Which Article of the Constitution of India provides for free and compulsory education for children between 6 and 14 years of age?

Introduction / Context:
Education is a key element of social development, and the Indian Constitution has gradually strengthened the commitment to educate children. Originally, the obligation was stated as a Directive Principle, but later a specific Fundamental Right was added. This question tests whether the learner can correctly identify the Article that guarantees free and compulsory education for children in the age group of 6 to 14 years. Knowing the relevant Article number is important for exams that cover education policy and constitutional amendments.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The subject is free and compulsory education for children between 6 and 14 years.
• Options mention Article 21A and other nearby provisions.
• Article 45 is also given, which historically dealt with education as a Directive Principle.

Concept / Approach:
Originally, Article 45 in Part IV directed the state to provide free and compulsory education to children up to a certain age, but it was not justiciable. Later, the Constitution was amended by inserting Article 21A in Part III, making education a Fundamental Right for children between 6 and 14 years. Article 21A states that the state shall provide free and compulsory education to all children in that age group, in such manner as the state may by law determine. Therefore, while Article 45 remains important as a Directive Principle, the enforceable right is now associated with Article 21A.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that the right to education for children aged 6 to 14 was made a Fundamental Right through a constitutional amendment.Step 2: Remember that this new right was placed in Part III and numbered as Article 21A, close to Article 21 which guarantees the right to life and personal liberty.Step 3: Note that Articles 21B, 21C, and 21D are not the standard designations for this right in the Constitution.Step 4: Recognise that Article 45, in the Directive Principles, earlier talked about providing free and compulsory education but is not the Fundamental Right itself.Step 5: Conclude that Article 21A is the correct answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
One more way to verify is to recall that the right to education law, the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, is often linked in exam guides with Article 21A. Textbooks on Indian polity clearly state that Article 21A was inserted by the Eighty Sixth Amendment. They also explain that Article 45 was modified to focus on early childhood care and education. This cross reference confirms that Article 21A is the constitutional anchor for free and compulsory education between 6 and 14 years.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Articles 21B, 21C, and 21D are not recognised as the provisions creating this right. They are distractors included simply to test memory. Article 45, while historically connected with education, is a Directive Principle and not the Fundamental Right introduced later. It therefore does not fully meet the description given in the question, which is about the constitutional Article that guarantees free and compulsory education as a right within the fundamental rights framework.

Common Pitfalls:
Some students remember that education appears in Article 45 and choose it out of habit, forgetting that the status of education changed after the constitutional amendment. Others see the cluster of 21 type Articles and get confused among them. A good memory aid is to link the right to education directly with the right to life and recall that the number 21A sits next to Article 21, symbolising that education supports a life of dignity.

Final Answer:
Article 21A