Concept:
The
Constitution of India guarantees several
Fundamental Rights to ensure the development, dignity, and freedom of individuals. One of the important additions to these rights is the
Right to Education, which is provided under
Article 21A.
Article 21A was introduced through the
86th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2002. This amendment made education a fundamental right for children and placed a constitutional obligation on the state to provide free and compulsory education.
According to Article 21A:
\[
\text{The State shall provide free and compulsory education to all children of the age of 6 to 14 years.
\]
This provision ensures that every child in India has access to basic education regardless of economic or social background. To implement this constitutional mandate, the Government of India enacted the
Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act (RTE), 2009, which came into effect on
1 April 2010.
The objective of this provision is to:
- Promote universal elementary education
- Reduce illiteracy
- Ensure equal educational opportunities
- Strengthen human resource development in the country
Step 1: Understanding the constitutional provision.
The question asks which fundamental right is associated with
Article 21A of the Indian Constitution.
Step 2: Recall the meaning of Article 21A.
Article 21A explicitly guarantees the
Right to Education for children aged
6–14 years.
Step 3: Analyzing the options.
- Option (A): Right to Freedom of Speech and Expression — Provided under Article 19(1)(a).
- Option (B): Right to Education — Correct; this is the fundamental right guaranteed under Article 21A.
- Option (C): Right to Equality — Covered under Articles 14 to 18.
- Option (D): Right to Constitutional Remedies — Provided under Article 32.
Step 4: Selecting the correct answer.
\[
\boxed{\text{Right to Education}}
\]
Thus, Article 21A is related to the
Right to Education.