The Bill stipulates that for grades 1-5, for every sixty children there shall be two teachers, for every ninety children, three and so on, thus legitimising multi-grade teaching. Hence, even if the children were attending different grades, they would end up being taught by the same teacher, in the same classroom.

All that the present Bill effectively ensures is the right of children to enrol in and attend some form of school. The question that we must ask ourselves is whether we want our children to have a right to schooling or a right to education.

The writer was director in the HRD ministry, 2001-2006, and was associated with Right to Education Bill, 2005 drafting committee.

He now works with the SRF Foundation