Children must have Physical and Social Access to School

For achieving universalisation of elementary education, it is essential that all children of appropriate age group have access to schooling facilities within a reasonable distance. In the absence of easily accessible schools, children are less likely to enrol or continue their education, even if they have been formally admitted. Therefore, the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009 mandates that every child is entitled to access an elementary school within the prescribed limits of his or her neighbourhood.

However, access to schooling is not limited to physical proximity alone; social access is equally important. In a diverse country like Bharatvarsha, where there are variations in language, dialect, caste, gender, and socio-economic status, schools must recognise these differences and respond to them sensitively. For instance, if the language of instruction in a tribal area is the State language from Class-1 onwards, the school environment may appear alienating to the child. Similarly, if teachers are not sensitive to issues related to gender and caste, classroom practices may inadvertently reinforce traditional stereotypes rather than promote equality.

Teachers’ interaction patterns, seating arrangements, allocation of classroom responsibilities, and expectations from students can either perpetuate or dismantle social hierarchies. Government schools, which cater mostly to first-generation learners and children from marginalized communities, must account for the fact that many children lack academic support at home. Penalising such children for homework lapses or failing to provide academic support can result in discouragement and eventual dropout. Hence, curriculum and textbooks must be closely linked to children’s lived experiences, reinforcing pride in their language, culture, and way of life, while also exposing them to the wider world.

Universal access to education therefore necessitates schools of equitable quality. Elementary education plays a pivotal role in ensuring that a child’s religion, caste, class, gender or language does not predetermine his or her life opportunities. Yet, disparities persist across schools in terms of infrastructure and teaching quality—between rural and urban areas, public and private institutions, and even within government schools themselves. Children from SC, ST, and socially depressed communities, especially girls, often face poor quality schooling. The State must, therefore, invest disproportionately in upgrading such schools and strengthening teacher education (both pre-service and in-service) to promote inclusive classroom practices.

As per prescribed norms, a habitation is entitled to a primary school if there are at least 40 children in the 6–14 age group and no school exists within a radius of one-kilometer. For upper primary schools, this norm is three kilometers, and for secondary schools, it is five kilometers. In almost all states of Bharat, the issue of physical access has been largely addressed.