The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act or Right to
Education Act (RTE) is an Act of the Parliament of India enacted on 4 August 2009, which describes the modalities of the importance of free and compulsory education for children between the age of 6 to 14 years in India under Article 21A of the Indian Constitution.
Within the RTE Act, the provisions are as follows:
Section 3: Provide for a free and compulsory education to all children.
Sections 8 &9 of the RTE Act place a duty on the appropriate Government and the local authority to “ensure that the child belonging to weaker section and the child belonging to disadvantaged group are not discriminated against and prevent from pursuing and completing elementary education on any grounds”
Section 17: Makes provisions for disciplinary action under the service rules applicable to such person to contravene the provision that no child shall be subjected to physical punishment or mental harassment.
Section 19: Lays down norms for school buildings:
a. Schools should have at least one classroom for every teacher and one office cum store room cum Head’s room
b. Barrier free access
C. Separate toilet for girls and boys
d. Safe and adequate drinking water facility for all children.
e. Kitchen where Mid-Day Meal is cooked.
f. Playground.
g. Arrangement for secure school building with boundary wall or fencing.
The RTE Act does not preclude application of other legislation that relates to the violations of the rights of the child, for example, booking the offen ces under the Indian Penal Code and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Prevention of Atrocities Act of 1989.
The Right of Children
Also Read – Indian Penal Code (IPC)
