Question

Which fundamental right in the Indian Constitution was amended to include the 'Right to Education'?

• A. Article 14
• B. Article 19
• C. Article 21
• D. Article 32

Hint:

Important facts about the Right to Education:

• Introduced by \textbf{86th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2002}
• Added as \textbf{Article 21A}
• Guarantees free and compulsory education for children aged \textbf{6–14 years}
• Implemented through the \textbf{RTE Act, 2009}

Memory trick: \[ \textbf{21 → Life} \] \[ \textbf{21A → Life + Education} \]

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Concept:
The Right to Education (RTE) was incorporated into the Indian Constitution through the 86th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2002. This amendment inserted Article 21A, which guarantees free and compulsory education to children between the ages of 6 and 14 years. Article 21A was introduced as a part of the broader interpretation of Article 21, which guarantees the Right to Life and Personal Liberty. The Supreme Court of India had earlier interpreted the right to life as including the right to live with dignity, which naturally includes access to education. Therefore, the Right to Education emerged from and was added to the framework of Article 21. The amendment also introduced two additional constitutional provisions:

• Article 21A – Makes education a fundamental right for children aged 6–14 years.
• Article 45 (modified) – Directs the state to provide early childhood care and education for children below six years.
• Article 51A(k) – Makes it a fundamental duty of parents or guardians to provide opportunities for education to children between 6 and 14 years.

Step 1: Understand the constitutional change.

The Right to Education was formally added through the 86th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2002.
Step 2: Identify the parent article.

The new Article 21A was inserted under the broader framework of Article 21, which deals with the Right to Life and Personal Liberty.
Step 3: Analyze the options.

• Option (A): Article 14 — Related to Right to Equality.
• Option (B): Article 19 — Related to various freedoms such as speech and expression.
• Option (C): Article 21 — Correct; the Right to Education was introduced as Article 21A under the framework of Article 21.
• Option (D): Article 32 — Right to Constitutional Remedies.

Step 4: Selecting the correct answer.
\[ \boxed{\text{Article 21}} \]