On January 13, 2026, the Supreme Court of India emphasized that true equality must begin in schools. Justice P.S. Narasimha, leading the Bench, stated that a child from a multi-millionaire family or a Supreme Court Judge should sit alongside a child of an autorickshaw driver or street vendor. The Court highlighted the Right to Education (RTE) Act's role in ensuring neighborhood schools admit children from weaker and disadvantaged sections. This law holds "extraordinary capacity to transform the social structure," Justice Narasimha said. The case arose from Dinesh Biwaji Ashtikar's experience. In 2016, despite information showing available seats via RTI, a neighborhood school ignored his request to admit his children for free education. The Court stressed that education must be a "national mission" and a government obligation. It urged courts to provide quick relief to parents denied this right. The judgment called for earnest enforcement of Article 21A, guaranteeing free and compulsory elementary education. It declared, "Ensuring admission of such students must be a national mission and an obligation of the appropriate government and the local authority. Equally, courts, be it constitutional or civil, must walk that extra mile to provide easy access and efficient relief to parents who complain of denial of the right."