(1)(a)The Government shall endeavour to provide free and compulsory education for all children until they complete the age of fourteen years and to promote school education in the State by securing and maintaining the universal enrolment therefor of such children. The Government may also progressively provide for medical inspection and care of children in the pre-primary and primary schools.(b)The Government may, for reviewing the progress made in that direction and for suggesting measures for the effective implementation thereof, appoint a committee immediately after the expiry of five years from the commencement of this Act and thereafter at the expiry of every fifth year.(2)(a)At the stage of pre-primary education, children completing the age of [three years] [Substituted for the words 'two years' by Act No. 27 of 1987, w.e.f. 1-6-1987.] but not completing the age of six years may be imparted education by the main method of informal learning effectively linking it with the health and nutrition programmes.(b)The Government may, as part of pre-primary education, provide for the attachment of pre-school centres to the existing primary schools in the State.(3)At the stage of primary education, the children completing the age of six years but not completing the age of fourteen years shall be imparted education and the curriculum and instruction of education shall be such as may be specified by the competent authority so as to achieve among others, the following specified objectives, namely :(a)irrelapsable literacy in the mother tongue including skills of articulation;(b)basic numeracy skills and necessary knowledge of child's physical and social environment;(c)proficiency in socially useful productive work;Provided that a child who has completed the age of five years shall not be denied admission in the schools.(4)(a)The main objective of secondary education shall be to impart such general education as maybe prescribed to each pupil so as to make him fit either for higher academic studies or for job-oriented vocational courses, by the time he completes his secondary education.(b)The general education so imparted shall among others, include -(i)the development of linguistic skills and literary appreciation in the mother tongue or regional language, as the case may be;(ii)the attainment of prescribed standards of proficiency, in Hindi and English ;(iii)the acquisition of requisite knowledge in mathematics and physical and biological sciences to pursue further courses of study ;(iv)the study of social sciences with special reference to history, geography and civics so as to achieve the minimum necessary knowledge by the pupil in regard to his State, Country and the World ;(v)the introduction of [socially useful productive work] [Substituted for the words 'work experience' by Act No. 27 of 1987, w.e.f. 1-6-1987.] as an integral part of the curriculum ;(vi)the training in sports, games and other physical exercises and other arts ;(vii)the imparting of knowledge in basic agricultural science and irrigation methods ;(viii)[ the introduction of Intermediate courses ; [Clauses (viii) and (ix) inserted by Ibid.](ix)the teaching of morals;](c)The Government may, -(i)accept and implement progressively at the secondary stage, the principle of subject specialisation by the teacher ;(ii)take all steps necessary to secure the qualitative strengthening of secondary education and for that purpose, make every effort to bring the physical standards of existing schools to optimum levels.
