सव भव तु सिखनः ु Annual Report 2022-23 New Delhi, and the Chief Secretary of the Government of Bihar. The submi ed reports highlighted that due to na onwide lockdown and suspension of various services, both Central and State governments extended the closure of schools un l at least 31 July 2020. The closure of schools led to a halt in the mid-day meal scheme, forcing impoverished children, who previously relied on these meals, to engage in menial work to secure sustenance. In the Bhagalpur District of Bihar, the report indicated that children, previously beneficiaries of mid-day meals comprising ro , rice, vegetables, dal, soya, and eggs, were now facing starva on and were compelled to undertake unsuitable labour. The residents of these areas, belonging to below-poverty-line segments, resorted to garbage collec on, begging, or labouring for contractors to gather waste, and their children were le malnourished and deprived. In accordance to the Commission's direc ves, the Ministry of Educa on, Department of School Educa on and Literacy, Government of India, provided reports from various States/ UTs regarding the implementa on of the Mid-day Meal Scheme during lockdown. While some States/ UTs distributed food, dry ra on, and cooking cost to eligible children, others transferred cash to their bank accounts. The Under Secretary of the Department of School Educaon and Literacy, Ministry of Educa on, Government of India, in a le er dated 12 April 2021, affirmed that the Mid- day Meal Scheme, a centrally sponsored ini a ve covering students from Class I to VIII in government, government-aided, and Special Training Centres, con nued to receive central assistance. The responsibility for providing cooked and nutri ous meals to children rested primarily with the State Governments and UTs. Addi onally, the Department of School Educa on and Literacy, Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India, forwarded reports from various States/UTs concerning the implementa on of the Mid-Day Meal Schemes in their respec ve regions. The Commission carefully reviewed the details presented and underscored the paramount importance of ensuring prompt and efficient distribu on of mid-day meals to underprivileged children by State Governments. This assurance was essen al to safeguard children's right of access to vital healthcare services, without depriva on. In light of these considera ons, the Commission deemed the 60 ma er addressed and consequently closed the case on 27 March 2023. 7.10 Right to Educa on 7.10.1 The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Educa on Act or Right to Educa on Act (RTE) is an Act of the Parliament of India enacted on 4 August 2009, which came into force on 01 April 2010. The Act makes educa on a fundamental right of every child between the ages of 6 and 14 years and specifies minimum norms in elementary schools. It requires all private schools to reserve 25% of seats for children from disadvantaged backgrounds. It also prohibits all unrecognised schools from prac sing and makes provisions for no dona on or capita on fees and no interview of the child or parent for admission. 7.10.2 Despite significant gains in increasing access to literacy rate and schooling, there are s ll major glitches in the implementa on of the RTE by States, especially concerning basic infrastructure requirements, such as proper classrooms, toilets and boundary walls for schools, availability of drinking water, having trained teachers in place, filling up of vacant posts of teachers and pupilteacher ra o. RTE is illusory for many children from tribal and minority communi es and conflict zones. Furthermore, not all states have the Commissions for Protec on of Child Rights needed to monitor the implementa on of the RTE. Therefore, besides inves ng substan al financial and human resources, much work on the ground level is required to access this right meaningfully and in full measure. The Commission is concerned with the issues related to the educa on of children in India. 7.10.3 Illustra ve Cases 1.) Commission's response to educa on dispari es during COVID-19 pandemic (Case No: 1370/90/0/2020) The Commission received a complaint dated 22 September 2020, expressing concerns regarding students' educa on amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The complaint Chapter 7 - Thematic Areas