Literacy is a fundamental human right and the foundation for lifelong learning. It is fully essential to social and human development in its ability to transform lives.-UNESCO
I wonder at the political colour given to my fair legal
comment in a TV Debate; on the progressive legislation fixing minimum qualification for
contesting panchayat elections. What ideally must have been a welcome
initiative is being seen conservatively through tunnel vision. Essentially,
universalisation of basic education is a constitutional mandate.
Constitutionally, it is the State’s responsibility to provide compulsory
education to children in the age bracket of 6-14 years. So how does the idea of
establishing a minimum educational qualification for any person representing
the masses arise in the first place?
The decentralized Panchayati Raj Institutions were endowed with the
responsibility of implementing various educational programmes along with other
developmental schemes. The minimum educational requirement should, therefore,
act as a thrust mechanism to promote education as a basic human right. Having
minimum educational norms for any political aspirant must be non-debatable in a
21st-century society.
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