(1) The areas or limits of neighbourhood within which a School has to be established by the State Government shall be,–
(a) in respect of children in classes from I to V, a School shall be established within a walking distance of one km. of the neighbuorhood.
(b) in respect of children in classes from VI to VIII, a School shall be established within a walking distance of 2 km. of the neighbourhood.
(2) Wherever required, the State Government or the local authority shall upgrade existing Schools with classes I to V to include classes VI to VIII and in respect of Schools which start from class VI onwards, the State Government or local authority shall endeavour to add classes from I to V, wherever required.
(3) In difficult and remote areas like desert area, hilly area, and areas with scattered population, the State Government or local authority shall establish a School with classes I to V, in a habitation whose minimum population is 150 persons and having minimum 20 children in the age group of 6 to 11 years, and a School with classes VI to VIII in a 7 habitation with minimum 30 children in class V from at least two feeder primary schools.
(4) For children from small hamlets (Dhanis), as identified by the State Government or local authority, where no School exists within the area or limits of neighbourhood specified under sub-rule (1) and (3) above, the State Government or local authority shall make adequate arrangements, such as free transportation and residential facilities for providing elementary education, in relaxation of the area or limits specified under sub-rule (1) and (3).
(5) In places with high population density, the State Government or local authority may establish more than one neighbourhood School, having regard to the number of children in the age group of 6 to 14 years.
(6) The local authority shall identify the neighborhood school(s) where children can be admitted and make such information public for each habitation within its jurisdiction.
(7) In respect of children with disabilities, which prevent them from accessing the school the State Government or local authority shall endeavour to make appropriate and safe transportation arrangements for them to attend school and complete their elementary education.
(8) The State Government or local authority shall ensure that access of children to the school is not hindered on account of social and economical factors.
8. Responsibilities of the State Government and local authority.
- (1) A child attending a school of the State Government or local authority referred to in sub-clause (i) of clause (n) of section 2, a child attending a school referred to in sub-clause (ii) of clause (n) of section 2 in accordance with clause (b) of sub section (1) of section 12, and a child attending a school referred to in sub-clauses (iii) and (iv) of clause (n) of section 2 in accordance with clause (c) of sub section (1) of section 12 shall be entitled to free education as provided for in sub-section (2) of section 3 of the Act, and in particular to free text books and support materials:
Provided that the child with disability shall be entitled for free special learning and support material also.
Explanation: For the purposes of sub-rule (1), the child admitted in accordance with clause (b) of sub-section (1) of section 12 and a child admitted in accordance with clause (c) of subsection (1) of section 12, the responsibility of providing the free entitlement shall be of the school referred to in 8 sub-clause (ii) of clause (n) of section 2 and of sub-clause
(iii) and (iv) of clause (n) of section 2, respectively.
(2) For the purpose of determining and for establishing neighbourhood Schools, the State Government or local authority shall undertake School mapping, and identify all children, including children in remote areas, children with disability, children belonging to disadvantaged group, children belonging to weaker section and children referred to in section 4, every year.
(3) The State Government or local authority shall ensure that no child is subjected to caste, class, religious or gender abuse, or any form of physical and mental harassment in the school.
(4) For the purposes of clause (c) of section 8 and clause (c) of section 9, the State Government and the local authority shall ensure that a child belonging to a weaker section and a child belonging to disadvantaged group is not segregated or discriminated in the classroom, during mid-day meals, in the play grounds, in the use of common drinking water and toilet facilities.