Different Categories of Schools

The schools given below have the responsibility to make provisions for the free and compulsory elementary education of children.

Schools established, owned or controlled by the government or a local authority

Such schools have a responsibility to provide free and compulsory education to all children admitted. For example, schools run by the New Delhi Municipality Council or the Delhi Cantonment Board.

Aided schools

Aided Schools refer to privately established schools receiving full or part of their funding by the government or local authority in the form of aid or grant.(( Section 12(1)(b), The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009.)) Free and compulsory education should be provided to a minimum of 25% of the children admitted and to such proportion of children as its annual recurring aid or grants so received bears to its annual recurring expenses.

Specified category schools and unaided schools not receiving any kind of aid or grants from the government

A school belonging to a specified category refers to schools such as Kendriya Vidyalaya, Navodaya Vidyalaya, Sainik Schools or other schools that have a distinct character and are specified by notification by the appropriate government. Apart from special schools even unaided schools that do not receive any grants or funds from the Government are covered under the law.(( Section 2(p), The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009.)) In such schools, children shall be admitted in class I, to the extent of 25% of the strength of the class, till the completion of elementary education. This proportion comprises children belonging to weaker sections and disadvantaged groups such as those belonging to economically weaker sections of society.(( Section 12(1)(c), The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009.))

The above-mentioned strength of 25% of the class also applies to pre-school education, if any of these schools provide for the same.

Minority Schools

Minority schools are schools run by members of a minority group. Minorities are religious groups other than Hindus, such as Christians, Muslims and Parsis. They are also groups in a state who don’t speak the main or official language of the state, such as Tamilians in Haryana or Gujaratis in Karnataka.

The Constitution of India allows minorities to run schools in their own way so that they can protect their culture and language. This means that minority schools don’t have to follow all the rules which apply to other schools and do not fall within the ambit of the Right to Education Act.