Education becomes child's fundamental right

From now on, every child in the country in the 6-14-years age group will be provided eight years of elementary education in an age-appropriate classroom in the vicinity oftheir neighbourhood.

With the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act coming into force from today (1 April 2010), education will be accorded the same legal status as the right to life as provided by Article 21A of the Indian Constitution.

Any cost that prevents a child from accessing school will be borne by the state, which will have the responsibility of enrolling the child as well as ensuring attendance and completion of eight years of schooling.

No child will be denied admission for want of documents; no child will be turned away if the admission cycle in the school is over and no child will be asked to take an admission test.

Children with disabilities will also be educated in the mainstream schools.

"About a hundred years ago a great son of India, Gopal Krishna Gokhale, urged the Imperial Legislative Assembly to confer on the Indian people the Right to Education. About 90 years later the Constitution of India was amended to enshrine the Right to Education as a fundamental right. Today, our government comes before you to redeem the pledge of giving all our children the right to elementary education. The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, enacted by Parliament in August 2009, has come into force today," prime minister Manmohan Singh said in his address to the nation.