An enterprising endeavour – by an individual, where state fumbles.

The Times of India (Coimbatore Edition dated 30.10.11) reports that Azim Premji is to set up two free schools in every district and 1300 schools are to be set up by the year 2025. 

As mentioned earlier in this blog, free and compulsory education upto the age of 14 was enshrined as a fundamental right in the Constitution in the year 2002.  Yet, even after a decade no serious moves are afoot to get it implemented.  Thus, by non-enforcement of this fundamental right, there is no material difference in the scenario from that of when the same was in the Directive Principles.  The Directive Principle (Article 45) itself had spelt out a time frame of 10 years from the implementation of the Constitution to make this an enforceable right.  It as a part of the Fundamental Right to life and liberty (Article 21) that the right to Education (Article 21A) is also enshrined.  That only points out to the umbilical link between the two.  Yet, the State is not yet prepared to implement it. 

It is pertinent to note that the same state machinery does not find it difficult to announce a slew of concessions on various occasions.  Freebees as incentives for votes have not yet been legally held as corrupt practices.  And there is no dearth of funds for such expenses. 

At a point of time, the Union Minister for Education Shri. Kapil Sibal went on to request the corporate sector to help the Government in fulfilling the Right to Education obligation, as a part of Corporate Social Responsibility.  But the same Government is now stated to be acceding to the demand of the Corporate sector that they should not be compelled to spend 2% of their net profit on philanthropic activities.  This report also is there in the same news paper.