CLAT 2010: Main features of Right to Education 2009 act

The salient features of the Right of Children for Free and Compulsory Education act
are -
• Free and compulsory education to all children of India in the six to 14 age group;
• No child shall be held back, expelled, or required to pass a board examination until
completion of elementary education;
• A child above six years of age has not been admitted in any school or though admitted,
could not complete his or her elementary education, then, he or she shall be admitted in
a class appropriate to his or her age; Provided that where a child is directly admitted in a
class appropriate to his or her age, then, he or she shall, in order to be at par with
others, have a right to receive special training, in such manner, and within such timelimits,
as may be prescribed: Provided further that a child so admitted to elementary
education shall be entitled to free education till completion of elementary education even
after fourteen years.
• Proof of age for admission: For the purposes of admission to elementary education. the
age of a child shall be determined on the basis of the birth certificate issued in
accordance with the provisions of the Births. Deaths and Marriages Registration Act,
1856 or on the basis of such other document, as may be prescribed. No child shall be
denied admission in a school for lack of age proof
• A child who completes elementary education shall be awarded a certificate;
• Calls for a fixed student-teacher ratio;
• Will apply to all of India except Jammu and Kashmir;
• Provides for 25 percent reservation for economically disadvantaged communities in
admission to Class One in all private schools;
• Mandates improvement in quality of education;
• School teachers will need adequate professional degree within five years or else will lose
job;
• School infrastructure (where there is problem) to be improved in three years, else
recognition cancelled;
• Financial burden will be shared between state and central government