The Electoral Commission said this measure tended to have an adverse impact on disadvantaged, marginalised and hard to reach groups.

BBC: NEWS | UK | Northern Ireland | Learning disabled 'vote difficulties'

Discrimination on the basis of caste is now illegal and various measures have been introduced to empower disadvantaged groups and give them easier access to opportunities - such as education and work.

BBC: India profile

It also works on providing free information for all as well as facilitates its reach for all groups and in particularly, the disadvantaged.

UNESCO: OFFICE IN BEIRUT

The conference aims to help countries plan, carry out and manage ECCE programmes, including those for disadvantaged and excluded groups, as well as to adapt ECCE curricula in the light of recent research on pedagogy and psychology, with special focus on mother-tongue teaching.

UNESCO: MEDIA SERVICES

Instead the authors recommend that "policymakers should concentrate on educational reforms in primary and pre-school" and want more effort made to raise the basic skills of disadvantaged groups.

BBC: Top maths pupils 'fail to keep up with world's best'