Features of the Right to Education (RTE) Act, 2009

• The right of children to free and compulsory education act 2009 guarantees free and compulsory education for all children aged 6 to 14. This is irrespective of their caste, creed, or social status.
• The RTE Act mandates the establishment of neighborhood schools. Every child should have access to a school within a reasonable distance.
• The RTE Act prohibits schools from charging any capitation fee or screening students for admission.
• The RTE Act mandates that 25% of seats in all private schools be reserved for children from disadvantaged groups. This includes scheduled castes, scheduled tribes, and other backward classes.
• The RTE Act prescribes a common curriculum for all schools so that all children can access quality education.
• The RTE Act mandates that all teachers be trained and qualified.
• The RTE Act sets minimum standards for school infrastructure, such as classrooms, toilets, and libraries.

Constitutional Provisions of the RTE Act, 2009

• Article 21-A, which states that all children between the ages of six and fourteen have the fundamental right to free and compulsory education, was added to the Indian Constitution by the Constitution (Eighty-sixth Amendment) Act of 2002.
• The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009, which represents the consequential legislation anticipated under Article 21-A, every child has the right to a full-time elementary education of satisfactory and equitable quality in a formal school that complies with certain fundamental norms and standards.