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Should Christian Educational Institutions be exempted from the RTE Act?
Digvijay Singh, a General Secretary of the Indian National Congress, announced recently that Educational Institutions run by minority communities would be exempted from following the provisions of the Right to Education (RTE) Bill. The RTE Bill made it mandatory for all schools in the country to set apart 25% of their seats for ‘Economically Backward’ students. Many schools that strove for excellence by admitting children from the upper strata of society had expressed their resentment at the Government’s interference with their internal administration and policies. In a pre-election stunt, the Congress General Secretary highlighted the special status enjoyed by “minority institutions” and announced that these would be exempt from any interference from the government. If Christian or Muslim schools are exempted from the RTE, how will it affect the poor among these minority communities?
Take the case of Arpita Nayak (not her real name), a Christian student from a poor family. She had secured 83% marks in her Senior Secondary School examinations. She sought an admission to an undergraduate program in a premium Christian college in the National Capital Territory. The college turned down her application. She noticed that a young man who had scored just 73% in the qualifying examination was given admission. When she enquired about this, she was told that she would have secured a seat had she belonged to a particular “mainline” Episcopal church. It just wasn’t enough to be a Christian!
This college enjoys a special “minority” status because it is run by “Christians.” And yet, it discriminates among Christians, pitching one kind of Christian against another. Does this college deserve to be a Christian minority institution? If yes, what is “Christian” about its fractured vision of the Universal Church? Are the college authorities saying that only those who belong to a particular denomination are Christians? Students like Arpita might stand a chance of studying in this college if this “minority institution” is brought under the RTE Bill. At least then, 25% of seats will be reserved for poor students.
Or take the case of Dalit Christian students. As of now, they do not get any benefit of affirmative action or reservation from the State. Worse still, Denominations that stand for ecumenism and social justice have not earmarked any seat for Dalit Christian students. When these students approach the aristocratic blue-blooded “mainline” churches, they are politely shown the door. “Go to a Pentecostal church; they will take good care of you” is the usual refrain! Do these students stand a chance while seeking admission to most “Christian colleges?” Not at all! They are denied entry into “mainline” church membership. Consequently, they are denied admission to “minority Christian” colleges. These students too will be happy to see Christian colleges and schools brought under the RTE Bill. Reservation of twenty five percent of seats for the poor is not such a bad idea after all.
If these Christian schools or colleges should continue to bask in their “minority” status, and consequently be exempted from the RTE Bill, they should at least regard all Christians as Christians. If Christians do not help one another, they do not deserve any special treatment from the State either.
Finally, minority institutions enjoy a considerable degree of freedom which is not fully utilized by many Christian schools and colleges. If a school must be called a Christians school, then it must have some key Christian characteristics. A school doesn’t deserve the title of “Christian” school just because it is run by a Church or some Christians! Unfortunately, only such superficial differences set apart the so-called “Christian” minority educational institutions from other educational institutions. Why don’t Churches or Christian NGOs run truly Christian schools—schools that set Christian values and principles at the forefront even if a majority does not like it? Why don’t we make our business goals subservient to the higher calling to bear witness to Jesus Christ, the greatest Teacher of all?
