Samhita of course had its 25% objective well before the Right to Education act. Also, the 25% disadvantaged students are residential – in superb hostel facilities, I might add – which is also a cost that needs to be borne by the school. On the flip side, by caring for the students 24 by 7, they have the best chance of fulfilling their potential.

Incidentally, the Right to Education act passed by Government of India prescribes that all unaided schools i.e. not receiving any grants from the state shall admit in class-I to the extent of atleast 25% children belonging to weaker section and disadvantaged group of the neighborhood and provide free and compulsory elementary education till its completion i.e. class-8. Ofcourse not many unaided schools currently follow that guideline. Government allows three years from the commencement of the act i.e. from 26-Aug-2009 before such schools can be derecognized.

Further, unaided schools admitting children from weaker section and disadvantaged groups can get reimbursement for the costs incurred in providing free education to the extent of the similar costs i.e. the actual costs of the state run schools on per child basis, incurred by the concerned state government.

These reimbursements can help commercial models such as Samhita's in scaling up. I thought I would pass on this info.

Thanks

Paddy