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The need of the hour is to have uniform education across schools in India
Right to Education under Article 21A of the Constitution in conformity with Article 14, 15 and Preamble of the Constitution says there must be no discrimination in quality of education throughout the territory of India.
Today the education imparted to our children varies across states. They even vary across private and government schools in the same city. Is it right? Or is there a motivation to make all education uniform across the country. There is a motivation to do so when you read the Right to Education under Article 21A of the Constitution in conformity with Article 14, 15 and Preamble of the Constitution and there must be no discrimination in quality of education throughout the territory of India. Thus, a common syllabus and common curriculum is required.
This means that the right of a child should not be restricted only to free and compulsory education, but should be extended to have uniform education system throughout the territory of India, without any discrimination on the basis of child's Social Economic Religious and Cultural background.
A uniform education system actually would have the power to set right some of the biggest problems ailing this country in particular and humanity in general. It will achieve the code of a common culture, removal of disparity and depletion of discriminatory values in human relations. It would enhance virtues and improve the quality of human life, elevate the thoughts, which advance our Constitutional philosophy of equal society. In fact, it may prove to be the groundwork for the Uniform Civil Code as it may help in diminishing opportunities to those who foment fanatic and fissiparous tendencies.
Children are not only the future citizens but also the future of the earth. Elders in general, and parents and teachers in particular, owe a responsibility for taking care of the well being and welfare of children. The world can be a better or worse place according to how we treat children today. Education is an investment needed by the nation in its children for harvesting responsible adults in the future.
Democracy demands high standards of general, vocational and professional education. Dissemination of learning with search for new knowledge with all round discipline must be maintained at all costs.
Article 21A is the most important fundamental right. Without Article 21A, the other fundamental rights are effectively rendered meaningless.
Off all the rights conferred under our constitution, education stands above all. Fundamental stress should be on primary and secondary education so that a proper foundation for higher education can be effectively laid. Preamble of the Constitution is framed with great care and deliberation. It reflects high purpose and noble objective of the Constitution makers.
Eminent jurist Palkhivala explained the essence of our Constitution: "Our Constitution is primarily shaped and moulded for the common man. It takes no account of the portly presence of the potentates, goodly in girth. It is the Constitution not meant for the ruler, but the ranker, the tramp of the road, the slave with the sack on his shoulders, pricked on with the goad, the man with too weighty a burden, too weary a load". We have resolved to constitute India into a Socialist Secular Democratic Republic. Justice, Liberty, Equality and Fraternity are cornerstones of our democracy. Justice is the genus, of which "Socio-Economic" Justice is one of its species. Socio-economic justice is essential for orderly growth and development of the poor, weak, dalits, tribals and deprived sections of the society. And to elevate them to the level of equality; state should provide Uniform Education having common syllabus and curriculum to all children of the age of 6 to 14 years in conformity with Article 14, 15 and Preamble of the Constitution, without discrimination on the basis of child's social economic religious and cultural background.
Some constitution provisions
Socio- economic justice, assured by Article 39, 46 and Preamble of the Constitution would get practical content, and Fraternity assuring dignity of the person, and Equality of status assured to them would become meaningful and real; if State would provide Uniform Education, having common syllabus and curriculum to all children of the age of 6 to 14 years throughout the territory of India.
Uniform Education is not only necessary for social economic equality but also essential to promote fraternity assuring dignity of individual and unity and integrity of the nation. The greatest example of this being already in practice is in all the Kendriya Vidyalaya and Navodaya Schools where the syllabus and curriculum is not only uniform but school dress is also common. Socialism and secularism will remain elusive until uniformity in education is made available.
The ultimate goal of the Article 21A read with Article 14 and 15 cannot be achieved with the highly varying standards and syllabus. Uniform Education to all children of the age of 6-14 years will not only secure social economic equality but also it'll promote fraternity, assuring dignity of individual and unity and integrity of the nation.