Education may be elevated to status of Fundamental Rights

The bill, which involves interest of over 3.75 crore children in India, is likely to be tabled in the winter session of parliament beginning on November 20.

Drafted in 1997, it envisages insertion of new article 21a in part III of the constitution to make it obligatory on part of the state to provide free and compulsory education to all in the age group of six and 14 years.

It suggests amendment to article 51a to cast a Fundamental Duty on parents that their wards get compulsory education.

It also seeks omission of Article 45 which imposes an obligation on the state to provide within a period of 10 years of commencement of the constitution for free and compulsory education to all up to the age of 14 years.

The Supreme Court had in K P Unnikrishnan versus state of Andhra Pradesh ruled that Education is a Fundamental Right of a child under the constitutional scheme.