RTE Kerala Rules, 2010

 

The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education – Kerala Rules, 2010

The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 (RTE Act) was enacted by the Parliament of India on 4 August 2009 and came into force on 1 April 2010. It gives effect to Article 21-A of the Constitution, which makes education a fundamental right for all children aged 6 to 14 years. The Act ensures that every child in this age group receives free and compulsory elementary education in a neighbourhood school.

The Act applies to all states and union territories of India. Each state was directed to frame its own rules to implement it effectively.
Accordingly, the Government of Kerala notified the Kerala Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Rules, 2010, which lay down specific procedures and responsibilities for local authorities, schools, and teachers in the state.

Major Provisions of the RTE Act 

Right to Free and Compulsory Education

  • Every child aged 6–14 years has the right to free and compulsory education in a neighbourhood school until completion of elementary education.

  • Children above six who are not yet in school or have dropped out must be admitted to an age-appropriate class.

  • Education remains free until completion, even if the child exceeds 14 years of age during the course.

School Management Committee

A School Management Committee (SMC) shall be constituted in every school, other than an unaided school.

Functions:

  1. Monitor the working of the school.

  2. Prepare and recommend the school development plan.

  3. Monitor the utilisation of grants received from the State Government, local authority, or any other source.

  4. Perform other functions such as:

    • (a) Communicate to the local community the rights of the child and the duties of the State Government, local authority, school, parents, and guardians.

    • (b) Ensure the implementation of the duties of teachers, namely:

      • (i) Maintain regularity and punctuality in attending school.

      • (ii) Hold regular meetings with parents and guardians to apprise them of the child’s attendance, learning progress, and other relevant information.

      • (iii) Ensure prohibition of engaging in private tuition.

  5. Monitor the achievement of expected learning outcomes as prescribed by the academic authority, with the help of experts. The Committee shall also monitor student and teacher absenteeism and take steps to appoint substitute teachers for short-term vacancies (less than one academic year).

  6. Report to the local and educational authorities any violation of children’s rights, including mental or physical harassment or denial of admission.

  7. Ensure that teachers are not burdened with non-academic duties.

  8. Ensure enrolment and continued attendance of all children from the neighbourhood to achieve a zero drop-out rate. Children absent for more than 15 working days shall be considered dropouts, and remedial measures must be taken to bring them back.

  9. Monitor maintenance of norms and standards specified in the Kerala Education Rules and ensure effective utilisation of school resources.

  10. Prepare a School Development Plan.

  11. Ensure remedial and enrichment coaching for children with special needs, late enrolments, and slow learners. Also ensure the conduct of Class PTA and Mother PTA meetings regularly.

  12. Monitor identification, enrolment, and educational facilities for children with disabilities, ensuring their participation and completion of elementary education.

  13. Monitor implementation of the Mid-Day Meal Scheme.

  14. Mobilize support and resources from local authorities, the public, and other agencies to provide better facilities for academic and co-curricular activities.

  15. Prepare an annual account of receipts and expenditures of the school.

Special Training

  1. The School Management Committee of government, local authority, and aided schools shall identify children requiring special training and organize it based on specially designed, age-appropriate learning materials.

  2. The training shall be conducted on the school premises or at places identified by the local authority or head teacher.

  3. The training shall be provided by school teachers or by instructors of Multi-Grade Learning Centres appointed by the local authority.

  4. After induction into the age-appropriate class, the child shall continue to receive special attention to help integrate successfully both academically and emotionally.

Duties and Responsibilities of the State Government and Local Authority

  1. The area of the neighbourhood within which a school must be established:

    • (a) For Classes I–V: within 1 km walking distance.

    • (b) For Classes VI–VIII: within 3 km walking distance.

  2. The State Government shall endeavour to upgrade existing schools with Classes I–IV to include Classes V–VIII, and vice versa, based on neighbourhood requirements.

Academic Responsibilities of the State Government

  1. Provide free and compulsory education to every child aged six to fourteen years.

  2. Ensure high-quality education uniformly in all schools and specify norms and standards for quality.

  3. Prescribe an effective system for syllabus implementation, teaching-learning processes, and evaluation procedures.

  4. Prescribe minimum qualifications for teachers and support staff, and specify infrastructure standards for pre-primary schools.

  5. Ensure quality in teacher training courses by revising pre-service curricula every five years in alignment with the school curriculum.

  6. Educational authorities such as the Deputy Director of Education, Assistant Education Officer, and DIET/BRC academic staff shall visit and review school performance at least once a year and take corrective steps.

  7. Monitor learning levels of children in all schools and conduct external evaluations (in at least 5% of schools) through agencies such as university departments, publishing annual quality reports.

  8. Ensure education for children with disabilities by:

    • (a) Providing free education till 18 years and promoting integration into regular schools.

    • (b) Upgrading Special Schools with residential facilities.

    • (c) Offering vocational training facilities.

    • (d) Providing assistive devices and special learning materials.

    • (e) Ensuring school-level healthcare.

    • (f) Developing relevant curriculum and evaluation systems for various disabilities.

Duties and Responsibilities of Schools and Teachers

  1. Children from weaker and disadvantaged sections shall not be segregated in classrooms or allotted different timings or facilities.

  2. They shall not be discriminated against regarding entitlements such as textbooks, uniforms, laboratories, libraries, ICT facilities, extracurricular activities, or sports.

  3. Schools must maintain Unique Identification Numbers (UID) and biometric details for every child.

  4. Where a school does not provide complete elementary education, children shall have the right to seek transfer to another government or aided school.

  5. No school shall collect capitation fees or conduct any screening procedure for admission.

  6. No child shall be held back or expelled before completing elementary education.

  7. No child shall be subjected to physical punishment or mental harassment.

Duties of Head Teacher and Teachers

  1. The Head Teacher shall:

    • (i) Have a minimum of twelve years of teaching experience.

    • (ii) Pass the prescribed departmental tests (Higher or Lower) and the test on the Kerala Education Act and Rules.

    • (iii) Undergo training in school management and administration conducted by the Education Department.

  2. A School Academic Calendar shall be prepared covering all curricular and co-curricular activities based on the department’s calendar.

  3. The Head Teacher shall:

    • (i) Supervise and assess teacher performance based on the academic calendar.

    • (ii) Conduct Class PTA and Mother PTA meetings regularly.

    • (iii) Monitor teacher attendance and ensure participation in in-service training programmes.

    • (iv) Maintain a pupil cumulative record for every student.

    • (v) Ensure children achieve the minimum learning outcomes and provide individual attention for holistic development.

    • (vi) Facilitate participation of teachers in curriculum development, training programmes, and academic research.

  4. The Head Teacher shall review the performance of teachers monthly during the staff council meeting, and submit the review report to the Assistant Education Officer (AEO).

Protection of Rights of Children

  • The State Commission for Protection of Child Rights monitors violations and ensures follow-up.

  • Child Helpline 1098 operates for immediate support.

  • Schools must report and address any instance of abuse, neglect, or rights violation.

The RTE Act 2009 and Kerala RTE Rules 2010 together ensure that every child in Kerala receives quality elementary education, free from discrimination, and supported by qualified teachers and participatory management. They establish accountability at every level — from the State Government to local authorities, from the Head Teacher to the School Management Committee. The ultimate goal is to ensure universal enrolment, retention, inclusion, and learning achievement for all children aged 6–14 years.

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