Bal Diwas is a reminder that children are not merely the citizens of tomorrow but citizens today, entitled to care, opportunity, protection and dignity
Bal Diwas, the children’s day, commemorates the birth anniversary of Jawaharlal Nehru, who was particularly fond of children. Children are the future of any country, yet more than seven decades after Independence, the question is whether India has done enough to give every child an equal opportunity to grow, learn and live with dignity.
To be fair, we have come a long way from the sixties, when malnutrition and child exploitation were the norm, as most children worked to earn a living, keeping them away from formal education. It changed with the Right to Education Act, 2009, which made free and compulsory education a fundamental right for children between six and 14 years.
The expansion of government schools, the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan and subsequent Samagra Shiksha programme have brought millions of children into classrooms. Add to this the mid-day meal scheme, now PM POSHAN, which has addressed hunger and malnutrition and increased school attendance. Besides, Anganwadis and programmes such as POSHAN Abhiyaan have extended the focus to nutrition and all-round development. The Child and Adolescent Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2016, made strict provisions against child labour by prohibiting the employment of children below 14 in most occupations.
So have we done enough? Not quite. The scourge of child labour, trafficking, physical exploitation and school dropouts remains a grim reality even today.
There is yet another factor that prevents the issues of children living in rural areas with meagre resources from coming to light. Their concerns and issues are poles apart from the children, even in low income group children residing in the cities. Urban children dominate public conversations about education, digital learning, mental health and recreational opportunities. In a city, child obesity might be an issue, but for a child in a village, malnutrition is a far bigger menace. The fact is that the number of those children may be way higher than the number of children in urban areas. The child in a remote village or a migrant worker's family faces a very different set of challenges. For such children, a school may be miles away, and a classroom may lack a teacher. But their problems rarely command the same public attention.
Some states offer valuable lessons. Kerala has demonstrated how sustained investment in education and social protection can improve outcomes. Tamil Nadu's long-standing nutritious meal programme is a case study to emulate. Both states demonstrate that welfare programmes work best when supported by strong local institutions and administrative accountability. India now needs to move beyond enrolment figures. Schools must have trained teachers, safe buildings, functional toilets, clean drinking water, libraries and playgrounds. Special provisions are needed for migrant, disabled and tribal children. Most importantly, children must be heard. Their safety, mental well-being, and creativity are as important as their presence in schools.