The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 (RTE Act) is a landmark legislation in India that guarantees free and compulsory education to all children aged 6 to 14 years. Enacted on August 26, 2009, and operational from April 1, 2010, the RTE Act is a significant step toward achieving universal elementary education as mandated by Article 21A of the Indian Constitution. The Act aims to eliminate barriers to education, ensure equitable access, and improve the quality of schooling for all children, particularly those from disadvantaged and weaker sections of society.
The roots of the RTE Act trace back to India's constitutional commitment to education. The 86th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2002 inserted Article 21A, making free and compulsory education for children aged 6–14 a fundamental right. This amendment laid the foundation for the RTE Act, which was enacted seven years later to operationalize this right.
Prior to the RTE Act, India had several education policies and programs, such as:
Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA, 2001): Aimed at universalizing elementary education.
National Policy on Education (1986, revised in 1992): Emphasized free and compulsory education.
However, these initiatives lacked legal enforceability. The RTE Act filled this gap by providing a statutory framework to ensure accountability and compliance.

The RTE Act, 2009, is a transformative law that seeks to bridge educational inequities in India. While it has significantly improved access to education, challenges in quality, teacher training, and funding remain. Future reforms must focus on teacher capacity-building, stricter enforcement of norms, and inclusive policies to realize the Act’s vision of equitable, quality education for all.