On Tuesday, the Supreme Court of India ruled that pre-primary admissions should be treated as a 'national mission' under the Right to Education (RTE) Act. The bench, consisting of Justices P S Narasimha and Alok Aradhe, stated that private unaided neighbourhood schools are constitutionally required to admit students allocated by the state government without delay. This ruling underscores the fundamental right to education enshrined in Article 21A of the Indian Constitution. The court's decision came after Lucknow Public School, Eldico, appealed against a high court order mandating the admission of a student from a weaker section. The school had refused admission despite the student's name being on the official government list, citing uncertainty about her eligibility. The Supreme Court upheld the high court's decision, emphasizing that the RTE would remain an 'empty promise' if schools were permitted to obstruct the admission process. The court reiterated that ensuring admission for disadvantaged students is not only a legal obligation but also a transformative step towards achieving equality in education.