Right to education is the right of every child to receive a quality education, regardless of background and circumstances. It is a fundamental human right, enshrined in international legal instruments and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
The right to education in India is guaranteed by Article 21A of the Constitution of India. This article was added by the 86th Amendment Act of 2002.
What does Article 21A say?
- It guarantees free and compulsory education for children between the ages of 6 and 14
- It prohibits discrimination in education
- It ensures equal opportunities for education
- It removes financial barriers to education
- It provides adequate infrastructure, facilities, and qualified teachers
Right to Education Act (RTE) of 2009
The Right to Education Act (RTE) of 2009 guarantees free and compulsory education for children between the ages of 6 and 14.
- The RTE Act was effective from April 1, 2010.
- The RTE Act prohibits denial of admission to any child, irrespective of the time of year.
- The RTE Act also prohibits holding back or expulsion of any child until he completes elementary education.
- Globally
- The Abidjan Principles on the Right to Education were adopted in 2019 by a committee of international human rights law experts.
- The UN‘s Human Rights Council has passed a decision to establish a working group to consider the possibility of including early childhood care and education explicitly within the right to education.
