September 2 – Essay: 2025 | UPSC Daily Answer Writing Practice PDF Download

Transforming Indian Education: Towards Long-Term Vision

By 2030, India is projected to have the largest youth population in the world, a demographic advantage that will be beneficial only if these young individuals are adequately skilled to participate in the workforce. Ensuring access to quality education will be crucial in achieving this goal. However, the current education system in India faces significant hurdles, including inadequate infrastructure, low government investment in education (less than 3.5% of GDP), and, according to the Unified District Information System for Education (UDISE), a national pupil-to-teacher ratio of 24:1 at the elementary level. To address these challenges, it is imperative to align the Indian education system with global standards, embrace modern and responsive learning approaches, and effectively implement the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

What is the Status of Education System in India?

History:

• The ‘Gurukul’ system was an ancient Indian education model where shishyas (students) lived and studied with their guru in the same household. Nalanda University represents the world’s oldest organized university education system, drawing students globally to Indian knowledge traditions.
• During British rule, reforms in education were introduced through initiatives like the Macaulay Committee recommendations, Woods’ Despatch, Hunter Commission Report, and the University Education Act of 2004, which had a lasting impact on society.

Current Status of Education in India:

• The gender gap in literacy rates in India has been narrowing since 1991, showing an accelerated pace of improvement. However, the female literacy rate in India remains notably lower than the global average of 87%, as per UNESCO's 2015 report. 
• Additionally, India's overall literacy rate of 74.04% falls below the global average of 86.3%. Many Indian states hover close to the national average literacy level.

Different Legal and Constitutional Provisions

Legal Provisions

• The government has introduced the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) under the Right to Education (RTE) Act to provide education at the primary level (ages 6-14). For secondary education (ages 14-18), SSA has been extended through the Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan.
• In higher education, which includes undergraduate (UG), postgraduate (PG), and MPhil/PhD levels, the government addresses the needs through the Rashtriya Uchhattar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA). All these initiatives have been integrated into the comprehensive Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan scheme.

Constitutional Provisions

• Article 45 of the Directive Principles of State Policy (DPSP) originally mandated that the government should provide free and compulsory education for all children up to the age of 14 within 10 years of the Constitution's adoption.
• Later, Article 45 was amended to include early childhood care and education for children under six years old. However, as the original goal was not achieved, the 86th Constitutional Amendment Act of 2002 introduced Article 21A, making elementary education a fundamental right rather than just a directive principle.

What are the Issues in the School Education System in India?

• Election-Driven Focus of the Government: During elections, the poor gain leverage, prompting governments to prioritize immediate needs through freebies and guarantees. Although people desire income security and improved basic services, they remain sceptical of the government's commitment to areas like education, health, and living conditions.
• Education Sector Crisis: The education sector faces challenges due to rampant commercialization and politicization. It lacks a phased strategy and national consensus, relying instead on quick fixes such as technology, which cannot replace the need for significant investments in quality education.
• Limits of Edutech: The book The Learning Trap underscores the limitations of technology in addressing the broken education system. Edutech platforms, including Byju’s, have fallen short of their promises, highlighting the importance of quality teachers over technological interventions.
• Impact of Tuition Industry: The tuition industry, now worth over ₹58 billion, is growing rapidly. This expansion is fueled by government policies that devalue high school exams while emphasizing national exams as pathways to professional careers.
• Preference for Tuition Centers: Parents increasingly favor tuition centers over regular schools, contributing to student stress, mental health issues, and even suicides. This preference also exacerbates the divide between well-educated and less-educated students.
• Quality Variance in Schools: Public and private schools in India vary significantly in quality. Poorly trained and underpaid teachers have led to the proliferation of tuition centers. Meanwhile, the government prioritizes managing its schools over improving quality and monitoring standards.
• Widening Educational Divide: The gap between the education of the rich and poor continues to grow, with underprivileged students struggling in a failing system. Government approaches to teaching materials remain uncreative and fail to address mounting challenges.
• Lack of Societal Involvement: Education needs to be a societal responsibility rather than just a governmental one. This perspective is largely absent in India. Solutions include increasing social engagement, civil society participation, and volunteerism while ensuring teacher accountability.
• Insufficient Education Spending: India’s education spending remains inadequate, stagnant at 2.61% of GDP—far below the 6% benchmark suggested by the Education 2030 Framework for Action. Increased budget allocation and focused attention are essential for meaningful progress.
• Political Leadership and Fiscal Imagination: Effective growth in education depends on committed political leadership and innovative fiscal planning. India’s low spending on education highlights a lack of fundamental reforms necessary for addressing challenges and achieving global educational leadership.
• Inadequate Infrastructure in Schools: Data from UDISE (2019-20) reveals infrastructural shortcomings: only 12% of schools have internet access, 30% have computers, 42% lack furniture, 23% lack electricity, 22% lack ramps for the disabled, and 15% lack basic WASH facilities, including drinking water, toilets, and hand wash basins.
• High Dropout Rate: The dropout rate remains high at both primary and secondary levels, with many students aged 6-14 leaving school prematurely. This results in wasted financial and human resources. According to the National Family Health Survey-5, lack of interest in studies was cited as the reason for dropping out by 21.4% of girls and 35.7% of boys aged 6-17 years before the 2019-20 academic year.

What are the Long-Term Solutions to the Education System in India?

• Towards Experiential Learning Approach: Incorporating problem-solving and decision-making subjects into school curriculums is essential to provide students with hands-on learning experiences and prepare them for real-world challenges when they join the workforce. Experiential learning maximizes its impact by fostering active participation among students, enhancing their emotional intelligence, and encouraging self-learning. Integrating Artificial Intelligence into the education sector can further promote experiential learning.
• Implementation of National Education Policy (NEP): The NEP's implementation has the potential to revitalize the education system. Transitioning from the traditional 10+2 structure to a 5+3+3+4 system will formally include the preschool age group in the educational framework, addressing a gap that remains inconsistently tackled across states.
• Education-Employment Corridor: India’s educational framework must evolve by integrating vocational training with mainstream education and offering appropriate mentorship, particularly in government schools, to guide students early in their educational journey. This will help them explore career opportunities effectively. Rural students, despite their motivation and potential, often lack proper guidance. Providing mentorship for both children and their parents can also help bridge the gender gap in education.
• Reducing the Language Barrier: While English should remain a medium for international understanding (EIU), equal importance must be given to other Indian languages. Establishing specialized publication agencies to translate educational resources into diverse languages can ensure equal opportunities for students from all linguistic backgrounds.
• Taking a Note From Past to Future: While looking to the future, it is vital to draw inspiration from the traditional 'Gurukul' system of ancient India, which emphasized holistic development beyond academics long before it became a modern trend. Ethics and values, including self-reliance, empathy, creativity, and integrity, formed the foundation of the ancient education system and remain relevant today. Education in ancient times extended beyond theoretical knowledge, focusing on practical applications and skill-based assessments. The modern education system can adopt similar approaches to evaluate and enhance learning outcomes.