Education System In India

We observe a lot of discussions over the education system in India. While some choose to criticize it, others praise the government’s efforts leading to an improved literacy and a better education system in the country. The introduction of RTE (Right to Education Act) has sparked a lot of debates and the focus of people has again shifted to India's education system. The youth contribute the most to the economic growth of the country; hence it becomes important to maintain the quality of workforce.

The literacy rate of the country has risen considerably since the time of independence. While in the past focus laid in increasing the number of educational institutions, the focus has now shifted to achieving equal literacy rate among males and females, providing better opportunities for all strata of the society, increase the use of technology and applying effective teaching methods and in turn generating highly skilled youth for the country. The number of private and public institutions has considerably gone up in the past few years. With the introduction of RTE, the government aims at providing equal opportunities for the weaker sections of the society, who are deprived of education due to financial limitations.

Even though a lot of efforts have been taken up to improve the education system of the country, they are still not enough. Consider the case of RTE: Although it was introduced with honest intentions, its implementation is still in question due to widespread corruption. The schools and colleges in today's world have become more of money making institutions, diminishing the focus on the quality of education. Moreover, the methodologies used are not right, as they create students who are more focussed on obtaining good marks rather than on gaining knowledge. The lack of good teachers due to unattractive opportunities in this field has further aggravated the situation. A vicious cycle where substandard teachers create an in

ferior grade of students has aggravated the situation. The government plans to open up more institutions like the IITs and the IIMs but forgets about maintaining the quality of already existing institutes. The focus should lie on quality more than on quantity.

The education system needs a lot of refinement and a lot of revolutionary changes are required before it can really be called an effective system. The efforts undertaken by various authorities are appreciated, but a holistic view of the practical challenges faced will lead to a better implementation of policies. I believe by executing the RTE act more effectively and focussing on generating a smart and skilled workforce, India can progress at a much faster pace and develop at unbelievable pace.