New Delhi, Jan 6 : The union government on Wednesday told the Supreme Court that it is committed to implementing the fundamental right to education of children below 14 by mid-2010. The government also said that the rules being framed for the purpose are likely to be ready by April or May. Over seven years after the constitution was amended in 2002 to make free and compulsory education to children in the age group of 6-14 a fundamental right and over four months after the historic Right to Education Bill was passed in parliament, the law is yet to be notified and implemented.

"If it is implemented in full vigour, the children will be in school and not in work places," the chief justice observed, referring to a host of the apex court's directions in a 1996 ruling on the issue of child labour and the provisions for their education. As the solicitor sought to impress upon the court about the progress made in the field of child education under the Union government's Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, the chief justice too agreed that the programme has made a good impact, specially in some of the states. The bench adjourned the matter for further hearing in March, while also asking the government to file a detailed affidavit on various steps taken by it to eliminate child labour from society.