 bill no  vi of  2002 the freedom of childhood bill, 2002 a billto provide complete freedom to a child for enjoying his childhood through banning admissionof a child below five years of age for regular schooling which causes depression and other ailments, for reducing workload of children who are above five years of age but below the age of fifteen years, for attending school for education by prohibiting assignment of home task to such children to enable them to play and enjoy and for matters connected therewith or incidental theretobe it enacted by parliament in the fifty-third year of the republic of india as follows:—1 (1) this act may be called the freedom of childhood act, 2002(2) it extends to the whole of indiashort title, extent and commencement(3) it shall come into force with immediate effect5definitions2 in this act, unless the context otherwise requires,—(a) "appropriate government" means in the case of a state the government ofthat state and in all other cases the central government;(b) "child" means a boy or girl who is below the age of fifteen years;(c) "educational institution" includes any school whether nursery, kg, primary, middle, secondary or senior secondary level, imparting education to child by whatever name such institution is called;5(d) "parent" in relation to any child includes a guardian and every person who has the actual custody of the child;(e) "prescribed" means prescribed by rules made under this act; (f) "toddler" means a boy or girl who is below the age of six-years3 no educational institution shall admit a toddler for regular schooling such asreading, writing or crammingprohibition of regular schooling for a toddler10home task not to be given to a child4 no child who is attending an educational institution for studies shall be given anyhome task by such institution so as to enable the child to play and enjoy his childhood after school hours5 it shall be the duty of every parent of a child to allow it to play and enjoy for a reasonable period  of time during the dayparents to allow the child to play for reasonable period of time156 no person shall employ a child as domestic servant or in any establishment in anymanner whatsoever which may deny him the enjoyment of the childhoodprohibition of employment of childrenperiodic medical examination of the child207 the appropriate government shall conduct a periodic medical examination ofevery child studying in any educational institution, falling under the jurisdiction of that government from time to time and take such remedial measures as are recommended by the medical authorities8 the appropriate government shall conduct a survery from time to time in respectthe freedom available to children and prepare a report thereon and shall cause such report to be laid before the respective legislaturessurvey to be conducted in respect of children25admission to be through draw of lots9 notwithstanding anything contained in any other law for the time being in forceall the admissions in a school at the entry stage of formal education shall be on the basis of draw of lots to be held in the presence of parentspenalties10 (1) whoever contravenes the provisions of sections 3 or 4 shall be punishablewith imprisonment for a term which may extend to six months or with a fine which may extend to five thousand rupees or with both;30(2) whoever contravenes the provisions of section 6 shall be punishable withimprisonment for a term which may extend to seven years or with a fine which may extend to fifteen thousand rupees or with bothpower to make rules11 the central government may, by notification in the official gazette, make rules for carrying out the purposes of this act statement of objects and reasonsrecently it was widely reported in the national print media that the medical community is deeply concerned about the trauma of the pre-school children particularly in the age group of 3 to 6 years it was stated that there was an increase in the incidence of recurring respiratory infections, fever, pains and temper tantrums among the pre-schoolers which could be related directly or indirectly to early schooling it is a well known fact that now-a-days children are being sent to school at the tender age of two years in schools known as nursery, kg etc these schools publish big advertisements in prominent newspapers for registration of children and charge heavy registration fee in some cases registrations can be made few days after the birth of the child thereafter, the present system of admission causes a lot of tension and trauma in children if they face rejection at the entry stage and instils a sense of loss in their mindsit is a sorry state of affairs that toddlers who should play and enjoy their childhood are forced to attend regular schools at a very tender age instead of enjoying their childhood by playing and running after the butterflies, making mischiefs, they are forced to read, write and cram and do the home task assigned to them by their teachers children have foregotten to play and enjoy this sorry state of affairs is causing havoc to children according to some paediatricians the introduction of early formal education can lead to adverse consequences not only in terms of intelligence but also in motivational and socioeconomic development they have observed that there is an increasing incidence of stressrelated medical problems in children due to hazards of early formal schooling moreover at tender age the childrens' muscles are still in the process of development at their muscles co-ordination particularly of wrist and fingers need strength as a result children do not even have the capacity to hold and use a pencil in a well-co-ordinated wayin these circumstances it is necessary that admission to schools for children below six years of age should be stopped and children below the age of fifteen years should not be given home task they should get reasonable time to play and enjoy childhood all admissions at the entry point of school should be on the basis of draw of lots drawn before the parents no child should be employed by any one and medical examination should be conducted for children from time to time they must get time and opportunity to enjoy the childhood without worrieshence this bill memorandum regarding delegated legislationclause 11 of the bill gives power to the central government to make rules for carrying out the purposes of the bill the rules will relate to matters of details onlythe delegation of legislative power is of normal character4 rajya  sabha a billto provide complete freedom to a child for enjoying his childhood through banning admissionof a child below five years of age for regular schooling which causes depression and other ailments, for reducing workload of children who are above five years of age but below the age of fifteen years, for attending school for education by prohibiting assignment of home task to such children to enable them to play and enjoy and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto(shri ss ahluwalia, mp)