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REET L1+L2 · Child Development & Pedagogy

Right to Education Act 2009 (RTE Act)

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The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 (RTE Act) gives every child aged 6-14 in India the legal right to free and compulsory elementary education. REET asks questions on its key sections (such as Sections 24, 29) and teachers' responsibilities.

  • 3 questions in REET 2024
  • Teacher-training level
  • 6 min read
Verified 17 September 2026 · Source: RTE Act 2009 Official Text – India Code

How REET asks this topic

REET 2024 had all three RTE Act questions section-based — the teacher's duty regarding assessment, the subject area of Section 29, and the provision about medium of instruction (mother tongue). So it's important to remember the main topic of the key sections (12, 21, 23, 24, 29) in sequence.

Basic information about the Act

Full name
Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009
Passed by Parliament
August 2009
Came into force
From 1 April 2010, implementing Article 21-A of the Indian Constitution
Age group
All children aged 6 to 14 years

Background and importance

Article 21-A was added to the Indian Constitution by the 86th Amendment (2002), making education a fundamental right for children aged 6 to 14. The RTE Act, 2009 was enacted to give this article practical shape, and is among the very few laws in the world that clearly declare education to be a child's legal right, not merely state policy.

Before this Act, education in India fell under the 'Directive Principles of State Policy', which could not be enforced in court. After the RTE Act, any parent or citizen can seek legal remedy if a child is denied admission or expelled from school.

Key sections of the RTE Act

SectionSubject
Section 12(1)(c)Reservation of 25% seats at entry level in private unaided schools for children from economically and socially disadvantaged groups
Section 21Constitution of the School Management Committee
Section 23Minimum qualifications and appointment of teachers
Section 24Duties of teachers — regularity and punctuality, completing the curriculum, assessing each child's learning ability and giving additional instruction as needed
Section 29Curriculum and evaluation process — education in the mother tongue (as far as practicable), continuous and comprehensive evaluation, a fear-free and child-centred environment

REET 2024 had questions from both Section 24 (the teacher's assessment duty) and Section 29 (medium of the curriculum).

Other duties of teachers (expanding on Section 24)

According to Section 24, it is a teacher's duty to attend school regularly and on time, complete the prescribed curriculum, take part in parent-teacher meetings, and periodically assess each child's learning ability, giving remedial support as needed.

As per Section 28, no teacher can engage in private tuition or private teaching activity, so that they can give their full time and energy to regular school teaching, and inequality among children does not increase.

Section 29 — Curriculum and evaluation

As per Section 29, the curriculum and evaluation process will be decided by the academic authority notified by the state (such as the SCERT in various states).

The medium of instruction, as far as practicable, should be the child's mother tongue. Evaluation should keep the child free of fear, trauma and anxiety, and be continuous and comprehensive through activity, discovery and exploration.

Other important provisions

Section 16 of the original Act provided that no child would be detained in any class or expelled from school until elementary education is complete — this was called the 'no-detention policy'.

After the 2019 amendment, states were given the freedom to hold examinations at the end of Classes 5 and 8 and, after giving a failing child additional teaching and a chance to retake the exam, detain them if necessary. Like every other state, Rajasthan is free to decide whether to adopt this provision or continue the original 'no-detention' policy.

In addition, the Act also lays down minimum standards for a school's physical infrastructure (such as the building, toilets, drinking water, library) and the Pupil-Teacher Ratio, to ensure an environment of quality education.

Applying RTE provisions in the classroom

RTE provisionClassroom practice
Section 24 — assessing learning abilityRegularly checking every child's progress and giving extra support to a child who is falling behind
Section 29 — education in the mother tongueExplaining concepts in the local/mother tongue in early classes, then gradually adding another language
Ban on corporal punishmentAdopting positive, non-violent methods of discipline, not physical or mental harassment
Section 28 — ban on private tuitionGiving full time and attention equally to all children in the school, not teaching a particular child separately for a fee

The pattern of RTE Act questions in REET

RTE Act questions in REET generally come in three forms — asking for a section number (such as 'which section relates to teachers' duties'), asking for a section's subject matter (such as 'what is Section 29 about'), and situational questions (such as 'what should a teacher do in a given situation according to RTE').

So memorising section numbers alone is not enough — you also need to understand the spirit behind each section (the child's interest, equality, quality and fear-free education) to correctly answer situational questions.

Memory trick

Remember the sections in order: 12 = admission (25% reservation), 21 = SMC, 23 = teacher qualification, 24 = teacher duties, 28 = ban on private tuition, 29 = curriculum-evaluation. As the numbers increase, the subject also moves 'from recruitment to teaching' in order — this makes it easy to remember.

REET 2024 questions (solved)

Question 17

What does the RTE Act state about teacher responsibilities for assessing students learning ?

  1. Aप्रत्येक बच्चे की सीखने की क्षमता का मूल्यांकन करें और आवश्यकता के अनुसार अतिरिक्त निर्देश दें
  2. Bछात्र क्षमताओं का मूल्यांकन किए बिना केवल पाठ्यक्रम पूरा करने पर ध्यान केंन्द्रित करें
  3. Cकेवल शैक्षणिक वर्ष के अंत में मूल्यांकन करें
  4. Dछात्रों के साथ बातचीत को कक्षा शिक्षण तक सीमित रखें

Explanation

RTE अधिनियम 2009 की धारा 24 के अनुसार शिक्षक का कर्तव्य है कि वह प्रत्येक बच्चे की सीखने की क्षमता का आकलन करे और आवश्यकता के अनुसार अतिरिक्त निर्देश (additional instructions) दे। केवल पाठ्यक्रम पूरा करना या केवल वर्ष के अंत में मूल्यांकन करना अधिनियम की सतत एवं व्यापक मूल्यांकन की भावना के विपरीत है।

Question 14

Section – 29 of RTE Acts – 2009 primarily deals with :

  1. Aपाठ्यक्रम एवं मूल्यांकन प्रक्रियाएँ
  2. Bप्रवेश प्रक्रिया
  3. Cशिक्षकों की योग्यताएँ
  4. Dअल्पसंख्यक संस्थानों के अधिकार

Explanation

RTE अधिनियम 2009 की धारा 29 'पाठ्यक्रम और मूल्यांकन प्रक्रिया' (Curriculum and evaluation procedure) से सम्बन्धित है; इसके तहत समुचित सरकार शैक्षिक प्राधिकारी अधिसूचित करती है और बाल-केन्द्रित शिक्षा, भय-मुक्त वातावरण तथा सतत एवं व्यापक मूल्यांकन का प्रावधान है। शिक्षकों की योग्यता धारा 23 में है।

Question 21

The medium of instruction under Section 29 of RTE Act, 2009 should emphasize

  1. Aकेवल वैश्विक भाषाएँ
  2. Bसभी चरणों के लिए केवल अंग्रेजी
  3. Cप्रारंभिक चरणों में क्षेत्रीय और मातृभाषा
  4. Dडिजिटल प्लैटफॉर्म

Explanation

RTE अधिनियम, 2009 की धारा 29(2)(f) के अनुसार शिक्षा का माध्यम, जहाँ तक व्यवहार्य हो, बच्चे की मातृभाषा होनी चाहिए। अतः प्रारंभिक चरणों में मातृभाषा/क्षेत्रीय भाषा पर बल देना सही है।

Practice questions

Question 1

The RTE Act, 2009 gives the right to free and compulsory education to children of which age group?

  1. A3 से 6 वर्ष
  2. B6 से 14 वर्ष
  3. C14 से 18 वर्ष
  4. D0 से 6 वर्ष

Explanation

The RTE Act, 2009 gives all children aged 6 to 14 in India the legal right to free and compulsory elementary education.

Question 2

When did the RTE Act come into force in India?

  1. A26 जनवरी 2009
  2. B1 अप्रैल 2010
  3. C2 अक्टूबर 2010
  4. D1 जनवरी 2009

Explanation

The RTE Act was passed by Parliament in August 2009 and came into force nationwide from 1 April 2010.

Question 3

What does Section 12(1)(c) of the RTE Act deal with?

  1. Aशिक्षकों की योग्यता
  2. Bनिजी विद्यालयों में 25% सीटों का आरक्षण
  3. Cपाठ्यक्रम निर्माण
  4. Dविद्यालय प्रबंधन समिति

Explanation

Section 12(1)(c) requires private unaided schools to reserve 25% of entry-level seats for children from economically and socially disadvantaged groups.

Question 4

What is Section 24 of the RTE Act mainly about?

  1. Aशिक्षकों की योग्यता
  2. Bशिक्षकों के कर्तव्य
  3. Cविद्यालय प्रबंधन समिति
  4. Dपाठ्यक्रम निर्माण

Explanation

Section 24 relates to teachers' duties — such as regularity, completing the curriculum, and assessing every child's learning ability to give additional instruction where needed.

Question 5

According to Section 29 of the RTE Act, what should the medium of instruction be at the elementary stage?

  1. Aकेवल अंग्रेजी
  2. Bबालक की मातृभाषा, जहाँ तक व्यवहार्य हो
  3. Cकेवल हिंदी
  4. Dकेवल संस्कृत

Explanation

As per Section 29(2)(f), the medium of instruction should, as far as practicable, be the child's mother tongue.

Question 6

What does Section 21 of the RTE Act deal with?

  1. Aविद्यालय प्रबंधन समिति (SMC) का गठन
  2. Bशिक्षकों की भर्ती
  3. Cपरीक्षा प्रणाली
  4. Dमध्याह्न भोजन

Explanation

Section 21 provides for constituting a School Management Committee in every government/aided school.

Question 7

According to the RTE Act, 2009, what should the evaluation process be like?

  1. Aभय व दबाव पर आधारित
  2. Bसतत, व्यापक व बालक को भय-मुक्त रखने वाली
  3. Cकेवल वार्षिक परीक्षा पर आधारित
  4. Dकेवल मौखिक परीक्षा तक सीमित

Explanation

As per Section 29, evaluation should keep the child free of fear, trauma and anxiety and be continuous and comprehensive through activity and exploration.

Question 8

A teacher regularly assesses every child's learning ability and gives extra support to weak children. This aligns with which section of the RTE Act?

  1. Aधारा 12
  2. Bधारा 24
  3. Cधारा 21
  4. Dधारा 23

Explanation

This matches Section 24 (teachers' duties) of the RTE Act, which makes it the teacher's responsibility to assess each child's learning ability and provide additional instruction as needed.

Question 9

According to the RTE Act, what should a teacher do to maintain discipline in class?

  1. Aशारीरिक दंड का प्रयोग करना
  2. Bसकारात्मक व अहिंसक अनुशासन-विधियाँ अपनाना
  3. Cबच्चे को कक्षा से निकाल देना
  4. Dबच्चे को सार्वजनिक रूप से अपमानित करना

Explanation

The RTE Act bans corporal punishment (physical and mental harassment), so teachers should adopt positive, non-violent methods of discipline.

Question 10

The RTE Act, 2009 gives effect to which article of the Indian Constitution?

  1. Aअनुच्छेद 21-A
  2. Bअनुच्छेद 14
  3. Cअनुच्छेद 19
  4. Dअनुच्छेद 32

Explanation

The RTE Act, 2009 was enacted to implement Article 21-A of the Indian Constitution, which makes education a fundamental right.

Frequently asked questions

Which children does the RTE Act, 2009 apply to?+

This Act gives all children aged 6 to 14 in India the right to free and compulsory elementary education.

What does Section 24 of the RTE Act relate to?+

Section 24 relates to teachers' duties, which include regularity, completing the curriculum, and assessing each child's learning ability to give additional support.

What subject does Section 29 of the RTE Act cover?+

Section 29 relates to the curriculum and evaluation process, emphasising education in the mother tongue and continuous, comprehensive, fear-free evaluation.

When did the RTE Act come into force?+

This Act was passed by Parliament in August 2009 and came into force across the country from 1 April 2010.

What does the RTE Act provide for private schools?+

Under Section 12(1)(c), private unaided schools must reserve 25% of seats at entry level for children from economically and socially disadvantaged groups.

Can teachers give private tuition under the RTE Act?+

No, as per Section 28 no teacher can engage in private tuition or private teaching activity.

Which constitutional amendment is the RTE Act linked to?+

The 86th Constitutional Amendment (2002) added Article 21-A, making education a fundamental right; the RTE Act, 2009 is the law that gives this article practical effect.

What does the RTE Act say about a school's physical infrastructure?+

The Act sets minimum standards for the school building, toilets, drinking water, library and an appropriate pupil-teacher ratio, so every child gets an environment of quality education.

What is the role of the School Management Committee (SMC) under the RTE Act?+

The SMC monitors the functioning of the school, prepares the school development plan, and ensures the Act's provisions are implemented properly at the local level.

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REET 2024 Solved Paper

All REET 2024 questions solved with explanations.

Official Sources

  1. RTE Act 2009 Official Text – India Code

Change Log

  • 17 September 2026 — English pilot page published — mirrors the fact-checked Hindi page, independently bilingual-accuracy checked