Right to Education

Did you know?

• Every child of age 6-14 years has the right to free elementary education (classes 1 to 8).
• A school owned by the government has to provide free elementary education to all children admitted in the school.
• A school receiving aid/grants from the government has to provide free elementary education to a minimum 25 percent of their class strength.
• Unaided schools have to provide free elementary education to children from weaker sections and disadvantaged groups living within a km area around the school. These are explained below.
• "Child belonging to weaker section" means a child belonging to either of the following:
• Vimukta Jatis
• Nomadic Tribes (VJNT)
• Other Backward Classes (OBC)
• Special Backward Classes (SBC)
• The religious Minorities specified.
• Annual income of whose parent or guardian is below one lakh rupees:
• "Child belonging yo disadvantaged group" means a child belonging to:
• Scheduled Caste
• Scheduled Tribe
• Child with disability
• The school are not allowed to differentiate between these students and the regular students such as:
• Make them sit in different classes.
• Hold classes at different timings or at different places.
• There should be no discrimination or difference made with regards to uniform, books, library, extra-curricular, sports etc.
• School cannot differentiate between students with disabilities and other students.
• The school is not allowed to ask for money from you or your child for the free seat given to you under Right to Education (RTE) .If they do please report it to the local authorities.
• The school cannot make you pay any fee for the following:
• Writing a test
• Oral test
• Counselling
• Interviews
• Every application made for a free seat under RTE has to be made only when the certificate of proof is obtained/submitted. The following is a list of certificates needed:
• Birth certificate
• Income certificate from a Revenue Officer (Tahsildar and above)
• Cast certificate for the parents and child, made by the Deputy Collector or Sub Divisional Officer (Revenue).
• For disabled children, they have to have a certificate from the Civil Surgeon.
• Proof of Residence: 
• A school cannot deny admission to a child just because he does not have a birth certificate.
• A school cannot expel a child before completion of his elementary education.
• A school cannot hold back a child before completion of his elementary education.
• In case of complaints, you should approach the local authorities.

Source: Vogue November'14 issue.