Someone who is not in a full-time educational institution like a school.  A private candidate is registered at a part-time centre or an educational institution not recognised by the Council as a full-time educational institution.  For the purposes of registering for examinations, the main difference between a private candidate and a full-time candidate is that a private candidate has the option of registering for the Alternative Paper to SBA/IA, if it is offered for the particular subject.  Candidates at full-time educational institutions are not permitted to register for the Alternative Paper.