SBI Research proposes constitutional amendments for Indian education rights

SBI Research has proposed amending Article 21 of the Indian Constitution to establish a right to “free and fair” educational opportunity. The report suggests that “free” should be defined as freedom from fraud, discrimination, and unreasonable barriers to education.

To strengthen the higher education system, the report recommends granting statutory status to the National Testing Agency (NTA) through an Act of Parliament, rather than its current structure as a society. This change aims to provide the agency with clearer legal responsibilities, permanent expertise, and independent review capabilities. The NTA has conducted over 240 examinations for more than 5.4 crore candidates as of July 2024.

Additional recommendations include reforming state public service commission examinations and increasing government expenditure on higher education. The report notes that India’s higher education sector has grown significantly, with 64,756 institutions and over 4.5 crore student enrollments recorded in FY24.