p align='justify'> New Delhi, July 31 - The salient features of the Right of Children for Free and Compulsory Education Bill are -

- Free and compulsory education to all children of India in the six to 14 age group;

- No child shall be held back, expelled, or required to pass a board examination until completion of elementary education;

- A child who completes elementary education (upto class 8) shall be awarded a certificate;

- Calls for a fixed student-teacher ratio;

- Will apply to all of India except Jammu and Kashmir;

- Provides for 25 percent reservation for economically disadvantaged communities in admission to Class One in all private schools;

- Mandates improvement in quality of education;

- School teachers will need adequate professional degree within five years or else will lose job;

-- School infrastructure (where there is problem) to be improved in three years, else recognition cancelled;

-- Financial burden will be shared between state and central government