CONSTITUTIONAL CONTOURS OF RIGHT TO EDUCATION AND EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM IN INDIA Thesis Submitted to the University Of North Bengal for the award of.the ·negr.ee of Doctor of Philos~phy in Law. Supervisor Dr. B.P Dwivedi Professor & Former Head Department of Law. By Pawan Kumar Mishra Department of Law, University of North Bengal Raja Rammohanpur, Darjeeling, PIN.734013 West Bengal, India 2008 • STOCKTAKING-2011\ 2 J fj 9 [J 6 ::!Ji;[il)j 0 1 SEP 200~ Tel: (0353) 2776307 2776310 Fax: (0353) 2699001 UNIVERSITY OF NORTH BENGAL DEPARTMENT OF LAW P.O.NORTH BENGAL UNIVERSITY, RAJA RAMMOHUNPUR, DIST. DARJEELING, WEST BENGAL, INDIA, PIN-734013 Dr. B.P. Dwived,i Professor & Former Head CERTIFICATE This is to certify that Mr. Pawan Kumar Mishra, has pursued research work under my supervision for more than four years and fulfills the requirement of the ordinances relating to Doctor of Philosophy of the University. He has completed his work and the thesis is ready for submission. To the best of my knowledge and belief, the thesis contains the original work done by the candidate and it has not been submitted by him or any other candidate to this or any other university for any degree previously. In habit and character, the candidate is a fit and proper person for the Ph.D Degree. I recommend submission of this thesis. Prof. B.P .Dwivedi Superviser ACKNOWLEDGEMENT This thesis embodies the result of the research pursued under the supervision of Dr. B. P. Dwivedi, Professor, Department of Law, University of North Bengal. I take this opportunity to express my deep sense of gratitude and respect for him, who kindled in me the desire for research. It has been a matter of immense pleasure to me to be benefited by his scholarly and erudite guidance. I am deeply grateful to him, who despite of his preoccupation took interest tirelessly and gave encouragement at every stage. Without his wise and sound consultation tlte study would not have progressed in the right direction. It was really an extraordinary experience working under his guidance. I must also express my gratitude to Dr. Rathin Bandyopadhyay ,Head, Department of Law, University of North Bengal for the suggestions and constant encouragement he gave me throughout the period wizen the work on the thesis was going on. I must also record my thanks and gratitude to my reverend teacher Professor Gangotri Chakraborty, Department of Law, North Bengal University for her kind guidance and academic patronage. I also acknowledge my thanks to Professor Manjula Batra, faculty ofLaw, Jamia Milia Islamia, Delhi and Professor N. S. Bawa, Director, Vivekananda Law School, Delhi for their motivation and support. I also owe my indebtness to my respected parents who are always there to help me, guide me and have been an unfailing reservoir of inspiration and encouragement. I also acknowledge my thanks to my brothers Mr. S. K. Mishra , A. K Mishra and the whole family for their co-operation and continuous motivation in completion of this thesis. I am indeed very thankful to my wife, Sujata and daughter Pankhuri who are a constant and immeasurable source of inspiration to me for their help and co-operation. This research could not have completed without their loving care and encouragement. My friends have made useful suggestions and meaningful contributions to the preparation of this work as I was struggling to snatch time, amidst a multitude of other commitment, to complete the same. I express profound thanks to these countless friends for their help. Special thanks are extended to Ankur,Munisha and Priyanka for their concern at every stage and persistent pursuit, to see that the work is completed and has a peerless presentability. I also express my sincere thanks to the University of North Bengal-an institution of educational excellence in higher education-whose august and vast campus provided the infra-structural and logical support for the completion of this work. I also extend my gratitude to all the staff of the Law Department, especially library, Parliament library, ILL Library etc. for their assistance wltich was of immense value during the entire course ofmy work. Department ofLaw, University ofNorth Bengal. Date ......~ f;;. 9};:. ~ R.~. Pawan Kumar Mishra 11 CONTENTS PAGES ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ................................................................ i-ii . LIST OF CASES ........................................................................... X-XXV CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION ......................................................................... 1-10 CHAPTER II: CONCEPTUAL AND CONSTITUTIONAL FOUNDATION ..................... 11-72 A: HISTORICAL BACKGROUND .................................................. 11 (i) British India ...................... ~ ........................................... 13 (ii) Framing of the Constitution ..................................... ~ ............ 17 B: DEFINITIONAL CONCEPT ...................................................... 20 C: OTHERCOUNTRIES .............................................................. 27 (i) United States of Anierica ................................................. ; 27 (ii) England ...................................·.................................. .. 31 (iii) Canada. 3 8 (iv) Japan ......................... , ................................................ 40 (v) Pakistan ........................................................................ 44 (vi} Bangladesh .................................................................... 46 (vii) Eire............................................................................ 49 (viii)· Burma......................................................................... 49 (ix) France .............. ,......................................................... 49 (x) Czechoslovakia.............................................................. 49 (xi) Germany ................. ; ..................................................... 49 (xii) Costa Rica ........................................................·............ 50 (xiii) Nepal......................................................................... 50 111 D: INTERNATIONL INSTRUMENTS:............................................... 51 (i) Universal Declaration Of Human Rights 1948 .................................. .51 (ii) International Covenant OfEconomic, Social and Cultural Rights 1966 ... 51 (iii) United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child 1989 ................. 53 (iv) The Beijing Declaration and Education 1995 ........................... , .......54. E: INDIAN FRAMEWORK .............. ; .................................................55 (i) Constitutional Provisions ............................................................ 55 a. Entries Mentioned In the Union List . 56 b. Entries Mentioned in the Concurrent List . 57 c. As Directive Principles of State Policy .................................... 58 d. Having Flavour ofFundamental Duties .................................. 59 e. Fundamental Right . 60 · f. Article 21 - A : Right to Education ...................... ; ................ 60 g. Education, Minorities and Weaker Sections .............................. 61 (ii) Education and Right to Life...................................................... 62 (iii} Education and Right to Equality ................................................... 67 CHAPTER: lll EDUCATION AND RIGHT.OF STUDENTS .......................................... 73-159 A: SCOPE OF THE RIGHTS ......................................................... 73 B: ADMISSION .........................................................•............... 74 (i) Eligibility .......................................... :............................. 74 (ii) Technical Education ............................................................ 82 (iii) Legal Education .................................................................. 86 (iv) Irregularities and Cancellation ................................................ 92 a. The Effect and Legal Consequences of Irregular Admission......... 94 b. Compensation or Refund ofAdmission Fee ............ ~ ................. 95 C: RESERVATION ............................................................. ; ....... 96 (i) . Scope of Reservation .........................................................96 a. Need and Object ofReservation ................... : ................ 98 b. Constitutional Provision ............................................. 100 IV c. Commissions Appointed to Identify OBC's ..........................102 d. Modem Status of Caste System .................................... 104 e. Memories of Reservation ............................................. 106 f. Present Act ............................................................ 109 g. Affirmative Approach ............... : ................................ 111 (ii) Post graduate Education ................................................... 112 a. Super Specialty Course............................................ 115 (iii) Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes................................. 116 (iv) · Backward Classes ............................................................ 121. (v) Non- Resident Indian ................ ~ ..................... :............... 124 (vi) · Sports-Quota .................................................................. 126. · (vii) Government Quota ............................................................ 128 (viii) Institutional Reservation ..................................................... 130 D: STUDENTS UNION ................................................·