance of ECCE and advocates for its universalization. However, it argues that concrete steps are lacking to translate this policy objective into reality. The petitioner believes that judicial intervention is necessary to ensure that all children, regardless of the type of institution they attend, receive a quality and safe education during their formative years. The court’s decision could potentially impact millions of children attending pre-schools and early learning centers across the country.
