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Section 2(c) of the RTE Act

Child

For the purposes of this Act, "child" means any boy or girl aged 6 to 14 years. Children below 6 or above 14 are outside the Act's primary coverage.

Legal Text

"child" means a male or female child of the age of six to fourteen years.

Plain Language

For the purposes of this Act, "child" means any boy or girl aged 6 to 14 years. Children below 6 or above 14 are outside the Act's primary coverage.

Why This Matters

This definition determines who the Act's rights apply to. A 5-year-old has no enforceable RTE right (though Section 11 encourages pre-school provision). A 15-year-old who never finished elementary school retains rights under Section 4.

Examples
  • A 7-year-old girl in a village: "child" under this Act
  • A 14-year-old boy: still a "child" for RTE purposes
  • A 5-year-old: not a "child" under RTE, but Section 11 applies
  • A 15-year-old who never completed Class VIII: has rights under Section 4 (special provision)
Read in Context
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See also

Related Terms

Section 2(d)
Child Belonging to Disadvantaged Group

A child from a "disadvantaged group" includes children from SC, ST, OBC/socially backward classes, and any other group notified by the State Government as facing social, cultural, economic, geographic, linguistic, or gender-based disadvantage.

Read definition →
Section 2(e)
Child Belonging to Weaker Section

A child from a "weaker section" family is one whose parent's annual income is below the limit set by the State Government.

Read definition →

This guide is published by Mahadev Maitri Foundation — free, independent education resource. We help families in rural India understand and enforce their rights under the RTE Act.

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⚠️ Content on this page is provided on a best-effort basis for general information only. Laws and rules change — please verify details on official government websites (dsel.education.gov.in and your state's education portal) before taking action. Mahadev Maitri Foundation is not responsible for decisions made based on this content.