Indian Education Series - Right to Education Act and Its Impact on K-12 Schools
Education in India is treated as a service for public good and not as a commercial enterprise. In view of this object, the State Education Acts require only a non-profit entity to run a school with certain restrictions and regulations concerning its operations. Even if the schools are private un-aided schools, they are, to a certain extent, governed by the State Education Acts of the respective States where the schools are set up. For purposes of providing free and compulsory education and equal opportunity to all children of the ages of six to fourteen years, Indian Parliament has enacted the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 and Rules thereto ("RTE Act and Rules"). In terms of the RTE Act and Rules, every school, other than a school established, owned or controlled by the Central Government, appropriate government or the local authority, shall be established after obtaining a certificate of recognition from the Director of Education ("DEO