Passage

Directions for the following 4 (four) items : Read the following passage and answer the four items that follow. Your answers to these items should be based on the passage only. Passage It is no longer enough for us to talk about providing for universal access to education. Making available schooling facilities is an essential prerequisite, but is insufficient to ensure that all children attend school and participate in the learning process. The school may be there, but children may not attend or they may drop out after a few months. Through school and social mapping, we must address the entire gamut of social, economic, cultural and indeed linguistic and pedagogic issues, factors that prevent children from weaker sections and disadvantaged groups, as also girls, from regularly attending and complementing elementary education. The focus must be on the poorest and most vulnerable since these groups are the most disempowered and at the greatest risk of violation or denial of their right to education. The right to education goes beyond free and compulsory education to include quality education for all. Quality is an integral part of the right to education. If the education process lacks quality, children are being denied their right. The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act lays down that the curriculum should provide for learning through activities, exploration and discovery. This places an obligation on us to change our perception of children as passive receivers of knowledge, and to move beyond the convention of using textbooks as the basis of examinations. The teaching-learning process must become stress-free; and a massive programme for curricular reform should be initiated to provide for a child-friendly learning system, that is more relevant and empowering. Teacher

What is the essential message in this passage?

(a) The Right to Education now is a Fundamental Right.
(b) The Right to Education enables the children of poor and weaker sections of the society to attend schools.
(c) The Right to Free and Compulsory Education should include quality education for all. ✓ UPSC's answer
(d) The Government as well as parents should ensure that all children attend schools.

Why the answer is (c)

• The passage explicitly states that 'The right to education goes beyond free and compulsory education to include quality education for all.'

• It argues that merely making schooling facilities available is insufficient; quality is an integral part of the right to education.

• The text emphasizes that if the education process lacks quality, children are being denied their right, regardless of access.

• Therefore, the central argument is that the framework of free and compulsory education must inherently encompass quality standards to be effective.

Why the other options are wrong

(a) The Right to Education now is a Fundamental Right.: The passage discusses the scope and quality of the right to education but does not mention its constitutional status as a Fundamental Right.
(b) The Right to Education enables the children of poor and weaker sections of the society to…: While the passage mentions focusing on the poorest, it argues that access alone is insufficient and that quality is the missing essential component, not just attendance.
(d) The Government as well as parents should ensure that all children attend schools.: The passage focuses on systemic issues like curriculum reform and quality standards, rather than assigning specific responsibilities to parents for ensuring attendance.

Asked in the CSAT Paper II of the UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2018, held on 3 June 2018. Question and answer key: Union Public Service Commission. Explanation: UPSC Answer Check.