UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — The RTE Act and the idea of social inclusion

Q1. Which one of the following Articles of the Constitution, inserted by the 86th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2002, forms the primary enabling provision that the Right to Education Act, 2009 operationalises?

  • A. Article 21A
  • B. Article 45
  • C. Article 51A(k)
  • D. Article 21

Q2. With reference to the changes made by the 86th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2002, consider the following statements: 1. It inserted Article 21A, making free and compulsory education a fundamental right for children of the age of six to fourteen years. 2. It substituted Article 45 so that it now relates to early childhood care and education for children below the age of six years. 3. It added a fundamental duty making it the duty of the State to provide opportunities for education to every child. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. It inserted Article 21A, making free and compulsory education a fundamental right for children of the age of six to fourteen years.
  2. It substituted Article 45 so that it now relates to early childhood care and education for children below the age of six years.
  3. It added a fundamental duty making it the duty of the State to provide opportunities for education to every child.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 1 and 3 only
  • C. 2 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q3. Under Section 12(1)(c) of the RTE Act, 2009, private unaided non-minority schools must reserve at least what percentage of seats at the entry level for children belonging to economically weaker sections and disadvantaged groups?

  • A. 25%
  • B. 15%
  • C. 33%
  • D. 10%

Q4. The obligation on private unaided schools to reserve 25% of entry-level seats for economically weaker sections and disadvantaged groups is contained in which provision of the RTE Act, 2009?

  • A. Section 12(1)(c)
  • B. Section 13
  • C. Section 21
  • D. Section 38

Q5. The January 2026 Supreme Court judgment strengthening enforcement of Section 12(1)(c) of the RTE Act was delivered by a Bench comprising how many judges?

  • A. Two
  • B. Three
  • C. Five
  • D. One

Q6. Consider the following statements regarding Supreme Court decisions on Section 12(1)(c) of the RTE Act: 1. The 2012 judgment in Society for Unaided Private Schools of Rajasthan upheld the validity of the 25% reservation while exempting unaided minority schools. 2. The January 2026 judgment held that states cannot substitute statutory rules with mere executive guidelines, circulars or SOPs while implementing the EWS quota. 3. The January 2026 judgment overruled the exemption previously granted to unaided minority schools. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. The 2012 judgment in Society for Unaided Private Schools of Rajasthan upheld the validity of the 25% reservation while exempting unaided minority schools.
  2. The January 2026 judgment held that states cannot substitute statutory rules with mere executive guidelines, circulars or SOPs while implementing the EWS quota.
  3. The January 2026 judgment overruled the exemption previously granted to unaided minority schools.
  • A. 1 and 2 only
  • B. 2 and 3 only
  • C. 1 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2 and 3

Q7. The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), which the Supreme Court directed to be consulted in framing rules for the EWS quota, is a statutory body constituted under which of the following Acts?

  • A. Commissions for Protection of Child Rights Act, 2005
  • B. Right to Education Act, 2009
  • C. Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015
  • D. National Commission for Children Act, 2006

Q8. At the Union level, which Ministry is the nodal ministry responsible for implementation of the RTE Act, 2009?

  • A. Ministry of Education
  • B. Ministry of Women and Child Development
  • C. Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment
  • D. Ministry of Home Affairs

Q9. With reference to the RTE Act, 2009, which of the following are correctly matched with their statutory provisions? 1. Section 12(1)(c) — reservation of 25% entry-level seats for EWS and disadvantaged groups 2. Section 38 — power of the appropriate Government to make rules 3. Section 13 — prohibition of capitation fee and screening procedure for admission 4. Section 21 — reimbursement of expenditure incurred by schools on reserved children Which of the above are correctly identified?

  1. Section 12(1)(c) — reservation of 25% entry-level seats for EWS and disadvantaged groups
  2. Section 38 — power of the appropriate Government to make rules
  3. Section 13 — prohibition of capitation fee and screening procedure for admission
  4. Section 21 — reimbursement of expenditure incurred by schools on reserved children
  • A. 1, 2 and 3
  • B. 1 and 4 only
  • C. 2, 3 and 4
  • D. 1, 2 and 4

Q10. According to the January 2026 Supreme Court ruling on implementation of the EWS quota, which one of the following instruments carries the highest legal force, such that it cannot be substituted by the others?

  • A. Statutory rules framed under Section 38 of the RTE Act
  • B. Departmental circulars issued by the education department
  • C. Standard operating procedures (SOPs)
  • D. Executive guidelines

Q11. Under the Central RTE Rules, the 'neighbourhood' within which a primary school (Classes I to V) must be available is defined as an area within a walking distance of:

  • A. 1 kilometre
  • B. 3 kilometres
  • C. 5 kilometres
  • D. 500 metres

Q12. Under the RTE Act, 2009, a 'child belonging to weaker section' — a core beneficiary category of the Act's social-inclusion quota — is defined primarily on the basis of which one of the following?

  • A. The annual income of the parent or guardian being below a limit specified by the appropriate government
  • B. The child belonging to a Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe
  • C. The child having a disability
  • D. The child being a first-generation school-goer in the family