Section 8 — Duties of appropriate Government.

8. Duties of appropriate Government.—The appropriate Government shall— 

(a) provide free and compulsory elementary education to every child: 

Provided that where a child is admitted by his or her parents or guardian, as the case may be, in a 

school other than a school established, owned, controlled or substantially financed by funds provided 

directly or indirectly by the appropriate Government or a local authority, such child or his or her 

parents or guardian, as the case may be, shall not be entitled to make a claim for reimbursement of 

expenditure incurred on elementary education of the child in such other school. 

Explanation.—The term “compulsory education” means obligation of the appropriate 

Government to— 

(i) provide free elementary education to every child of the age of six to fourteen years; and 

(ii) ensure compulsory admission, attendance and completion of elementary education by 

every child of the age of six to fourteen years; 

(b) ensure availability of a neighbourhood school as specified in section 6; 

(c) ensure that the child belonging to weaker section and the child belonging to disadvantaged 

group are not discriminated against and prevented from pursuing and completing elementary 

education on any grounds; 

(d) provide infrastructure including school building, teaching staff and learning equipment; 

(e) provide special training facility specified in section 4; 

(f) ensure and monitor admission, attendance and completion of elementary education by every 

child; 

(g) ensure good quality elementary education conforming to the standards and norms specified in 

the Schedule; 

(h) ensure timely prescribing of curriculum and courses of study for elementary education; and 

(i) provide training facility for teachers.