Educational Equity and Access — Amendments

Amendment	Year	Description	Impact
86th Constitutional Amendment Act	2002	Inserted Article 21A, making free and compulsory education for children aged 6-14 a fundamental right. Modified Article 45 to focus on early childhood care and education for children below six years. Added Article 51A(k) as a fundamental duty for parents/guardians to provide educational opportunities.	Transformed education from a Directive Principle to a justiciable Fundamental Right, placing a direct legal obligation on the state. Paved the way for the RTE Act, 2009.
RTE Act Amendment	2019	Amended the 'no-detention policy' (Section 16) of the RTE Act, allowing states to introduce detention in Class V and VIII after re-examination. This reversed the original provision that prohibited detention until the completion of elementary education.	Aimed to address concerns about declining learning outcomes and accountability. Sparked debate on balancing access/retention with quality/accountability in elementary education.