Extant status of education in India!

By M.Y.Siddiqui

Commercialization of education has overtaken India creating inequality between rich and the poor since 1991 when globalization of the national economy was set in motion. Fees for education are very high making it inaccessible for the poor and those subsisting along and below poverty line. As a result, the constitutional postulates of justice, liberty, equality and fraternity are the foremost casualty and the country’s progress lopsided with islands of opulence and ghettos of miseries all over the country and economic power concentrated in few corporates. Nevertheless, the education standards of India are undergoing significant changes driven by the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which replaces the 1986 policy. The NEP aims to shift from rote memorization to a more holistic, flexible and multidisciplinary education system.

The most visible change in school education is the replacement of the 10 plus 2 structures with a new 5 plus 3 plus 3 plus 4 pedagogical and curricular frameworks, with focus on experiential education across science, math and arts. Social sciences, critical thinking, flexibility with student choice of subjects, with no separation of arts, sciences, vocational and extracurricular activities. A shift from summative exams to regular, competency based assessments that promote learning and development is underway. The NEP aims to make higher education more multidisciplinary, flexible and integrated with vocational training. Within this lofty framework, the there is emphasis on glorifying the mythical past, turning the universities into a battleground between forces of anti intellectualism represented by the ruling RSS Pariwar and those represented by proponent of critical thinking and rational outlook, thus making higher education in India incompatible with the global standards and its products (alumnus) unemployable in the open market economy.

Within the frame of NEP’s five pillars of Access, Equity, Quality, Affordability and Accountability forming the guiding principles for transforming India’s education system with stress on making quality education accessible and equitable for all citizens, education is becoming iniquitous between the haves and have-nots. Central universities like JNU and others have become inaccessible for the poor for higher education because of prohibitive fees and boarding/lodging expenditure under the current dispensation. Some other major issues include lack of educational infrastructure, outdated curricula, a theory-based approach that emphasizes grades over practical skills, and high levels of competition. There are also problems of educational inequality, a high student –teacher ratio, and limited integration of technology, as well as the issues of high cost of higher education and the brain-drain phenomenon where skilled individuals leave the country for greener Pasteur abroad. The other major problem is neglect of regional languages. According to official information, only five percent graduates are employable in the current market economy, so much for quality standards of Indian education.

The primary education system continues to be neglected in India. The government, both central and states, must ensure that all children must have access to primary quality education and teachers receive adequate training and support. Large number of vacancies in all schools, colleges and institutes of higher learning and technology exist with no full strength of teachers. Currently, there are 44 to 50 percent vacancies in general, which bodes ill for the quality of education. Apart from this, government must improve infrastructure in rural areas and provide more technology-oriented classrooms. With multi-facet approach focusing on curriculum reform, teacher development, infrastructure and technology, accessibility and equality, the rots in education can be stemmed and quality improved on par with the best available abroad.

Presently, India has over 1300 universities, more than 52000 colleges and a vast system of significant number of public and private schools provided at the primary and secondary levels!

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