History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v7.c96.s2.31

v7.c96.s2.31

The Directive Principles of state policy are contained in Articles 37 to 51 and it is provided in Article 37 that they shall not be enforceable by any court, but that they are fundamental in the governance of the country. Article 45 enacts that the State shall endeavour to provide within a period of ten years from the commencement of this constitution *for free and compulsory education for all children until they complete the age of fourteen years.* It is more than twelve years since the commencement of the Constitution. In spite of the fact that about 7000 crores of rupees were to be spent on grandiose schemes in the two Five Year Plans, this fundamental provision was not implemented. Even free and compulsory primary education of all children up to the age of *eleven* years (instead of 14 as envisaged in Article 45) is not accomplished and it is promised that in the Third Five Year Plan (which envisages an expenditure of over ten thousand crores of rupees) this may be accomplished. But, if the huge sums for the third plan be not forthcoming, the first casualty will be education The education of the masses who are to be voters and indirectly rulers of the nation continues to be sadly neglected even after Independence.