RTE

Introduction

A quick glance on some of the constitutional battles

When we talk to a teacher about Continuous Comprehensive Assessment (CCA) and ask them how they are doing it in their school then they almost always equate assessment with periodic examinations. The very word 'assessment' needs a careful handling of it, particularly the purpose of doing it. The important aspect being who is doing it and what is the intended outcome of such assessment. Assessment can mean how better a child learns (sharing the child's learning with her parents is the intended outcome).

This article describes the law and policy developments on the issue of early childhood care and education (ECCE), particularly, pre-school education in India. It also attempts to explore how courts have deliberated on this important policy objective. The article begins with a brief description of the constitutional position on ECCE and proceeds to an understanding of the legal developments on this issue.