In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,-

(a) "appropriate Government " means-

(b) "capitation fee " means any kind of donation or contribution or payment other than the fee notified by the school;

(c) "child " means a male or female child of the age of six to fourteen years;

(d) "child belonging to disadvantaged group " means [a child with disability or] a child belonging to the Scheduled Caste, the Scheduled Tribe, the socially and educationally backward class or such other group having disadvantage owing to social, cultural, economical, geographical, linguistic, gender or such other factor, as may be specified by the appropriate Government, by notification;

(e) "child belonging to weaker section " means a child belonging to such parent or guardian whose annual income is lower than the minimum limit specified by the appropriate Government, by notification;

(f) "elementary education " means the education from first class to eighth class;

(g) "guardian ", in relation to a child, means a person having the care and custody of that child and includes a natural guardian or guardian appointed or declared by a Court or a statute;

(h) "local authority " means a Municipal Corporation or Municipal Council or Zila Parishad or Nagar Panchayat or Panchayat, by whatever name called, and includes such other authority or body having administrative control over the school or empowered by or under any law for the time being in force to function as a local authority in any city, town or village;

(i) "National Commission for Protection of Child Rights " means the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights constituted under section 3 of the Commissions for Protection of Child Rights Act, 2005 (4 of 2006);

(j) "notification " means a notification published in the Official Gazette;

(k) "parent " means either the natural or step or adoptive father or mother of a child;

(l) "prescribed " means prescribed by rules made under this Act;

(m) "Schedule " means the Schedule annexed to this Act;

(n) "school " means any recognised school imparting elementary education and includes-

(o) "screening procedure " means the method of selection for admission of a child, in preference over another, other than a random method;

(p) "specified category ", in relation to a school, means a school known as Kendriya Vidyalaya, Navodaya Vidyalaya, Sainik School or any other school having a distinct character which may be specified, by notification, by the appropriate Government;

(q) "State Commission for Protection of Child Rights " means the State Commission for Protection of Child Rights constituted under section 3 of the Commissions for Protection of Child Rights Act, 2005(4 of 2006).