Supreme Court Orders States to Admit Orphaned Children to Private Schools Under RTE Quota

The Supreme Court has directed all states to admit orphaned children under the 25% quota for disadvantaged groups in private schools, as mandated by Section 12(1)(c) of The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, within four weeks.

The Court has also ordered a state-wise survey to identify orphaned children denied admission and the reasons for such rejection.

The Court asked the Centre to consider including orphan data in the 2027 Census, noting UNICEF’s estimate of 2.5 crore orphans in India.

Several states, including Delhi, Meghalaya, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, and Gujarat, have already issued notifications in compliance. The case is next listed for September 9.