BENGALURU: The Karnataka High Court issued notice to the state government and an emergent notice to the central government on a petition filed by the Associated Managements of Primary and Secondary Schools in Karnataka (KAMS) seeking directions to formulate, notify and implement national criteria for ‘per-child expenditure’ (PCE) fixation as per the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, read with the Karnataka Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Rules, 2012.
Justice HT Narendra Prasad passed the order recently after hearing the petition filed by KAMS, representing its General Secretary D Shashikumar, a body of private, unaided English-medium schools across the state, in which it was also made an interim prayer that the court issue directions to the Commissioner for School Education to notify and implement PCE for the academic year 2026-27 within a reasonable time.
It was stated in the petition that both the Act and Rules of 2009 and 2012 have the statutory provision under Section 12(2) and Rule 8, respectively, which mandates issuance of notification every year specifying the PCE. The inaction on the part of the state authorities in not notifying the PCE is in glaring contravention of both the Act and Rules.
According to the petitioner, despite the academic year having started, the government has not issued the PCE for 2026-27.