New Delhi, May 8 -- Schooling is the fundamental right of every child aged 6-14 years in India. The Right to Education (RTE) Act, enacted in 2009, guarantees free and equitable access to education for all children irrespective of caste, class, gender, religion, and geographical location. However, access to schooling remains a significant challenge for many children living in remote tribal villages. The piece highlights barriers to educational access faced by children in West Singhbhum district of Jharkhand. The insights are drawn from my observations during school visits and community interactions conducted as part of a field survey.

West Singhbhum is largely a rural, tribal-populated district that faces significant socioeconomic challe...