Supreme Court of India Calls RTE Admissions a “National Mission”, Says Private Schools Must Comply

April 28, 2026 : The Supreme Court of India on Tuesday affirmed that admitting students under the Right to Education Act is a “national mission”, directing all neighbourhood schools, including private unaided institutions, to admit state-allotted students without delay.

A bench of Justice PS Narasimha and Justice Alok Aradhe held that refusal to admit children from weaker and disadvantaged sections violates their fundamental right to education under Article 21A of the Constitution of India.

The court underlined that the 25 per cent reservation mandated by the RTE framework can significantly reshape social equity and promote inclusion. It stressed that strict and effective implementation of the law is essential to realise the promise of free and compulsory education.

Dismissing an appeal by a Lucknow-based private school that had denied admission despite the child’s selection under the RTE process, the bench upheld the High Court’s ruling. It clarified that schools cannot question or override eligibility determinations made by government authorities. Once the state forwards the list of selected students, institutions are bound to grant admission, the court said, warning that any obstruction would reduce the right to education to an “empty promise.”