RTE Act Violations —
Named, Defined, Actionable
Every violation has a section. Every section has a penalty. Every penalty has a complaint process. This is your reference library.
Violation Library
Showing 14 of 14 violationsCapitation Fee / Donation Demand
Any fee, donation, or payment demanded beyond the notified fee during admission is strictly prohibited.
Screening Children or Parents for Admission
No school can conduct any interview, test, or selection process for admitting a child or evaluating parents.
Corporal Punishment
Physical punishment of any kind by any school staff member is absolutely prohibited under the RTE Act.
Mental Harassment of Child
Humiliating, threatening, or mentally tormenting a child in school is prohibited alongside corporal punishment.
Denial of Admission Without Document
A school cannot deny admission to a child aged 6–14 for lack of documents like birth certificate or transfer certificate.
Expulsion or Detention of Child
No child can be expelled from school until completion of elementary education, and no child can be held back in a class (no-detention policy).
Running an Unrecognised School
Any school established after the RTE Act that has not obtained recognition is committing an offence under Section 18.
School Not Meeting Infrastructure Norms
Every school must meet the Schedule norms — classrooms, toilets, playground, library — within the prescribed timeframe.
No School Management Committee (SMC)
Every government and aided school must constitute an SMC with 75% parent representation — non-compliance is a violation.
Teacher Conducting Private Tuition
Teachers under the RTE Act are prohibited from conducting private tuition or private teaching activities.
Non-Teaching Duties Assigned to Teachers
Teachers may only be deployed for non-teaching duties during decennial census, elections, and disaster relief — nothing else.
Appointment of Untrained Teacher
Every teacher appointed to an elementary school must have the prescribed minimum qualifications — no school can appoint an unqualified teacher.
Pupil-Teacher Ratio (PTR) Violation
The Schedule mandates a maximum 30:1 PTR for Classes 1–5 and 35:1 for Classes 6–8 — exceeding this is a violation.
Charging Fees Beyond Notified Amount
No school can charge any fee, charge, or expense beyond what is notified and published for that academic year.
All 13 Violations at a Glance
A scannable overview of every documented RTE violation — section, fine, and where to complain.
| Violation | Section(s) | Fine / Penalty | Complaint Authority |
|---|---|---|---|
| 💰 Capitation Fee / Donation Demand | Section 13Section 17(1) | 10× the capitation fee collected | District Education Officer (DEO) |
| 📝 Screening Children or Parents for Admission | Section 13(1)Section 13(3) | ₹25,000 for first offence; ₹50,000 for each subsequent offen… | District Education Officer (DEO) |
| 🚫 Corporal Punishment | Section 17(1)Section 17(2) | Disciplinary action under applicable service rules | School Principal / Head Teacher |
| 😰 Mental Harassment of Child | Section 17(1) | Disciplinary action under service rules | School Principal |
| 🚪 Denial of Admission Without Document | Section 14Section 15 | No direct fine specified — but denial of admission is action… | District Education Officer (DEO) |
| ⛔ Expulsion or Detention of Child | Section 16 | No direct fine — but violation is actionable via Section 32 | District Education Officer |
| 🏚️ Running an Unrecognised School | Section 18Section 19 | ₹1,00,000 (one lakh) and ₹10,000 per day for continuing viol… | District Education Officer |
| 🏗️ School Not Meeting Infrastructure Norms | Section 19Schedule (Section 19) | Loss of recognition if norms not met within 3 years of the A… | School Management Committee (SMC) |
| 👥 No School Management Committee (SMC) | Section 21Section 22 | Action against the head teacher and local authority under Se… | District Education Officer |
| 📚 Teacher Conducting Private Tuition | Section 28 | Disciplinary action under applicable service rules | District Education Officer |
| 📋 Non-Teaching Duties Assigned to Teachers | Section 27 | Action against deploying authority — specific fine not presc… | District Education Officer |
| 🎓 Appointment of Untrained Teacher | Section 23Section 25 | Disciplinary action and mandatory training requirement | District Education Officer |
| 📊 Pupil-Teacher Ratio (PTR) Violation | Section 25Schedule (Section 25) | Actionable via grievance redressal; school can lose recognit… | School Management Committee |
| 🧾 Charging Fees Beyond Notified Amount | Section 13Section 13(1) | 10× the amount charged beyond the notified fee | District Education Officer |
Three Steps to Taking Action
This library is designed for parents, teachers, and child rights advocates who want to move from awareness to action.
Identify the Violation
Use the category filters above to find the violation that matches your situation. Each violation has a plain-language description of what it looks like in practice.
→Read the Details
Click through to the full violation page. Read the legal definition, understand the penalty, and use the evidence checklist to prepare your case before you file.
→File a Complaint
Every violation page has a pre-filled complaint template that you can copy and customise. It also tells you exactly which authority to send it to and what timeline to expect.
Mahadev Maitri Foundation helps
children enforce their rights.
If a school is violating the RTE Act, we can help guide families through the complaint process. Our team has supported children across India in accessing their right to quality education.