Right to Education and Tribal Inclusion: Assessing Educational Access in  Meghalaya

Dafinia Passah

Right to Education and Tribal Inclusion: Assessing Educational Access in Meghalaya

Author(s)	Ms. Dafinia Passah
Country	India
Abstract	The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 represents a major shift in India's educational policy by transforming elementary education from a policy aspiration into a legally enforceable entitlement for children between six and fourteen years of age. However, the realisation of this right depends not only upon formal enrolment but also upon the availability, accessibility, affordability, inclusiveness and quality of schooling. These dimensions acquire particular significance in Meghalaya, a predominantly tribal state characterised by hilly terrain, dispersed settlements, geographical remoteness and considerable dependence on government and aided educational institutions. The present study examines the relationship between the Right to Education and the educational inclusion of tribal children in Meghalaya, with particular reference to West Jaintia Hills and East Khasi Hills districts. The study adopts a mixed-method approach combining primary evidence from school-going children, parents, teachers and community stakeholders with secondary information obtained from government documents, UDISE+, the Meghalaya Education Department, Samagra Shiksha, NCERT-NERIE studies and relevant educational policy literature. The analysis focuses on five interconnected dimensions of educational access: physical accessibility, economic accessibility, institutional infrastructure, social and cultural inclusion, and participation and retention. Existing evidence indicates that Meghalaya has established an extensive legal and administrative framework for implementing the RTE Act, including the Meghalaya Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Rules, 2011, neighbourhoodschool mapping, grievance mechanisms and identification of disadvantaged groups. Nevertheless, geographical barriers, uneven infrastructure, teacher availability, language and cultural relevance, household economic circumstances and differences between urban and remote communities continue to influence children's educational experiences. Earlier NERIE research on RTE implementation in Meghalaya similarly identified concerns relating to access, quality, equity, inadequate resources, inclusive infrastructure and geographical difficulty. The paper argues that tribal inclusion should not be understood merely in terms of bringing children into school; it must encompass meaningful participation, culturally responsive pedagogy, adequate learning conditions, foundational learning and continuity of education. The study concludes that the effective realisation of the RTE in Meghalaya requires a shift from an enrolment-centred understanding of access towards a broader conception of educational inclusion in which geography, language, culture, infrastructure and learning outcomes are considered together.
Keywords	Right to Education, tribal education, educational access, inclusion, Meghalaya, RTE Act.
Published In	Volume 8, Issue 5, September-October 2026
Published On	2026-09-24

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Right to Education and Tribal Inclusion: Assessing Educational Access in Meghalaya

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