The Punjab Primary Education Act, 1960

(i) This Act may be called the Punjab Primary Education Act, 1960. (2) It extends to the whole of the State of [Haryana]. (3) It shall come into force on such date as the State Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, appoint.

In this Act, unless the context otherwise, requires,—

1. (a) "academic year" means the year beginning on such date as the State Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, specify in respect of any specified area or for approved schools generally or for any approved school or class of approved schools in particular;
2. (b) "approved school" means any school in any specified area imparting primary education which—
   • (i) is under the management of the State Government; or
   • (ii) being under any other management, is recognised by the State Government as approved school for the purposes of this Act;
3. (c) "attendance authority" means any person appointed to be an attendance authority under section 4;
4. (d) "to attend an approved school" means to be present for instruction at an approved school on so many days in a year and at such time ‘or times on each one of those days as may be fixed by the prescribed authority;
5. (e) "child" means a boy or girl within such age group, not being less than six or more than fourteen, as the State Government may, in each case, specify for the purposes of this Act, either generally or with respect to any specified area;
6. (f) "parent" in relation to any child, includes a guardian and every person who has the actual custody of the child;
7. (g) "prescribed" means prescribed by rules made under this Act;
8. (h) "primary education" means education up to such class or standard not beyond the eighth class or standard, as may be prescribed;
   • (i) "special school" means any institution which imparts such primary education as is in the opinion of the State Government suitable for children suffering from any physical or mental defect;
9. (j) "specified area" means any area in which primary education is declared by the State Government to be compulsory under section 3;
10. (k) "State Government" means the Government of the State of [Haryana].

1. (1) The State Government may, by order, direct that with effect from the first day of the next academic year primary education for children of either sex within such age-groups as may be specified in the order shall be compulsory in any area which may be so specified.
2. (2) Every order under sub-section
3. (1) shall—
   • (a) be published in the Official Gazette and in such other manner as the State Government may decide;
   • (b) be so made as to ensure that there is an interval of not less than one hundred and twenty days or such other interval as the State Government may by notification direct between the date of the publication of the order in the Official Gazette and the first day of the next academic year.
4. (3) No order shall be made under sub-section
5. (1) in respect of any area unless the State Government is satisfied that such steps as may be prescribed have been taken in that area to provide the necessary facilities for imparting compulsory primary education to all children to whom the order is intended to apply.

1. (1) The State Government may appoint as many persons as it thinks fit to be attendance authorities for the purposes of this Act, and may also appoint as many persons as it considers necessary to assist the attendance authorities in the discharge of their duties.
2. (2) It shall be the duty of the attendance authority to cause to be prepared as early as possible after the publication of an order under section 3 and in such manner as may be prescribed, a list of children in any specified area. Such lists shall also be prepared annually in every specified area at such time and in such manner as may be prescribed.
3. (3) In the exercise of any of the powers conferred by or under this Act, the attendance authority or any person appointed to assist the attendance authority may put such questions to any parent, or require any parent to furnish such information, about his child, as it or he considers necessary, and every such parent shall be bound to answer such questions or to furnish such information, as the case may be, to the best of his knowledge or belief.
4. (4) It shall be the duty of the attendance authority to notify the parent of every child to whom the order under section 3 applies that he is under an obligation to cause the child to attend an approved school with effect from the beginning of the next academic year.

It shall be the duty of the parent of every child to cause the child to attend an approved school unless there be a reasonable excuse for his non-attendance within the meaning of section 6.

For the purposes of this Act, any of the following circumstances shall be deemed to be a reasonable excuse for the non-attendance of a child at an approved school :—

1. (a) that there is no approved school within the prescribed distance from his residence :
2. (b) that the child is receiving instruction in some other manner which is declared to be satisfactory by the State Government or by an officer authorised by it in this behalf ;
3. (c) that the child has already completed primary education;
4. (d) that the child suffers from a physical or mental defect which prevents him from attendance;
5. (e) that there is any compelling circumstances which prevents the child from attending school, provided the same is certified as such by the attendance authority ;
6. (f) such other circumstance as may be prescribed.

If there is in existence a special school within the prescribed distance from the residence of a child who is suffering from a physical or mental defect, the attendance authority may, if it is satisfied that the child is not attending an approved school, by order, direct that the child shall attend the special school.