Neighbourhood School
The "neighbourhood school" is the school within a prescribed distance from a child's home. The exact distance is set by each State Government in its RTE Rules — typically 1 km for Classes I–V and 3 km for Classes VI–VIII.
"neighbourhood" in relation to a school, shall be determined by the appropriate Government by rules made under section 38(2)(a) of this Act.
The "neighbourhood school" is the school within a prescribed distance from a child's home. The exact distance is set by each State Government in its RTE Rules — typically 1 km for Classes I–V and 3 km for Classes VI–VIII.
The right to free education is specifically in the neighbourhood school. If there is no neighbourhood school within the prescribed distance, the government is in violation of Section 6 and must provide an alternative (transport, residential provision, or establish a new school).
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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