Indias Education Sector

Important Terms:

1. Gross Enrollment Ratio: GER is a way of showing how many students are enrolled in a specific level of education compared to the total number of students who could potentially enroll at that level. For instance, if a town has 500 children aged 3 to 5, with 250 attending preschool, the Gross Enrollment Ratio for this age group would be 50%.
2. Dropout Rate: It is the percentage of students who leave school before completing their education within a specific time frame. For example, if there are 100 students at the beginning and 25 students leave before the end of the year, the dropout rate would be 25%.

Significance of Education:

1. Education is like the fuel for a nation's engine. Look at countries like South Korea and Singapore in comparison with India—they started their journey at the same time, but education made a big difference in their success.
2. Education influences a country by -

1. Empowering individuals: Education provides people with the knowledge and skills to maximize their capabilities and make meaningful contributions to society.
2. Building national strength: A highly educated population lays the groundwork for a robust and thriving nation.
3. Creating a brighter Future: Education empowers societies to tackle complex challenges and construct a more sustainable and equitable future for everyone.

Classification in Education:

• Education levels are divided into -

1. Pre Primary and Primary School (Elementary)
2. Secondary School (Middle School or High School)
3. Senior Secondary School (High School)
4. Higher Education (College or University)

Status of Education in India:

Gross Enrollment Ratio in Higher Education (GER HE)	27.1%
India's Universities Ranking in Top 200 (As per QS World University Ranking)	3

Status of Literacy in India:

• Literacy is the ability to read and write proficiently, enabling individuals to understand, interpret, and communicate using written language.
• National Statistical Office (NSO) has provided following data related to Literacy rate in India:

Average Literacy Rate in India	77%
Male Literacy Rate	84.7%
Female Literacy Rate	70%
Rural Literacy Rate	73.5%
Urban Literacy Rate	87.7%

Challenges in Education Sector in India:

1. Education Quality Concerns: Issues with curriculum and inconsistency in teaching methods.
2. High Dropout Rates: Especially noticeable post-secondary education, with even higher rates in higher education due to financial constraints, traditional norms like patriarchy, and lack of awareness
3. Low Gross Enrollment Ratio: Insufficient numbers of students enrolling in higher education.
4. Insufficient Government Funding: The government allocates 3% of the GDP, falling short of the needed 6-7% for an effective education system.
5. Inadequate Teacher Training: Teacher Training Manuals are inadequate, lacking comprehensive training programs for teachers.
6. High vacancies for Teaching Positions: A prevalence of ad hoc teachers leading to job insecurity and instability.
7. Outdated Curriculum: Curriculum lacks practical skills, contributing to the gap between academics and industry needs.
8. Academic Research: Low student interest in research, coupled with inadequate funding for research and development.
9. Poor Infrastructure Conditions: Particularly in government-aided schools and in rural areas, with even inadequate sanitation facilities like functional  toilets.

Measures Taken by the Government:

1. 86th Constitutional Amendment Act: It added Article 21-A which ensures free and compulsory education for children aged 6 to 14 years.
2. RTE Act 2009: Right to Education Act ensured legal mechanism for obligatory primary education for all children.
3. National Education Policy 2020: A comprehensive policy reform aiming at revamping the entire education system.
4. STARS (Strengthening Teaching-Learning and Results for States Scheme): A scheme focused on enhancing educational outcomes in states.
5. DIKSHA Portal: A unified digital platform which is loaded with lesson plans, worksheets and activities, to create enjoyable classroom experiences.
6. SWAYAM Courses: Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC) platform providing access to various courses for learners.

TSR Subramanian Committee Recommendations:

1. Declaring Early Childhood Care and Education as a right for children from 4-5 years of age
2. Amending the RTE Act for uniform recognition norms for government and private schools and extending the common curriculum to minority institutions.
3. Introducing online on-demand board exams, allowing students to choose the level of difficulty in Maths and Science exam in Class 10.
4. Forming an Autonomous Teacher Recruitment Board, renewing licenses every decade.
5. Integrating IT in education for teacher training, adult literacy, remedial education and skill development.
6. Expanding the National Skills Qualification Framework to include more students.

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