Answer

Introduction

The RTE Act, 2009 aimed to universalise access to education through legal guarantees. Yet, legal entitlements alone cannot drive sustained enrolment or retention. In the absence of social awareness and tangible incentives, many children, especially from marginalized backgrounds, continue to view schooling as secondary to survival or livelihood priorities.

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Limitations of the RTE Act in Creating Incentives- Based System for Children’s Education

• Absence of Tangible Incentives: The RTE Act lacks direct financial support like scholarships or subsidies, making it less compelling for poor families to prioritise schooling over immediate income needs.
  Eg: As reported by the National Institute of Health, mid-day meal access improves enrollment, attendance and retention rates for children, with lower dropout rates and higher academic achievement. 
• Inadequate Teacher Training: Poorly trained teachers affect classroom engagement and learning outcomes, diminishing students’ interest and the overall effectiveness of the RTE framework.
  Eg: A CAG report found over 37% teacher absenteeism in Jharkhand and noted that only 42% had received proper in-service training.
• Weak Evaluation System: The CCE (Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation) method was introduced to support learning, but it is not applied well in many schools.
• Inadequate School Infrastructure: Many schools still lack basic facilities like toilets, drinking water, and proper classrooms, making them less appealing, especially for girls.
  Eg: ASER 2023 reported that only 68% of government schools had usable toilets for girls in a few states.
• Lack of Economic Relevance: The RTE Act does not integrate skill-building or livelihood linkages, making education appear disconnected from future employment or income.
  Eg: A Pratham survey found >60% of Class 8 students felt school learning had little relevance to jobs in agriculture or services. 
• Uniform Approach Lacks Inclusivity: The RTE Act’s one-size-fits-all approach fails to address the distinct needs of tribal, disabled, and migrant children, undermining inclusive education.
  Eg: A TISS study showed children from nomadic communities like Warlis dropped out often due to rigid school timings clashing with migration

The effectiveness of the RTE Act is further reduced by the lack of awareness about the significance of regular schooling. 

Impact of Low Awareness on the Effectiveness of Schooling Initiatives

• Weak Role of School Committees: The Act introduced School Management Committees (SMCs), but many members don’t know how to contribute.
  Eg: In ~50% SMC’s, members were unaware of their roles.
• No Parental Awareness Drives: The Act lacks structured efforts to inform parents about the long-term value of education, especially in low-literacy areas.
• Low Local Government Involvement: Panchayats and local leaders are not effectively mobilized to encourage enrollment and regular attendance at the grassroots level.
• No Public Messaging: The Act fails to use mass media or community outreach to build public understanding of why schooling is essential.
  Eg: Campaigns like Beti Bachao Beti Padhao became successful partly because of wide public outreach.
• Gender Bias Not Addressed: There is no focus on challenging traditional gender roles that discourage families from educating their daughters.
• Language and Culture Gaps: The Act does not ensure language-sensitive teaching, which affects learning among children from tribal and linguistic minorities.
  Eg:  Tribal areas face learning barriers as education is often not imparted in their mother tongue.

Conclusion 

For the RTE Act to succeed, it requires targeted reforms that combine incentives, awareness, and strong community involvement. From better infrastructure to communication campaigns and parent-teacher engagement, every effort must make education relevant and inclusive, turning the right to education into a meaningful and lasting reality for all children.

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