In a first, Rajasthan Assembly clears bill for amendment in Right to Education Act

Jaipur: In a first in the country, Rajasthan Assembly on Thursday cleared a bill for amendment in Right to Education Act, 2009, to improve the standards of education by removing the provision of not failing students till Class 8 and instead evaluating them on the basis of their performance.

The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (Rajasthan Amendment) Bill 2015 was among the four bills which the House passed amid uproar by the Opposition Congress which was raising its demands in the Well.

"Rajasthan is the first state in the country to do so and this will improve quality of education," Minister of State for Primary and Secondary Education Vasudev Devnani said before the bill was passed.

Devnani said students up to class 8 will be evaluated on the basis of their performance and the amendment was aimed at improving educational foundation of the students.

Bills related to two private universities and amendments in Rajasthan Secondary Education Act 1957 were also passed by the House, which had to be adjourned two times following uproar by the Opposition Congress.

As soon as the question hour began at 11 am, Leader of Opposition Rameshwar Dudi and other Congress members raised their issues, storming to the Well of the House, and created pandemonium.

Speaker Kailash Meghwal had called the listed question before the Opposition's demands and the Minister Prabhu Lal Saini also gave reply amid the din.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Rajendra Rathore objected to the Opposition's demands and said they should raise their issues as per the rules of the business of the house.

Home Minister Gulabchand Kataria also countered the Opposition but the Speaker denied him permission to speak.

Despite this, the minister Kataria continued and the Speaker issued instructions to not take on record what Kataria said in the House. After nearly ten minutes of vociferous protest, the Speaker adjourned the house till 1 PM.

Meanwhile, Agriculture minister Prabhu Lal Saini replied to a listed question which was called by the minister and he informed the House that the state government in the last five years has distributed grant of Rs 426.34 crore to 'gaushalas' (cow shelters).

When the House reassembled, Congress members continued with their protest which led to a second adjournment till 2 PM.

Third time, Opposition Congress members and independent MLA Hanuman Beniwal protested in the Well of House but the Speaker ignored them and took up the listed business and the bills were passed after which the House was adjourned for the day.