17/02/2026
Parbati Sen Gupta Memorial Child Educare Foundation” (hereinafter referred to as the “Foundation”) has been established with the intent to promote and encourage the education of children, primarily those whose parents have limited means to support their academic pursuits.
It is pertinent to note that the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India, in the case of Unnikrishnan J. P. vs. State of Andhra Pradesh [(1993) 1 SCC 645], held that the “right to education” is an integral part of the “right to life” guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution of India. The Court implied that the right to education is a fundamental right, as the word ‘life’ has been held to include ‘education’ because education promotes a good and dignified life.
Consequently, Article 21A of the Constitution of India was incorporated by the Constitution (Eighty-Sixth Amendment) Act, 2002. This Article mandates that the State shall provide free and compulsory education to all children of the age of 6 to 14 years in such manner as the State may, by law, determine.
Subsequently, the legislature enacted “The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009”. Section 3 of the said Act provides that every child between the ages of 6 and 14 years shall have the right to free and compulsory education in a neighbourhood school until the completion of his or her elementary education.
In view of Article 21A and the 2009 Act, the State is under a constitutional obligation to provide free education, create necessary infrastructure, and ensure effective machinery for the proper implementation of this right for children aged 6 to 14 years. However, beyond that stage, the State’s obligation is subject to the “limits of the economic capacity and development of the State”.
The Foundation has observed that while the State of West Bengal provides books, uniforms, and mid-day meals to students aged 8 to 14, students from Class-IX onwards are often deprived of these essential study materials and nutritional support.
The Foundation has taken the initiative to protect and preserve the education of students who are not covered by the mandate of Article 21A or The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009. While the Central and State Governments are performing the duties mandated under the aforesaid laws, education limited to the age of 14 is often insufficient in the present scenario to upgrade one’s standard of living or financially support a family. It is difficult to lead a life with human dignity with education only up to the age of 14.
With the hope of advocating for future legislative changes where the State Government also supports children beyond the age of 14, the Foundation has commenced its journey at “Manmathapur High School”, Kochukhali, Gosaba, Sunderban, starting in the year 2026. The Trustees intend to expand this initiative to other schools in the Sunderbans, across West Bengal, and eventually to other States.
During the distribution of books and uniforms on 2nd January, 2026, conducted with the cooperation of the Government of West Bengal, the Headmaster of Manmathapur High School, Kochukhali, raised a concern regarding the quality of drinking water. Drinking water in the Sunderbans is often insufficient and unsuitable for consumption due to high salinity in shallow groundwater. While the community relies on deep tubewells, the water quality remains suboptimal.
Thanks to the immense support of Mr. Biswajib Ghosh, Barrister-at-Law, High Court at Calcutta, and Mr. Devendra Surana, the Foundation has decided to install a water purifier plant at Manmathapur High School. This initiative ensures that approximately 450 students will have access to safe, high-quality drinking water in the future.
Regards,
Piyali Sengupta
Sudarsana Daw
Shuvasish Sen Gupta
Parbati Sen Gupta Memorial
Child Educare Foundation
