RAS question
The Right to Education (RTE) Act 2009 mandates free and compulsory education for children in which age group?
Correct answer: (B) 6 to 14 years.
Under the Right to Education Act, 2009, children aged 6 to 14 years have the right to free and compulsory education.
Explanation
The Right to Education Act, 2009 gives effect to Article 21A of the Constitution by providing free and compulsory elementary education to every child aged 6 to 14 years. This right is not limited to school enrolment; it also requires the child to complete elementary education in a formal school with satisfactory and equitable quality. “Free” means that no fee, charge or expense may be imposed if it could prevent the child from continuing the education. “Compulsory” places responsibility on the government and local authorities to ensure enrolment, attendance and completion of elementary education. The provision reserving 25% of seats in private schools for economically weaker sections also links the law to access and equity. The precise age band is the key exam point: the entitlement begins at 6, not 5, and ends at 14, not 16. For RAS, this should therefore be understood as the specific constitutional and statutory age bracket under the Right to Education framework, not as a broad statement about school education in general.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) 5 to 14 years is wrong because the Right to Education mandate starts at age 6, so including age 5 extends the statutory age group beyond the Act.
- (C) 6 to 16 years is wrong because the Act covers children only up to 14 years, not up to 16.
- (D) 5 to 16 years is wrong at both ends because the age group under Article 21A and the Right to Education Act begins at 6 and ends at 14.
Concept
This tests the welfare and human-capital part of the Economy and Social Sector syllabus. RAS repeats this topic because the Right to Education Act links a constitutional right, a statutory mandate and inclusion through reservations for economically weaker sections.