Constitutional concern — Article 15(3), Article 21A, Articles 23, 24, 28, 29 Article 39

A nine-year-old girl in a Thane chawl wants to go to school, but her family needs the small income she can earn cutting vegetables for a stall. Four constitutional provisions meet in her life. Article 21A says the State must educate her. Article 24 says she cannot be put to hazardous work. Article 23 forbids forcing her into labour. Article 15(3) says the State may make special rules for her as a girl and as a child. This topic walks through those provisions and asks how each one actually helps a child.

In two minutes

The Constitution protects the child through Fundamental Rights that are enforceable (Articles 15(3), 21A, 23, 24, 28, 29) and through Directive Principles that guide the State (Article 39(e)-(f)); the main bridge between them is free and compulsory education for children aged six to fourteen.

The rest of this chapter

The full explanation, the cheat sheet, every previous-year question at every mark weight, the quiz and the answer skeletons are part of Law Relating to Women and Children on LexBlox Semester. Sign in to unlock the subject, or read Module 1 of Legal Language and Writing free.