HomeRTE Act GuideDefinitionsUnaided School
Section 2(n)(iv) of the RTE Act

Unaided School

A private school that does not receive any government funding or grants. It is fully self-financed through student fees and private sources.

Legal Text

an unaided school not receiving any kind of aid or grants from the appropriate Government or the local authority.

Plain Language

A private school that does not receive any government funding or grants. It is fully self-financed through student fees and private sources.

Why This Matters

Unaided private schools must admit 25% of their Class I students from weaker section and disadvantaged group families under Section 12(1)(d). This is the most debated provision of the Act — upheld by the Supreme Court in 2012.

Examples
  • A private CBSE school funded entirely through fees: unaided school
  • A trust-run school with no government grants: unaided school
  • Must reserve 25% of Class I seats for poor children
  • Government reimburses the school per-child for these students
Read in Context
Jump to Section 2(n)(iv) in Full Act
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(n)
School

The Act covers 4 types of schools: (1) Government schools, (2) Government-aided schools, (3) Specified category schools (Kendriya Vidyalaya, Navodaya Vidyalaya, Sainik Schools), and (4) Private unaided schools.

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.

Support our work →

⚠️ 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.