RIGHT TO EDUCATION AND THE CHALLENGES AHEAD

The vision of the framers of the Indian Constitution regarding the right to education was both clear and ambitious. During the Constituent Assembly debates, the primary concern was not whether to provide free and compulsory education, but whether to make this provision a justiciable right. Initially included in the Fundamental Rights, the provision was ultimately placed under the Directive Principles of State Policy as Article 45, following extensive deliberation on its "transcendental importance" for individual lives and the survival of the Constitution and Republic. A key issue raised was the necessity of ensuring that children under the age of 14, who were prohibited from employment, must be engaged in educational institutions. This underscores the need to recognize compulsory education as an inalienable human right. The article explores this constitutional journey, examines the significance of the right to education, and discusses the challenges that lie ahead in realizing this vision for all children in India.