Right to education
- Source edition
- The Constitution of India (as on 1 May 2026)
- Source locator
- Part III, Article 21A, printed page 11
- Last human source-link check
- Not yet checked
- Last human legal review
- Not yet reviewed
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1. In One Sentence
The State must provide free and compulsory education to all children aged six to fourteen, in the manner determined by law.
2. What It Means in Everyday Language
Article 21A places a duty on the State to provide free and compulsory education for all children aged six to fourteen years. The constitutional wording does not restrict this guarantee to citizens.
The article leaves the manner of delivery to legislation (primarily the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009). The source edition records that the provision was inserted by the Eighty-sixth Amendment, 2002, and came into effect on 1 April 2010.
Tripartite Education Scheme: Article 21A forms part of a cohesive three-tier constitutional structure with Article 45 (Directive Principle for early childhood care for children below age six) and Article 51A(k) (Fundamental Duty of parents/guardians to provide educational opportunities for children aged six to fourteen).
3. Practical Illustrative Example
A nine-year-old child needs access to schooling.
4. Important Limits, Qualifications & Exceptions
The constitutional guarantee specifies an age range and a legislative framework.
- It covers children aged six to fourteen.
- The State is responsible for provision in the manner determined by law.
- Education outside this age range may be supported by other constitutional provisions and laws; Article 21A alone does not settle those entitlements.
5. Operative Constitutional Text
6. Sources & Historical Assembly Deliberations
Assembly quotations are withheld until wording, dates, and attribution have been checked against the primary record.
- •Government of India (Legislative Department, Ministry of Law and Justice) • Part III, Article 21A, printed page 11 • Human source-link check pending
Primary PDF accessed and transcribed with AI assistance on 14 October 2026. Formatting and amendment annotation markers are omitted; operative wording is retained. This is not human legal review. Later amendments and commencement notifications have not been comprehensively checked.