#Neighbourhood School

The court quashed cancellation of a Scheduled Caste child's RTE admission, holding distance norms cannot be rigidly enforced where a Division Bench ordered their removal for unaided schools and compliance would cost the child an academic year. The ruling affirms procedural barriers cannot override substantive educational access for disadvantaged groups.

The Supreme Court has ruled that neighbourhood schools under the RTE Act must admit children immediately upon state allocation, with no authority to re-verify eligibility or impose procedural delays. This upholds Section 12(1)(c) as a non-negotiable statutory right, ensuring social integration and eliminating institutional gatekeeping that undermines Article 21A.

Kerala High Court holds that RTE Act's 'one km walking distance' requirement must be interpreted contextually based on geography and population density, not rigidly applied.