Enforceable rules section 38 rte act mandatory streamlining 25 percent ews admissions

Non-binding standard operating procedures or administrative guidelines are insufficient to secure the fundamental right to education under Article 21A, rendering mandatory enforceable rules under Section 38 of the RTE Act essential for implementing Section 12(1)(c). State governments and union territory administrations must promulgate statutory rules in consultation with child rights protection commissions to govern the admission process. These enforceable rules must mandate transparent seat declarations, centralized multi-lingual online portals, help-desks to bridge the digital divide, simple document verification, defect-correction windows, and structured grievance redressal mechanisms to prevent summary rejections of disadvantaged applicants. (Dinesh Biwaji Ashtikar v. State of Maharashtra & Ors. | 2026 INSC 56)