Jou nal o Resea ch and De elopmen
A Mul idisciplina y In e na ional Le el Re e ed and Double Blind Pee Re iewed, Open Access
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Awa eness in Educa ional and Cons i u ional Democ acy Tejaswini Vi ek Sabale
Assis an P o esso A ul Mahade Khila i, S uden - LL.M. II
Bha a i Vidyapee h's Yashwan ao Cha an Law College, Ka ad
Manusc ip ID:
JRD -2025-170924
ISSN: 2230-9578
Volume 17
Issue 9 (V)
Pp. 99-102
Sep . 2025
Submi ed:15 Aug. 2025
Re ised: 25 Aug. 2025
Accep ed: 10 Sep . 2025
Published: 30 Sep . 2025
Abs ac
This pape explo es he c i ical ole o awa eness in sus aining and s eng hening bo h
educa ional and cons i u ional democ acies, especially wi hin he apidly e ol ing digi al landscape. I
de ines awa eness no me ely as access o in o ma ion, bu as he capaci y o c i ical unde s anding,
engagemen , and in o med ac ion. In educa ional democ acy, awa eness empowe s lea ne s o ac i ely
pa icipa e in hei lea ning jou ney and de elop in o li elong, c i ical hinke s. In cons i u ional
democ acy, i se es as he bed ock o an engaged ci izen y capable o upholding igh s, ul illing
esponsibili ies, and holding ins i u ions accoun able. The ad en o he digi al age p esen s bo h
unp eceden ed oppo uni ies o os e ing awa eness h ough as in o ma ion access and signi ican
challenges posed by misin o ma ion, echo chambe s, and he digi al di ide. This pape a gues ha
os e ing obus awa eness equi es a conce ed e o in p omo ing digi al li e acy, c i ical hinking, and
ci ic educa ion ac oss all socie al le els, ensu ing an in o med and esilien democ a ic u u e.
Keywo ds: Judicial Ca alys s, awa eness, educa ion, igilan de ende s, Subs i u ed A icle, ma ginalized
communi ies, explici , Expe , Democ acy, challenges, ci ic, ins i u ions, Enjoined, exo bi an .
In oduc ion
In an inc easingly complex and in e connec ed wo ld, he heal h and ib ancy o
democ a ic sys ems – whe he in ou schools o ou na ions – depend undamen ally on he
awa eness o hei pa icipan s. Awa eness, in his con ex , anscends me e knowledge; i
embodies a deep unde s anding, c i ical disce nmen , and he capaci y o ac hough ully based
on in o med pe spec i es Wi hou such awa eness, educa ional ins i u ions isk becoming
passi e lea ning en i onmen s, and cons i u ional democ acies isk succumbing o apa hy,
manipula ion, o au ho i a ianism
This pape del es in o he mul i ace ed concep o awa eness wi hin wo c i ical domains:
educa ional democ acy and cons i u ional democ acy. I explo es how awa eness empowe s
indi iduals wi hin each, ans o ming hem om passi e ecipien s in o ac i e, engaged agen s.
Fu he mo e, i c i ically examines he p o ound impac o he digi al age on cul i a ing his
essen ial awa eness, iden i ying bo h i s e olu iona y po en ial and i s signi ican pi alls.
Ul ima ely, i a gues ha ac i ely os e ing comp ehensi e awa eness h ough educa ion and
delibe a e policy is no me ely bene icial, bu i al o he su i al and lou ishing o democ a ic
ideals in he 21s cen u y.
Objec i es o he Pape
o To analyze he signi icance o awa eness in cons i u ional democ acy
o To examine he ole o educa ion in os e ing cons i u ional alues and ci ic esponsibili y.
o To iden i y challenges in p omo ing awa eness in a di e se democ a ic socie y.
o To p opose ecommenda ions o enhancing awa eness in educa ional and cons i u ional
democ acy.
o To explo e he p inciples and p ac ices o "educa ional democ acy" and i s ole in
cul i a ing in o med ci izens.
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Add ess o co espondence:
Tejaswini Vi ek Sabale, Assis an P o esso A ul Mahade Khila i, S uden - LL.M. II Bha a i Vidyapee h's
Yashwan ao Cha an Law College, Ka ad
How o ci e his a icle:
Tejaswini Vi ek Sabale (2025).Awa eness in Educa ional and Cons i u ional Democ acy.
Jou nal o Resea ch & De elopmen , 17(9), 99-102
O iginal A icle
Jou nal o Resea ch and De elopmen
A Mul idisciplina y In e na ional Le el Re e ed and Double Blind Pee Re iewed, Open Access
ISSN : 2230-9578 | Websi e: h ps://j d b.o g Volume-17, Issue-9(V)| Sep embe 2025
100
Concep ual F amewo k o Awa eness in Democ acy
Awa eness in democ acy e e s o he in o med unde s anding o cons i u ional alues, legal igh s, du ies, and
ci ic esponsibili ies. Cons i u ional democ acy, unlike me e p ocedu al democ acy, emphasizes subs an i e alues
such as libe y, equali y, a e ni y, and jus ice. Educa ional ins i u ions se e as p ima y agen s o sp eading
awa eness, enabling indi iduals o engage in a ional discou se, esis a bi a y powe , and hold go e nmen s
accoun able. Wi hou awa eness, democ acy isks degene a ing in o a o mal sys em lacking subs ance.
Role o Educa ion in Cons i u ional Democ acy
Educa ion has been uni e sally ecognized as a undamen al igh and a co ne s one o democ acy. A icle
21A o he Indian Cons i u ion manda es ee and compulso y educa ion, while A icle 51A emphasizes he du y o
e e y ci izen o de elop scien i ic empe , humanism, and he spi i o inqui y. The ole o educa ion in cons i u ional
democ acy can be unde s ood as:
C ea ing an in o med ci izen y capable o a ional decision-making.
P omo ing cons i u ional alues such as equali y, libe y, secula ism, and a e ni y.
De eloping ci ic esponsibili y by emphasizing du ies alongside igh s
P e en ing au ho i a ianism by enabling ci izens o ques ion powe .
Ensu ing inclusi i y by empowe ing ma ginalized communi ies o pa icipa e e ec i ely in democ a ic p ocesses.
Righ o Educa ion in India: F om Di ec i e P inciple o Fundamen al Righ — A Compa a i e S udy and he
Ci cums ances Tha Shaped I
The Righ o Educa ion in India has a elled a dis inc i e cons i u ional pa h— om an aspi a ional Di ec i e
P inciple o S a e Policy o an en o ceable Fundamen al Righ . This pape compa es he RTE’s s a us unde DPSPs
wi h i s p esen oo ing as a cons i u ional igh unde A icle 21A, and maps he social, economic, policy, and judicial
ci cums ances ha compelled his ansi ion ac oss India.
I. DPSP Founda ions o he Righ o Educa ion (P e‑2002)
1) A icle 45 Di ec ed he S a e o p o ide ee and compulso y educa ion o all child en up o he age o 14 wi hin
en yea s o he Cons i u ion’s commencemen . I was non‑jus iciable, e lec ing he ounde s’ in en ha he goal
is undamen al o go e nance bu con ingen on esou ces.
2) A icle 41: Enjoined he S a e o make e ec i e p o ision o secu ing he igh o educa ion, wi hin he limi s o
i s economic capaci y and de elopmen .
A icle 39(e) & ( ): Requi ed p o ec ion o child en agains exploi a ion and mo al/ ma e ial abandonmen implying
ha schooling and ca e a e ins umen al o child wel a e.
3) In his DPSP phase, educa ion was a cons i u ional p io i y bu no a di ec ly en o ceable igh . P og ess depended
on poli ical will, inances, and adminis a i e capaci y a he han judicially en o ceable claims by ci izens.
II. Judicial Expansion Towa ds a Fundamen al Righ
The Sup eme Cou ead educa ion in o he gua an ee o li e and pe sonal libe y unde A icle 21, con e ing
a non‑jus iciable aspi a ion in o an en o ceable en i lemen
The pape also analyses landma k judgmen s such as Mohini Jain . S a e o Ka na aka (1992) Held ha he igh o
educa ion lows om A icle 21; exo bi an capi a ion ees ha es ic access iola e equali y and digni y.
Unnik ishnan J.P. . S a e o Andh a P adesh (1993) Calib a ed Mohini Jain and a i med ee and compulso y
educa ion o child en up o he age o 14 as a undamen al igh ; beyond 14, he S a e’s obliga ion is subjec o i s
economic capaci y. This doc inal mo e laid he ounda ion o a ex ual amendmen .
III. The 86 h Cons i u ional Amendmen (2002) and I s A chi ec u e
The 86 h Amendmen did no me ely inse a single p o ision; a he , i s a egically modi ied h ee di e en pa s o
he Cons i u ion, he eby c ea ing a obus , mul i-dimensional amewo k o he Righ o Educa ion. I s a chi ec u e
comp ises
Inse ed A icle 21A ‘The S a e shall p o ide ee and compulso y educa ion o all child en o he age o six o ou een
yea s in such manne as he S a e may, by law, de e mine.
Subs i u ed A icle 45 To ocus on ea ly childhood ca e and educa ion o child en below six yea s.
Added A icle 51A(k): A undamen al du y on pa en s/gua dians o p o ide oppo uni ies o educa ion o hei child en
aged six o ou een.
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IV. Righ o Child en o F ee and Compulso y Educa ion Ac , 2009
Sec ion 3 S a es ha e e y child o he age o 6 o 14 yea s shall ha e a igh o ee and compulso y elemen a y
educa ion in a neighbou hood school ill comple ion.
"F ee educa ion" means ha no child shall be liable o pay any kind o ee, cha ge, o expenses ha may p e en him o
he om pu suing and comple ing elemen a y educa ion.
"Compulso y educa ion" cas s an obliga ion on he app op ia e Go e nmen and local au ho i ies o ensu e admission,
a endance, and comple ion o elemen a y educa ion by all child en in he 6-14 age g oup.
V. Ci cums ances Ac oss India Tha D o e he T ansi ion
1) Pe sis en Li e acy Gaps and Inequali y: La ge in e ‑s a e, u al‑u ban, cas e, gende , and income dispa i ies in
school access and comple ion c ea ed p essu e o a igh s‑based app oach. Ou ‑o ‑school child en, child labou ,
and ea ly ma iage disp opo iona ely a ec ed ma ginalized communi ies.
2) Policy Miles ones and Expe Commissions: The Ko ha i Commission (1964‑66) p oposed a common school
sys em and 6% GDP public spending on educa ion; he Na ional Policies on Educa ion (1968, 1986, 1992
P og amme o Ac ion) s essed uni e sal elemen a y educa ion; la e commi ees ein o ced equi y and quali y as
cons i u ional commi men s.
3) Flagship P og ammes: Dis ic P ima y Educa ion P og amme (DPEP, 1994) and Sa a Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA,
2001) expanded access, bu hei limi s highligh ed he need o en o ceable igh s o ensu e uni o m minimum
s anda ds ac oss s a es.
4) Judicial Ca alys s and Public In e es Li iga ion: Mohini Jain (1992) and Unnik ishnan (1993) e amed educa ion
as a igh ; subsequen di ec ions such as compulso y en i onmen al educa ion and school sa e y no ms emphasized
ha access mus be accompanied by meaning ul quali y.
5) Nu i ion and Mid‑Day Meals: W i pe i ions (e.g., PUCL) led o uni e salisa ion o cooked mid‑day meals in
p ima y schools, ecognising nu i ion as in eg al o a endance, e en ion, and digni y.
6) In e na ional Commi men s: India’s engagemen wi h UDHR (A . 26), ICESCR (A . 13), he Con en ion on he
Righ s o he Child (CRC), and he Daka ‘Educa ion o All’ amewo k, and la e he MDGs/SDGs, c ea ed
no ma i e momen um o making educa ion a undamen al igh .
7) Fede al Lea ning and Ci il Socie y Mobilisa ion: Va ia ions in s a e pe o mance (Ke ala, Tamil Nadu, Himachal
P adesh, e c.) demons a ed he easibili y o uni e sal elemen a y educa ion when backed by s ong public
sys ems; ci il socie y and communi y‑based o ganisa ions mobilized a ound en olmen d i es, neighbou hood
schools, and gi ls’ educa ion.
8) Economic T ans o ma ion: A knowledge‑based economy demanded ounda ional li e acy and nume acy;
households inc easingly iewed educa ion as essen ial o social mobili y, pushing he S a e owa d igh s‑based
gua an ees.
VI. Pos ‑RTE Ju isp udence Shaping he Righ
Socie y o Unaided P i a e Schools . Union o India (2012) Upheld he 25% admission equi emen in p i a e
unaided schools, linking social inclusion wi h he cons i u ional p omise o equal oppo uni y.
P ama i Educa ional & Cul u al T us . Union o India (2014) Cla i ied ha he RTE Ac does no apply o mino i y
ins i u ions unde A icle 30(1).
A inashMeh o a . Union o India (2009) Read school sa e y in o A icles 21/21A;RTE mus be sa e and digni ied.
M.C. Meh a . Union o India (2003) Di ec ed compulso y en i onmen al educa ion, ad ancing he quali a i e
dimension o RTE.
VII. Impac and Con inuing Challenges
Impac : En olmen s and school densi y imp o ed; explici s anda ds on in as uc u e and eache quali ica ions c ea ed
a baseline o quali y; social inclusion expanded h ough he 25% p o ision.
Con inuing challenges: Lea ning ou comes emain une en; eache acancies and aining gaps pe sis ; compliance
wi h no ms a ies ac oss s a es; digi al di ides and pandemic‑e a dis up ions widened inequali y; ea ly childhood ca e
equi es igh e in eg a ion wi h p ima y schooling.
Challenges in P omo ing Awa eness
Despi e cons i u ional manda es, se e al challenges hinde awa eness in educa ional and cons i u ional democ acy
Inequali y in access o quali y educa ion, pa icula ly in u al and ma ginalized communi ies.
Lack o cu iculum emphasis on ci ic educa ion and cons i u ional li e acy.
Poli ical in e e ence in educa ional con en , which can dis o democ a ic alues.
Digi al di ide and limi ed access o in o ma ion o la ge sec ions o socie y.
Declining public us in ins i u ions, which hampe s ci ic engagemen .
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Compa a i e Pe spec i es
Globally, democ a ic na ions ha e ecognized educa ion as he ounda ion o ci ic awa eness. In he Uni ed
S a es, ci ic educa ion is an in eg al pa o school cu icula, emphasizing he Cons i u ion and democ a ic p ac ices.
Scandina ian coun ies, wi h hei ocus on pa icipa o y lea ning, ha e succeeded in c ea ing highly awa e ci izen ies.
India, wi h i s as di e si y, aces unique challenges in implemen ing uni o m ci ic educa ion bu has made p og ess
h ough ini ia i es like he Righ o Educa ion Ac , 2009. Compa a i e analysis shows ha s ong democ acies in es
signi ican ly in ci ic educa ion o main ain cons i u ional awa eness.
Role o Judicia y and Ci il Socie y in P omo ing Awa eness
The judicia y, h ough landma k judgmen s, has consis en ly ein o ced he alue o educa ion in sus aining
democ acy. Cases such as Mohini Jain . S a e o Ka na aka and Unnik ishnan . S a e o Andh a P adesh ecognized
educa ion as a undamen al igh . Ci il socie y o ganiza ions, NGOs, and media also play a pi o al ole in sp eading
awa eness by conduc ing campaigns, dissemina ing in o ma ion, and mobilizing public opinion. Toge he , hese
ins i u ions ensu e ha awa eness emains cen al o democ a ic go e nance.
Recommenda ions
In eg a e cons i u ional li e acy and ci ic educa ion in o school and college cu icula
S eng hen legal awa eness campaigns a g ass oo s le els h ough collabo a ion be ween go e nmen and ci il
socie y
Encou age expe ien ial lea ning me hods, such as mock pa liamen s and deba es, o enhance democ a ic
pa icipa ion.
Add ess inequali ies in access o educa ion by p io i izing ma ginalized and u al communi ies
Le e age digi al pla o ms o expand cons i u ional and ci ic awa eness.
Conclusion
Awa eness, in i s comp ehensi e cogni i e, a ec i e, beha io al, and me a-dimensional o ms, s ands as he
bed ock upon which bo h educa ional democ acy and cons i u ional democ acy a e buil and sus ained. I is he ac i e,
disce ning, and empa he ic engagemen o ci izens ha b ea hes li e in o democ a ic p inciples, holds powe
accoun able, and sa egua ds undamen al igh s.
The h ea s o awa eness in he con empo a y wo ld a e p o ound, anging om he insidious sp ead o
misin o ma ion o he co osi e e ec s o poli ical pola iza ion and ci ic apa hy. Ye , he impe a i e emains clea : o
o i y ou democ acies, we mus edouble ou e o s o cul i a e an awa e ci izen y. This equi es a enewed
commi men o democ a ic educa ion, in eg a ing c i ical hinking, media li e acy, and e hical conside a ions ac oss all
le els o lea ning. I demands in es men in obus public discou se and ins i u ions ha os e us and p o ide eliable
in o ma ion.
Ul ima ely, he u u e o bo h educa ional and cons i u ional democ acy hinges on ou collec i e capaci y o
os e , p o ec , and con inually e-e alua e he na u e o awa eness. I is h ough his pe pe ual p ocess o lea ning,
ques ioning, and engaging ha socie ies can hope o na iga e complexi y, uphold jus ice, and ensu e ha he p omise o
democ acy con inues o guide u u e gene a ions.
Re e ences
1. M.C. Chagla, The Indian Cons i u ion and Democ acy.
2. Mohini Jain . S a e o Ka na aka, AIR 1992 SC 1858
3. Unnik ishnan . S a e o Andh a P adesh, AIR 1993 SC 2178.
4. Righ o Educa ion Ac , 2009
5. Allco , H., & Gen zkow, M. (2017). Social Media and Fake News in he 2016 Elec ion. Jou nal o Economic
Pe spec i es, 31(2), 211-36. (A ailable ia JSTOR, NBER wo king pape s online).
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(Chap e p e iews/summa ies o en a ailable online).
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om CIRCLE - The Cen e o In o ma ion & Resea ch on Ci ic Lea ning and Engagemen a Tu s Uni e si y).
8. CIRCLE - The Cen e o In o ma ion & Resea ch on Ci ic Lea ning and Engagemen . (2013). All Toge he Now:
Collabo a ion and Inno a ion o You h Ci ic Engagemen . (Online epo ).
9. Dewey, J. (1916). Democ acy and Educa ion: An In oduc ion o he Philosophy o Educa ion. The Macmillan
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