TURNING A NEW PAGE
India Today|August 26, 2024
The grave deficiencies in India's education system have been addressed by the National Education Policy 2020. To reach global standards, it must be implemented in letter and spirit.
Kaushik Deka
TURNING A NEW PAGE

India boasts a storied legacy of educational excellence, harking back to the ancient institutions of Nalanda and Taxila. Even today, it has one of the largest education ecosystems in the world, encompassing nearly 1.5 million schools, more than 40,000 colleges and over 1,000 universities, which together serve nearly 300 million students.

However, this quantitative advantage has not translated into qualitative success. For instance, while India boasts a Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) of 108 per cent for primary education (check the accompanying graphic for why it exceeds 100 per cent), it plummets to around 79 per cent for secondary education. In contrast, China maintains a 100 per cent GER for primary education and 89 per cent for secondary education, reflecting better student retention. India's GER for higher education is even more dismal, languishing at a dismal 27.1 per cent, a figure that is half of China's and pales in comparison to the US's impressive 88 per cent. Exemplary education systems like those in Finland and South Korea achieve nearly 100 per cent GER across all school levels.

If these statistics highlight a substantial gap in educational access, the quality of learning outcomes is even more alarming. The National Achievement Survey (NAS) by the ministry of education revealed that only 45 per cent of fifth-grade students could read at a second-grade level. Similarly, the 2023 Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) found that one-fourth of rural students aged 14-18 could not fluently read a second-grade level text in their regional language.

Denne historien er fra August 26, 2024-utgaven av India Today.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

Denne historien er fra August 26, 2024-utgaven av India Today.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

FLERE HISTORIER FRA INDIA TODAYSe alt
Sporting Q+A Fella
India Today

Sporting Q+A Fella

IN NETFLIX’S VIJAY 69, ANUPAM KHER PLAYS A 69-YEAR-OLD WHO DECIDES TO COMPETE IN A TRIATHLON. THE ACTOR TALKS ABOUT WHY HE CONTINUES TO CHALLENGE HIMSELF

time-read
1 min  |
November 18, 2024
Museum Under the Sky
India Today

Museum Under the Sky

Photographer Ahtushi Deshpande's passion project, Speaking Stones documents the threatened rock art of Ladakh

time-read
2 mins  |
November 18, 2024
Reclaiming Our Archives
India Today

Reclaiming Our Archives

Sumana Roy contests the negative connotations regarding provincials in this thought-provoking book

time-read
1 min  |
November 18, 2024
TRAVEL AND ITS DISCONTENTS
India Today

TRAVEL AND ITS DISCONTENTS

Shahnaz Habib's Airplane Mode is asensitive dive into the complex and contentious activity that modern-day travel has devolved into

time-read
2 mins  |
November 18, 2024
CELEBRATING WORDS
India Today

CELEBRATING WORDS

The sixth edition of the Dehradun Literature Festival promises a convergence of literature, cinema and societal issues

time-read
1 min  |
November 18, 2024
MORE THAN A FILM FESTIVAL
India Today

MORE THAN A FILM FESTIVAL

The 13th edition of the Dharamshala International Film Festival (DIFF) is being held November 7-10 at McLeod Ganj in Dharamshala.

time-read
1 min  |
November 18, 2024
HOLDING THE FORT
India Today

HOLDING THE FORT

PANORAMA EDITIONS, AN INTERNATIONAL ART SALON CURATED BY ARTIST SARAH SINGH, RETURNS WITH A UNIQUE THEATRICAL STAGING AND EXHIBITION IN GWALIOR

time-read
2 mins  |
November 18, 2024
A HOMECOMING OF SORTS
India Today

A HOMECOMING OF SORTS

Indian contemporary artist Subodh Gupta’s exhibition The Way Home pays homage to Bihar, where his roots lie

time-read
2 mins  |
November 18, 2024
Art and the City
India Today

Art and the City

Mumbai's leading art fair, Art Mumbai, returns to the iconic Mahalaxmi Racecourse, promising a \"bigger, brighter, and more inventive\" experience for art enthusiasts with a thoughtfully curated display of modern and contemporary art from India, South Asia and beyond.

time-read
1 min  |
November 18, 2024
PORTRAIT OF THE ARTIST AS AN OLD MAN
India Today

PORTRAIT OF THE ARTIST AS AN OLD MAN

At 99 and still painting, Krishen Khanna is one of our most venerable artists ever

time-read
3 mins  |
November 18, 2024