| Education in India isn't something a new concept. | | | | the country, the Indian government has also |
| It was always an integral part of the very | | | | prohibited child labor to protect children from |
| foundation of the Indian society. With modern | | | | working under unhygienic conditions. However, |
| India, education too has taken a giant leap which | | | | both free education and ban on child labor are |
| has captured global attention not because of the | | | | difficult to be enforced simultaneously due to poor |
| number of illiterates the country has but the | | | | economic disparity and social conditions. Moreover, |
| quality of education system it has evolved. The | | | | shortage of adequate resources and lack of |
| Indian economy has observed an immense | | | | political support are some of the reasons due to |
| growth in the recent past as an effect of the | | | | which the system has been adversely affected |
| flourishing literacy rate in the country. With the | | | | by the gaps that include high teacher-student |
| history stretched back to the times of Vedas, | | | | ratio, poor infrastructure and insufficient teacher |
| Puranas, Ayurveda, Yoga, Arthasahtra...extending | | | | training. In fact, professionals from established |
| from formal education under the Gurukul system | | | | institutes are often called to support vocational |
| to the modern new age eLearning concept, India | | | | training for these kids. |
| has for sure has travelled an exhaustive journey | | | | The government has initiated Sarva Shiksha |
| crossing each milestone. | | | | Abhiyan (SSA) in 2001 with a view to provide |
| It would be extremely interesting to understand | | | | instigate the education system and make its |
| and analyze the present and future developments | | | | reach wider and more accessible to every child. |
| of the educational scenario in India. | | | | The program focuses specially on girls and children |
| Education in India | | | | with challenged social or financial backgrounds. In |
| The present statistics states that primary | | | | order to aid children firmer their grip in the |
| education has crossed the mark of approximately | | | | computer sector as well, special schools are being |
| two-third of the total population. Out of which, | | | | set up in the rural areas. |
| 40% of the population is illiterate and only 20% of | | | | Education for the Marginalized in India |
| the students go to schools. Since time | | | | Apart from Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, the |
| immemorial, discrimination based on caste and | | | | government has also introduced reservation |
| gender has always been a major deterrent when | | | | system where 7.5% seats in the higher |
| healthy development of the society is in question. | | | | educational institutes are reserved for the |
| So to avoid such prejudice, the Indian Constitution | | | | Schedule Tribes (ST), 15% for the Scheduled |
| has made elementary education a fundamental | | | | Castes (SC) and 27% for the non creamy layers |
| right for every child falling between the age group | | | | of the Other Backward Classes (OBCs). Efforts |
| of 6 to 14 years. According to the 2001 census, | | | | are also being made to improve the education |
| the sum total of literacy rate in India is 65.38% | | | | accessibility for the women section. The growing |
| where the female literacy rate is only of 54.16%. | | | | acknowledgment of concepts like eLearning and |
| With the fact that only 59.4% of rural population | | | | distance education courses along with expansion |
| is literate compared to 80.3% of the urban | | | | of the Open University system is also contributing |
| population, there is a humongous gap between | | | | a lot in standardizing education in India. |
| rural and urban literacy rate. | | | | However, in spite of constant efforts being put |
| University Grants Commission (UGC) has been | | | | forth to develop qualitative education system in |
| established by the Indian government to | | | | India, there are still some major loopholes and |
| accelerate higher education system in the country. | | | | widespread prejudices. With renewed emphasis |
| The chief role of UGC lies in controlling and | | | | laid on the education sector in the 11th five year |
| co-coordinating the standards of higher education | | | | plan and increased expenditure in both primary |
| in the country. | | | | and secondary education, this can eventually act |
| Current Scenario | | | | as an analgesic for the chronic Indian educational |
| With a view to promote elementary education in | | | | system. |