What is RTE Act?

What is RTE Act?
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What is RTE Act.After India became one of 135 countries to make education a fundamental right of every child, the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act or Right to Education Act (RTE) was enacted by the Parliament on 4 August 2009.

After India became one of 135 countries to make education a fundamental right of every child, the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act or Right to Education Act (RTE) was enacted by the Parliament on 4 August 2009. It came into force on 1 April 2010. It describes the modalities of the importance of free and compulsory education for children between 6 and 14 in India under Article 21A of the Indian Constitution.

Private schools are required to reserve 25 per cent of seats at the entry level for children belonging to ‘disadvantaged groups’ and ‘weaker sections’ viz., SCs, STs, socially and educationally backward class, groups facing backwardness or discrimination due to social, cultural, economic, geographical, linguistic, gender or other similar factors. In 2012, an amendment was brought in to include specially challenged children in special schools for them.

Tamil Nadu went a step further and included orphans, HIV-affected children, transgender and children of scavengers. It also said that the children the income of whose parents or guardians is less than Rs 2 lakh a year can be covered under the Act. The fees for children are admitted in to private schools under the RTE Act will be reimbursed by the respective State governments.he Act also provides that no child shall be held back, expelled, or required to pass a board examination until the completion of elementary education. There is also a provision for special training of school drop-outs to bring them up to par with students of the same age.

The RTE act requires surveys that will monitor all neighbourhoods, identify children requiring education, and set up facilities for providing it. The World Bankeducation specialist for India, Sam Carlson, has observed: “The RTE Act is the first legislation in the world that puts the responsibility of ensuring enrolment, attendance and completion on the Government. It is the parents' responsibility to send the children to schools in the US and other countries.” The Right to Education of persons with disabilities until 18 years of age is laid down under a separate legislation- the Persons with Disabilities Act.

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