The Commission has selected RTE Representatives from various States to help it monitor the provisions guaranteed by the Right to Education Act. For the process of selection and list of selected RTE State Representatives click here

The RTE Model Rules document in its current form lays down details on:

1. Provisions and methods special training of children in order to bring them up to the learning level of their peers
2. The limits of neighbourhood schools
3. Duties of the state govt. and local authorities in upgradation of schools, provision of transport facilities, or residential facilities and all forms of learning support to children with disabilities to ensure completion of elementary education.
4. Method and details of records to be maintained of children within the jurisdiction of a local authority.
5. Responsibilities of schools and teachers with regard to enrollments and classroom transactions with children from weaker sections and disadvantaged groups.
6. Documents as age proof required for every child
7. Application and procedure to be followed by all schools ‘other than a school established, owned or controlled by the State Government or Local Authority’ in order to gain recognition as mandated by the Act.
8. Conditions and procedures under which this recognition could be withdrawn.
9. Composition and function of the school management committee.
10. Details on the school development plan to be designed and monitored by the SMC.
11. Teacher qualifications norms.
12. The role and functions of SCPCRs with regard to the RTE Act, 2009.

For the full-text of the document click here

Click here to read the minutes of expert group meetings, and other materials relating to this but group on monitoring children’s right to education.

Minutes of meetings

The Expert group meets on a regular basis to discuss the monitoring of children’s right to education. The minutes of the meetings held so far have been given below:

[Note: Due to technical difficulties, we are unable to provide links to minutes temporarily.  We are working on it and will update this page soon.  Sorry for the inconvenience].

1st Expert Group Meeting on 22nd October, 2009 [Minutes]

2nd Expert Group Meeting on 22nd February, 2010 [Minutes]

22. What is the role of the Central government in implementing the Act?

The Central Government role is 3-fold:

1. Developing a National Curriculum Framework with the help of an appointed Academic Authority.[section 6(a)]
2. Developing and enforcing standards of teacher qualification and training [section 6(b)]
3. Providing technical and financial support and resources to the State governments for innovation, research, planning and capacity building [section6(c)].

23. What is the role of the state education department?

1. Provide free and compulsory elementary education to all children
2. Ensure availability of a neighbourhood school with requisite infrastructure, teachers, and learning equipment as specified in the Act.
3. Ensure admission, attendance and completion of elementary education for every child
4. Prevent discrimination against any child on any grounds
5. Ensure quality education conforming to standards specified in the Schedule of the Act

24. What is the role of the local authority?

1. Maintain records of all children up to the age of 14 years residing in its jurisdiction
2. Ensure admission of all children, including migrant children
3. Ensure that no child is discriminated against
4. Decide the academic calendar
5. Monitor functioning of schools in its jurisdiction

25. What are the quality norms guaranteed by the Act?

1. Pupil Teacher Ratio of 30:1; with minimum instructional hours of 4/day and minimum working days of 200/annum (4.5 and 220 for Upper primary sections)
2. Buildings [all-weather, barrier-free access, boundary wall; one classroom for every teacher; separate room for Head teacher; separate toilets; safe drinking water, kitchen for mid-day meal; and playground]
3. Teaching learning materials
4. Library
5. Play and sports equipment

26. What if the teachers are not available to meet the norms of the pupil-teacher ratio?

The number of vacancies in a school cannot exceed 10% of the sanctioned strength following the pupil teacher norms. If the requisite number of qualified teachers cannot be found in a particular area the qualification norms may be modified to suit the purpose, but only for a period not exceeding 5 years.

27. By when do they have to be in place?

The PTR has to be in place within 6 months of the Act coming into force.

The other norms have to be in place within 3 years.

28. Who will provide the money for this upgradation?

The Central and State government will together provide the funds for implementing the Act. For this the Central Government will do the following:

1. Prepare estimates of capital and recurring expenditure for the implementation of the Act and providing grants-in-aid to the State governments for RTE [Section 7 (2) and 7 (3)].
2. Request the Finance Commission to examine the need for extra grants to state governments for provisions related to RTE.

1. Makes Elementary Education Free
2. Makes Elementary Education Compulsory for the State to provide
3. Mandates education of children along their peer age group (“age-appropriate”); provides for “special training” to facilitate age appropriate education
4. Sets quality norms for all schools
5. Sets qualification and working norms for Teachers in all schools
6. Mandates curriculum in all schools to be in consonance with Constitutional Values
7. Mandates a system of evaluation that is free of the oppression of annual exams
8. Enhances role of PRIs in implementation as well as grievance redressal.
9. Mandates participation of civil society in the management of schools; makes teachers accountable to parents and the community
10. Democratizes education delivery in the country by mandating 25% reservation for children from weaker sections in private schools.
11. Protects children from labour, marriage, exploitation, discrimination, abuse, violence and neglect.
12. Separates agency for implementation of Act (Education Department) from agency charged with monitoring the implementation of the Act (NCPCR)

For the full text of the Act, click here.

What does “free” mean?

According to the Act, no financial constraints can “prevent” a child from a enrolling, attending and completing elementary education. In other words, if a child lives in a remote area, providing free transportation (or a residential facility or some other facility) will be part of the child’s entitlement to education; if a child is disabled and needs crutches to walk to school then crutches, or some other facility that enables him to go to school will be part of his entitlement under the Act.

What is elementary education?

Elementary education is 8 years of education corresponding to classes 1-8. This in most cases includes children between 6-14 years, but in states that start at 5 years and go up to class7, RTE would still extend to class 8.

What is a neighbourhood school?

The neighbourhood has been given a wide definition in the Model Rules of the Act. Ordinarily it is 1 km walking distance from the habitation of a child at the primary level and 3 km for upper primary level. However, in areas with sparse populations, or those prone to natural disasters or with difficult terrain or civil unrest, this limitation may be changed and transportation or residential facilities provided to children so that their education is not interrupted or disrupted.

Compulsory Elementary Education

The word compulsory has implications for the government alone. In other words while it is the DUTY of the parent
to send their children to school (Article 15k) it is the OBLIGATION of the government to ensure not just enrolment but attendance and completion of elementary education. This implies that the government:

1. Must identify all children that are out of school or dropped out
2. Make sure that they are enrolled in school
3. Make sure they attend school on a regular basis
4. Make sure they complete the elementary cycle of education.
5. If parents are reluctant to send their children it is the responsibility of the government to find a way of convincing the parents, without use of force/ violence/pressure to send their children to school.

Age Appropriate Education

1. This means that children will be enrolled in the class that corresponds to their age. In other words, if a 10 year old has not been to school or dropped out earlier, she will be enrolled in class 5.
2. To enable the 10 year to cope in class 5 “special training” will be provided on the premises to bring the child up to the age appropriate level.

Quality Norms for ALL schools

The Act lays out some basic norms for all schools (government and private):

1. Pupil- Teacher Ratio (cannot exceed 1:30)
2. Minimum days of school functioning in a year (200 and 250 for primary and Upper Primary, respectively)
3. Minimum hours of instruction in school (4 and 5 hours a day for primary and UP)
4. Minimum working hours for the teacher (45 hours a week)
5. Separate subject teachers and head-teacher
6. One room for every teacher
7. Separate and functional toilets; clean and adequate drinking water
8. Playground, boundary wall, library, kitchen

Qualifications for Teachers

1. Para Teachers banned
2. All teachers must subscribe to minimum qualifications and training norms laid out by Academic Authority within 5 years.
3. Teacher education and Teacher training institutes to be upgraded to enable fulfillment of quality and qualification norms for teachers.

Curriculum in line with Constitution

1. This means that curriculum, syllabus and books must conform to Constitutional values. It implies that communal and harmful agendas cannot be part of the materials used and taught in ANY school of the country.
2. Syllabus and Books must also take into account age and learning levels of children

Evaluation system to be based on principle of Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE)

1. No failure till completion of elementary cycle
2. Evaluation to be done throughout the year and not be based on an annual exam.
3. Teachers to maintain PUPIL CUMMULATIVE RECORD (PCR) for every child.
4. Evaluation to be on “comprehensive” performance of child, reflecting all facets, talents of the child and not be based on just a few subject areas. The PCR to include music, theatre, leadership skills, social skills etc., as well.

Role of Panchayati Raj Institutions

1. The PRIs have been given a wide range of functions related to the implementation of the provisions of the RTE, such as identification of out of school children; neighbourhood-wise school mapping; maintenance of child records (child-tracking) public display of information; education of children from migrant families; participation in School Management Committees (SMCs)
2. PRIs have also been made responsible for grievance redressal in matters related to violations of the rights of the child under RTE.

Participation of Civil Society

1. School Management Committees consisting largely of parents (75%) and of PRIs officials and civil society partners have been given a wide range of functions under the Act, including the preparation of the School Development Plan
2. Teachers have been made accountable to the SMCs.

Reservation in Private Schools

1. All private schools are required to admit in their incoming class 25% children from weaker sections and socially disadvantaged groups from their neighbourhood.
2. Limits of definition to be extended if 25% seats are not being filled within the standard limits of neighbourhood.
3. Private schools to be reimbursed for these children by the government at the rate of per learner costs of government schools in the state.

Separation of Implementation and Monitoring Agency

1. Implementation responsibilities lie with the education departments in conjunction with the PRIs
2. Monitoring role has been given to the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) and the corresponding State Commissions.
3. This separation is very important and a first in the history of such legislations and allows for independent monitoring of the implementation of the Act.
4. NCPCR/ SCPCR have quasi-judicial powers and can function as a civil court. Complaints and grievances can be addressed to them as well.