Why inclusion is key to the RTE Act

‘Under Section 12(1)(c) of the RTE Act, 2009, the responsibility of fostering an inclusive classroom falls entirely on schools and teachers. Navigating this structural support forces educators to rely solely on personal motivation. In a heavily burdened system, inclusion risks becoming an afterthought’ | Photo Credit: indusaction.org Every morning, 10-year-old Ria walks from her working-class Delhi neighbourhood to a premium private school with quiet pride. As her friends head to a government school, Ria continues her longer walk, feeling lucky to have won a free seat under the Right to Education (RTE) Act quota.Yet, inside the school gates, a transformation occurs. Her stride becomes subdued, and she quietly slips into a back-row seat. For the rest of the day, she and a fellow quota student operate in survival mode: meticulously copying notes while avoiding the teacher’s gaze. After receiving a C-minus on a math assignment and a harsh reprimand from her teacher, she carries the disappointment for days. Her immense effort remains unseen, and her teachers label her as ‘struggling to meet grade expectations’.Across the city, Sahil, admitted to another private school through the same provision, experiences a strikingly different day. His father works as an industrial labourer and his mother takes on local domestic work. Yet his school feels inviting. His engagement has attracted teachers and peers, and his sincerity is reflected in his grades, participation in sports and confidence on the stage.Ria and Sahil (names changed to protect identities) secured free seats via Section 12(1)(c) of the RTE Act, 2009 to drive social cohesion. The provision provides access to 50 lakh disadvantaged students to private schools nationwide via a mandatory 25% classroom quota. However, mere entry alone does not guarantee social integration. While many face low grades and class-based alienation, success stories such as Sahil’s prove that intentional school practices can overcome superficial integration.Lacking an institutional blueprint for diverse classrooms, private schools must actively innovate. A study of nine mid-to-high-cost Delhi private schools revealed that inclusion is rarely black-and-white; structural nourishment plays out differently for each child, but success stories consistently emerge where inclusion is a core institutional value.In typical classrooms, RTE students often drift to the periphery, isolated by organic social segregation and low participation in collaborative tasks. Burdened and undertrained teachers frequently view them through a deficit lens, as demanding ‘more effort’, while ignoring their emotional distress.Architecture of accessConversely, schools with conscious structural intent cultivate an ‘invisible inclusion’. In Sahil’s school, the day begins with an empathy-driven learning circle where vulnerability is shared safely. Assigned mixed seating and a ‘zero period’ let peers collaborate on unfinished homework. Lessons rely on collaborative learning with ample scope for student-led discussions with the teacher ensuring that all students participate. While addressing an area problem, the math teacher encouraged an RTE student to share about his family’s paddy fields, which validated his lived experience. By noon, teachers co-plan support strategies, preparing for monthly open houses where parents can also exchange insights. Authentic inclusion does not require massive additional material or financial resources. It depends on consistent practices that promote equal participation, recognise diverse lived experiences, and build meaningful connections among students, teachers and families.Under Section 12(1)(c), the responsibility of fostering an inclusive classroom falls entirely on schools and teachers. Navigating this structural support forces educators to rely solely on personal motivation. In a heavily burdened system, inclusion risks becoming an afterthought. An essential tenet of educational development is that what gets measured gets valued. Inclusion remains deeply undervalued because India lacks the metrics to track it. Unlike academic performance, it never appears on a report card, yet it shapes a student’s entire journey. State governments and parent networks must collaborate to monitor benchmarks.Schools must institutionalise inclusive values through collaborative learning, rotated leadership, dignified and equitable participation of RTE students, and by supporting teachers with specialised resources. For governments, the mandate is to create enabling conditions through financial reimbursements, public recognition of inclusive schools, and cross-state feedback loops.To ensure that every Ria and Sahil can thrive, inclusion must be pursued with the same deliberate rigour, tracking, and daily practice that we dedicate to academic outcomes.Mansi Middha is Lead at Indus Action; Apoorva Bhatia is Consultant, Indus Action Published - October 27, 2026 12:44 am IST