Article 45 — Provision for Early Childhood Care and Education

When the Constitution was adopted in 1950, Article 45 stated that the State shall endeavor to provide free and compulsory education for all children until they complete the age of 14 years.

However, because it was a Directive Principle, it was not legally enforceable in court. The government tried to fulfill this goal over the decades but struggled with resources.

The 86th Amendment radically changed the landscape of education in the Constitution:

1. It took the right to education (for ages 6 to 14) out of Article 45 and made it a Fundamental Right under the new Article 21A.
2. Consequently, the text of Article 45 was completely rewritten.

Following the 2002 amendment, the new text of Article 45 reads:

"The State shall endeavour to provide early childhood care and education for all children until they complete the age of six years."

Significance: Since older children (6-14) are now guaranteed free education as a fundamental right, Article 45 now directs the government to focus on pre-schoolers (0-6 years). This involves ensuring proper nutrition, immunization, and basic early learning before they enter formal schooling. The government implements this directive primarily through the Anganwadi system.