Question

Which of the following cases laid down the principle that the right to education is a fundamental right under Article 21A of the Constitution?

• A. Unni Krishnan v. State of Andhra Pradesh
• B. Mohini Jain v. State of Karnataka
• C. T.M.A. Pai Foundation v. State of Karnataka
• D. P.A. Inamdar v. State of Maharashtra

Hint:

Remember the timeline for the Right to Education: 1. Mohini Jain (1992): First declared it part of Article 21. 2. Unni Krishnan (1993): Refined it to age 14. 3. **Article 21A** (2002): Made it an explicit Fundamental Right.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

The journey to making education a fundamental right involved key judicial pronouncements. In Mohini Jain v. State of Karnataka (1992), the Supreme Court for the first time held that the 'Right to Education' is an integral part of the 'Right to Life' under Article 21. This was a broad declaration. The principle was later refined in Unni Krishnan v. State of A.P. (1993), where the court held that this right is applicable to children up to the age of 14. These judicial pronouncements ultimately led to the 86th Constitutional Amendment in 2002, which inserted Article 21A, making the right to free and compulsory education for children aged 6 to 14 an explicit fundamental right. Mohini Jain was the case that initiated this legal evolution.