Former President of India, Late Dr Pranab Mukherjee spoke about the importance of education on many occasions. Dr Mukherjee once remarked,
“Education is the true alchemy that can bring India its next Golden Age; our motto is unambiguous- All for knowledge and knowledge for all”[1]
Following the scholastic spirit further, given the increased aspirations of India’s first citizen and the indisputable significance of the golden key to improving life, it is necessary to compare how the right to education is implemented in India with the right that is available internationally and determine whether the implementation of such a right is affordable to fit our budget.[2].
In this regard, the words of Alfred Marshall are befittingly reproduced herein under,
“The wisdom of expending public and private funds on education is not to be measured by its direct fruits alone. It will be profitable as a mere investment, to give the masses of the people much greater opportunities, than they can generally avail themselves of. For by this means many, who would have died unknown, are able to get the start needed for bringing out their latent abilities. The most valuable of all capital is invested in human beings.”[3]
ARTICLE 21A OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA
It is informative for the researcher to assess the historical foundations and educational provisions and their evolution throughout time to gain a fair grasp of the relevance and significance of the Right to Education. As we now know, the road was not as straightforward as it might seem, with numerous legal and societal obstacles in its route. Therefore, it would be unfair to assess the current organisation in a vacuum, divorced from historical growth.
History of Right to Education
Throughout the Vedic era, education about scriptures and rituals was considered a “privilege” for members of the upper class, particularly the “priestly class” of “Brahmins & Kshatriyas,” due to their religious affiliation and the elitist educational system that excluded Shudras. They were also permitted to receive job-related education from their ancestors. The caste system, which was based on occupational activities and permitted movement during the early Vedic period, was modified to accommodate the interests of the higher castes, namely the Brahmans and Kshatriyas, in the later Vedic period.
Muslim monarchs, like their Hindu counterparts, did not recognise the state’s obligation to provide education. They viewed it as “a branch of religion and therefore entrusted the responsibilities to the Ulemas,” just like Hindu kings did. since of this, many people were unable to obtain education since it was “interlocked” with religion.
Although it may be assumed that modern education was introduced to India with the arrival of colonial power, this was done to appease the elites and use them as a tool to further the company’s objectives. The inadequate schools were noted by the Wood’s dispatch.
Jyotiba Phule and Dada Bhai Naoroji advocated for “state sponsored free education for at least four years” before the Hunter Commission was appointed in 1882.
In turn, this was included in the “Commission on Primary Education’s” recommendations, which also included opening schools to all students, regardless of caste or class.
In contrast to British attempts, Maharaja Sayaji Rao temporarily made primary education mandatory in nine villages in Amroli, Baroda. In 1906, Baroda passed a legislation requiring compulsory education after achieving “favourable results.” According to the regulation, girls and boys between the ages of “7 and 10 and 7 and 12 years of age” were required to attend school. According to the, Gopal Krishna Gokhale pleaded with the Imperial Legislative Council in 1906 to implement free and compulsory education. However, Gokhale’s bill for private members was turned down. Nonetheless, Vithalbhai Patel ensured that the “First Law on Compulsory Education” was passed in 1917. Every province in British India has passed a law requiring compulsory schooling by 1918.
Sirs Rahimatulla and Shitalwad urged the “Government of Bombay” to establish “educational institutions” at the beginning of the 20th century. In 1906, an Advisory Committee was established in response. This committee proposed that “the matter was closed, and a decision could not be made on this subject because it was too early.
Despite this, Bombay was among the first states to enact legislation pertaining to “compulsory education.” Others slowly did the same. Under the “Government of India Act, 1919,” elementary education was given to “Indian Ministers” during this time.
A few decades later, in 1937, Mahatma Gandhi discussed the provision of “basic education” for “seven years” through “vocational and mental training” at the “All India National Conference on Education” in Wardha. In fact, this was the first time the idea of “free and compulsory education” was even entertained. The same was advised for kids aged 6 to 14 in the Sargent strategy, which was the post-war strategy for educational improvement in 1944.[4]
[1] Words of Shri Pranab Mukherjee, The President of India, quoted in “Right to Education: Comparative Analysis of different countries” by Ms Shelly Bhatnagar and Dr. Satish Gill. Published in Quest Journals- Journal of Research in Humanities and Social Science Vol.no.2 (2014) PP- 29-32 (ISSN No. (Online)- 2321-9467).
[2] Budget here means and includes the mindset, whether written or still in mind, i.e. of the dream to be fulfilled in the specified targets as to time-frame, quality and expenditures: unless otherwise specified elsewhere.
[3] ALFRED MARSHALL, PRINCIPLES OF ECONOMICS, (8th ed, 1890).
[4] S.K Joshi, Journey of Right to Education: A Historical Perspective, The Intl. Peer Reviewed Scholarly Research Journal for Interdisciplinary Studies