Access to higher education not government largesse: Supreme Court

New Delhi, April 14

Maintaining that access to professional education is not a governmental largesse, the Supreme Court has said the state has an affirmative obligation to facilitate access to education at all levels.

“While the right to pursue higher (professional) education has not been spelt out as a fundamental right in the Constitution, it bears emphasis that access to professional education is not a governmental largesse. Instead, the state has an affirmative obligation to facilitate access to education at all levels,” a Bench led by Justice DY Chandrachud said.

It’s obligatory

The state has an affirmative obligation to facilitate access to education at all levels. —Bench

The court was dealing with a case of admission of two Ladakh residents in a medical college in Delhi against the central pool. Despite nomination, they were refused admission. —TNS