Which of the following statements about the Right to Education in India are correct? 1. Free and compulsory education should be provided to all children in the age group of six to fourteen years. 2. The Right to Education Act, 2009 requires that schools must have qualified teachers and basic infrastructure. 3. There should be quality education without any discrimination on the ground of economic, social or cultural background. Select the correct answer using the code given below.

Introduction / Context:
The Right to Education in India is a major constitutional and legal guarantee that aims to ensure every child receives basic schooling. It is grounded in Article 21A of the Constitution and operationalised through the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009. This question asks you to evaluate three statements that together describe the scope of this right in terms of coverage, school standards, and non discrimination. Such multi statement questions test both factual memory and conceptual understanding of how the right is implemented on the ground.

Given Data / Assumptions:

The first statement refers to free and compulsory education for children aged six to fourteen years in India.
The second statement highlights that the Right to Education Act, 2009 lays down norms related to qualified teachers and basic school infrastructure.
The third statement focuses on the requirement of quality education without discrimination based on economic, social or cultural background.
It is assumed that the question is based on Article 21A and the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 in force for school education in India.

Concept / Approach:
To answer this question, you should recall the core features of the Right to Education framework. First, Article 21A makes education for children between six and fourteen a Fundamental Right. Second, the RTE Act sets norms and standards for schools, including teacher qualifications, pupil teacher ratios, and physical infrastructure such as classrooms, toilets and drinking water facilities. Third, the Act emphasises that schools cannot discriminate against children on grounds such as caste, religion, gender, social or economic status, and that quality education must be inclusive. The approach is to match each statement with these known features and see whether it correctly reflects the law and policy.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Consider Statement 1. Article 21A clearly states that the State shall provide free and compulsory education to all children in the age group of six to fourteen years. Thus, Statement 1 is correct. Step 2: Consider Statement 2. The RTE Act, 2009 lays down norms and standards for schools, including minimum teacher qualifications, pupil teacher ratios and essential infrastructure. Therefore, saying that the imperative of the Act is that schools must have qualified teachers and basic infrastructure is a correct description of one of its central requirements. Statement 2 is correct. Step 3: Consider Statement 3. The entire design of the Right to Education is aimed at ensuring that children receive quality education without discrimination based on economic, social or cultural background. The Act prohibits screening tests, capitation fees and discriminatory practices which exclude disadvantaged children. So Statement 3 is also correct. Step 4: Since Statements 1, 2 and 3 all align with the constitutional Article and the RTE Act framework, all three statements are correct. Step 5: Among the options, only the option that includes 1, 2 and 3 together matches this conclusion.

Verification / Alternative check:
A quick cross check with standard polity and education policy summaries confirms that Article 21A covers children from six to fourteen years, that the RTE Act sets norms for teachers and infrastructure, and that non discrimination and inclusion are key pillars of the law. Many exam guides summarise the right by mentioning the age group, free and compulsory nature, minimum school standards and emphasis on equitable quality. This matches all three statements, reinforcing that they are all correct taken together.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
1 and 2 only: This option wrongly excludes Statement 3, even though the prohibition of discrimination and the goal of quality education are central objectives of the RTE framework. 1 and 3 only: This option falsely omits Statement 2, although school infrastructure norms and teacher qualifications are specifically laid down in the Schedule to the RTE Act. 3 only: This ignores the age group guarantee and the statutory norms, and therefore does not capture the full legal position.

Common Pitfalls:
Learners sometimes focus only on the age group and forget that the RTE Act also prescribes detailed structural norms for schools. Others may remember infrastructure norms but not the strong non discrimination and inclusion element. A further confusion arises between Fundamental Rights and Directive Principles. To avoid such mistakes, remember that Article 21A and the RTE Act together guarantee a package: free and compulsory schooling for ages six to fourteen, minimum standards of quality and infrastructure, qualified teachers, and non discriminatory access for children from all economic, social and cultural backgrounds.

Final Answer:
All three statements correctly describe important aspects of the Right to Education framework in India, so the correct choice is 1, 2 and 3.