Education: An unfinished revolution

India’s education system is a juggernaut. Over 290 million students attend educational institutions on a typical working day. Enrolment has increased tremendously in schools, technical and professional courses, colleges, distance learning centers, even coaching centers. In 1951, 19 million were enrolled at elementary level (classes 1 to 8), just 1.5 million from 9 to 12. Today, elementary sections have over 130 million enrolled, 37 million in higher classes. Higher education has seen a stunning 100-fold enrolment growth from 170,000 students in 1951 to over 12 million currently.

What drives Indians is hope that education will open doors to a better life. Here are some other numbers. India has the world’s largest population of illiterates about 380 million. Nearly every child in the 6-11 years age-group is enrolled but by class 5, one-third have dropped out, by class 8, half; by class 10 nearly two-thirds are out of school. Only 10% go for higher education. In all, over 170 million children and youth in the age group 6-24 years are out of the education system.

Why is it like this? Experts cite the four Great Divides: rural-urban, men-women, rich-poor and the caste divide. In each case, there is a disadvantaged section, which finds it difficult to get access to education and thus gets left out. Back in 1951, 35% of urbanites and only 12% of rural people were literate. In 2006, 80% urbanites were literate but in rural areas literacy rate was 59%. The story of dalits and tribals is similar, although there has been an even greater surge in their desire for education. In 1961, literacy among dalits was 10% and among tribals 9%. This increased to 55% and 47% respectively in 2006, a massive increase but still behind more advanced sections.

Finally, there is the rich-poor divide. Among society’s poorest third, literacy is about 46%. In the middle third, it improves to 65%, while among the richest third, it is over 72%. Though its gone up since 1951, government expenditure in 2006-07, total expense on education was Rs.1.33 lakh crore (3.6% GDP) is insufficient to educate 1.2 billion Indians. Forty years ago, the Kothari Commission argued that at least 6% of GDP should be allocated to education, but spending has always remained below par. Low government spending has led to growing inequity in education, as those with better resources get better education, while the majority have to make do with mediocre standards.

Source: The Times of India, January 25, 2010. This article is written by Subodh Varma.

Education: An unfinished revolution

India’s education system is a juggernaut. Over 290 million students attend educational institutions on a typical working day. Enrolment has increased tremendously in schools, technical and professional courses, colleges, distance learning centers, even coaching centers. In 1951, 19 million were enrolled at elementary level (classes 1 to 8), just 1.5 million from 9 to 12. Today, elementary sections have over 130 million enrolled, 37 million in higher classes. Higher education has seen a stunning 100-fold enrolment growth from 170,000 students in 1951 to over 12 million currently.

What drives Indians is hope that education will open doors to a better life. Here are some other numbers. India has the world’s largest population of illiterates about 380 million. Nearly every child in the 6-11 years age-group is enrolled but by class 5, one-third have dropped out, by class 8, half; by class 10 nearly two-thirds are out of school. Only 10% go for higher education. In all, over 170 million children and youth in the age group 6-24 years are out of the education system.

Why is it like this? Experts cite the four Great Divides: rural-urban, men-women, rich-poor and the caste divide. In each case, there is a disadvantaged section, which finds it difficult to get access to education and thus gets left out. Back in 1951, 35% of urbanites and only 12% of rural people were literate. In 2006, 80% urbanites were literate but in rural areas literacy rate was 59%. The story of dalits and tribals is similar, although there has been an even greater surge in their desire for education. In 1961, literacy among dalits was 10% and among tribals 9%. This increased to 55% and 47% respectively in 2006, a massive increase but still behind more advanced sections.

Finally, there is the rich-poor divide. Among society’s poorest third, literacy is about 46%. In the middle third, it improves to 65%, while among the richest third, it is over 72%. Though its gone up since 1951, government expenditure in 2006-07, total expense on education was Rs.1.33 lakh crore (3.6% GDP) is insufficient to educate 1.2 billion Indians. Forty years ago, the Kothari Commission argued that at least 6% of GDP should be allocated to education, but spending has always remained below par. Low government spending has led to growing inequity in education, as those with better resources get better education, while the majority have to make do with mediocre standards.

Source: The Times of India, January 25, 2010. This article is written by Subodh Varma.

Education: An unfinished revolution

India’s education system is a juggernaut. Over 290 million students attend educational institutions on a typical working day. Enrolment has increased tremendously in schools, technical and professional courses, colleges, distance learning centers, even coaching centers. In 1951, 19 million were enrolled at elementary level (classes 1 to 8), just 1.5 million from 9 to 12. Today, elementary sections have over 130 million enrolled, 37 million in higher classes. Higher education has seen a stunning 100-fold enrolment growth from 170,000 students in 1951 to over 12 million currently.

What drives Indians is hope that education will open doors to a better life. Here are some other numbers. India has the world’s largest population of illiterates about 380 million. Nearly every child in the 6-11 years age-group is enrolled but by class 5, one-third have dropped out, by class 8, half; by class 10 nearly two-thirds are out of school. Only 10% go for higher education. In all, over 170 million children and youth in the age group 6-24 years are out of the education system.

Why is it like this? Experts cite the four Great Divides: rural-urban, men-women, rich-poor and the caste divide. In each case, there is a disadvantaged section, which finds it difficult to get access to education and thus gets left out. Back in 1951, 35% of urbanites and only 12% of rural people were literate. In 2006, 80% urbanites were literate but in rural areas literacy rate was 59%. The story of dalits and tribals is similar, although there has been an even greater surge in their desire for education. In 1961, literacy among dalits was 10% and among tribals 9%. This increased to 55% and 47% respectively in 2006, a massive increase but still behind more advanced sections.

Finally, there is the rich-poor divide. Among society’s poorest third, literacy is about 46%. In the middle third, it improves to 65%, while among the richest third, it is over 72%. Though its gone up since 1951, government expenditure in 2006-07, total expense on education was Rs.1.33 lakh crore (3.6% GDP) is insufficient to educate 1.2 billion Indians. Forty years ago, the Kothari Commission argued that at least 6% of GDP should be allocated to education, but spending has always remained below par. Low government spending has led to growing inequity in education, as those with better resources get better education, while the majority have to make do with mediocre standards.

Source: The Times of India, January 25, 2010. This article is written by Subodh Varma.

40 universities barely escaped losing deemed tag

Over 40 deemed universities nationwide, including 13 in Maharashtra and 11 in Tamil Nadu, were found to be deficient in certain aspects by the same HRD ministry panel which has recommended that 44 of the worst be stripped of their special status. The Tandon committees report, sourced by the leading national daily, The Times of India, came up for discussion before the Supreme Court on Monday. Managements of private educational institutions are keen to contest the panels findings. The committee had classified 126 deemed universities into three categories Table I comprising 38 good institutions, Table II with 44 institutions which need to rectify certain deficiencies, and Table III listing another 44 institutions whose status is sought to be revoked.

Prominent institutes in the second category include some reputed private colleges and even government-funded bodies like National University of Educational Planning and Administration (NUEPA) in Delhi, Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology in Kerala, Indian Institute of Information Technology and Management in Gwalior and Institute of Liver and Biliary Science in Delhi. According to the panels recommendations, these universities would need to rectify the deficiencies over a three-year period to transit into the first category (of good institutions) for their continuation as deemed universities. We must confess that institutions listed in Table II also need to take comprehensive corrective steps urgently in respect of several parameters … we have placed these institutions in Table II because there is scope for their improvement to meet the requirements expected to retain the status of a university. But they must undergo a rigorous independent review after three years to justify their continuation as universities, the committee has said. But the panels recommendations have already come in for some flak because they did not carry out a physical inspection of the facilities in any of the colleges.

Source: The Times of India, January 25, 2010

40 universities barely escaped losing deemed tag

Over 40 deemed universities nationwide, including 13 in Maharashtra and 11 in Tamil Nadu, were found to be deficient in certain aspects by the same HRD ministry panel which has recommended that 44 of the worst be stripped of their special status. The Tandon committees report, sourced by the leading national daily, The Times of India, came up for discussion before the Supreme Court on Monday. Managements of private educational institutions are keen to contest the panels findings. The committee had classified 126 deemed universities into three categories Table I comprising 38 good institutions, Table II with 44 institutions which need to rectify certain deficiencies, and Table III listing another 44 institutions whose status is sought to be revoked.

Prominent institutes in the second category include some reputed private colleges and even government-funded bodies like National University of Educational Planning and Administration (NUEPA) in Delhi, Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology in Kerala, Indian Institute of Information Technology and Management in Gwalior and Institute of Liver and Biliary Science in Delhi. According to the panels recommendations, these universities would need to rectify the deficiencies over a three-year period to transit into the first category (of good institutions) for their continuation as deemed universities. We must confess that institutions listed in Table II also need to take comprehensive corrective steps urgently in respect of several parameters … we have placed these institutions in Table II because there is scope for their improvement to meet the requirements expected to retain the status of a university. But they must undergo a rigorous independent review after three years to justify their continuation as universities, the committee has said. But the panels recommendations have already come in for some flak because they did not carry out a physical inspection of the facilities in any of the colleges.

Source: The Times of India, January 25, 2010

40 universities barely escaped losing deemed tag

Over 40 deemed universities nationwide, including 13 in Maharashtra and 11 in Tamil Nadu, were found to be deficient in certain aspects by the same HRD ministry panel which has recommended that 44 of the worst be stripped of their special status. The Tandon committees report, sourced by the leading national daily, The Times of India, came up for discussion before the Supreme Court on Monday. Managements of private educational institutions are keen to contest the panels findings. The committee had classified 126 deemed universities into three categories Table I comprising 38 good institutions, Table II with 44 institutions which need to rectify certain deficiencies, and Table III listing another 44 institutions whose status is sought to be revoked.

Prominent institutes in the second category include some reputed private colleges and even government-funded bodies like National University of Educational Planning and Administration (NUEPA) in Delhi, Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology in Kerala, Indian Institute of Information Technology and Management in Gwalior and Institute of Liver and Biliary Science in Delhi. According to the panels recommendations, these universities would need to rectify the deficiencies over a three-year period to transit into the first category (of good institutions) for their continuation as deemed universities. We must confess that institutions listed in Table II also need to take comprehensive corrective steps urgently in respect of several parameters … we have placed these institutions in Table II because there is scope for their improvement to meet the requirements expected to retain the status of a university. But they must undergo a rigorous independent review after three years to justify their continuation as universities, the committee has said. But the panels recommendations have already come in for some flak because they did not carry out a physical inspection of the facilities in any of the colleges.

Source: The Times of India, January 25, 2010

Maintain status quo on 44 deemed universities: Supreme Court tells Central Government

Giving temporary relief to nearly 200,000 students, the Supreme Court directed the central government to maintain status quo on 44 deemed universities facing de-recognition for being run as family fiefdoms and not meeting requisite standards. The court also issued notices to all the 44 deemed universities as also their parent varsities to file their response on the government’s decision to de-recognise them. At the same time, the court asked the UGC (University Grants Commission) to place its earlier report on the basis of which the Ministry had accorded deemed status to these institutions.

A bench of Justices Dalveer Bhandari and A K Patnaik passed the order notwithstanding the government assurance that no follow-up action would be taken against these institutions without court’s consent. The students from these universities received a bolt from the blue last week when the Centre informed the apex court that it had decided to de-recognise the institutions following the report of an expert committee which went into the issue. Amidst strong protests from the aggrieved universities on the government’s decision, the apex court assured them that it would not pass any adverse order without hearing them as the issue not only involved several institutions but also the fate of the affected students.

In a bid to assuage the students thrown into uncertainty, HRD minister Kapil Sibal had assured that not a single student will be adversely affected and that all of them will get a university degree. The court directed the Government to submit the reports of the Review Committee and the Task Force on the basis of which the HRD ministry had decided to crack the whip on the universities. The committee had found that these universities were being run as family fiefdoms rather than on academic considerations. It had found 44 such institutions having deficiencies and suggested that they should be given three years’ time to rectify. Nearly 200,000 students are pursuing higher studies in these 44 institutions in 13 states which have been recommended for non-continuation of the deemed status as neither on past performance nor on their promise for the future have the attributes to retain the deemed status.

Source: The Times of India (Online Edition), January 25, 2010

Maintain status quo on 44 deemed universities: Supreme Court tells Central Government

Giving temporary relief to nearly 200,000 students, the Supreme Court directed the central government to maintain status quo on 44 deemed universities facing de-recognition for being run as family fiefdoms and not meeting requisite standards. The court also issued notices to all the 44 deemed universities as also their parent varsities to file their response on the government’s decision to de-recognise them. At the same time, the court asked the UGC (University Grants Commission) to place its earlier report on the basis of which the Ministry had accorded deemed status to these institutions.

A bench of Justices Dalveer Bhandari and A K Patnaik passed the order notwithstanding the government assurance that no follow-up action would be taken against these institutions without court’s consent. The students from these universities received a bolt from the blue last week when the Centre informed the apex court that it had decided to de-recognise the institutions following the report of an expert committee which went into the issue. Amidst strong protests from the aggrieved universities on the government’s decision, the apex court assured them that it would not pass any adverse order without hearing them as the issue not only involved several institutions but also the fate of the affected students.

In a bid to assuage the students thrown into uncertainty, HRD minister Kapil Sibal had assured that not a single student will be adversely affected and that all of them will get a university degree. The court directed the Government to submit the reports of the Review Committee and the Task Force on the basis of which the HRD ministry had decided to crack the whip on the universities. The committee had found that these universities were being run as family fiefdoms rather than on academic considerations. It had found 44 such institutions having deficiencies and suggested that they should be given three years’ time to rectify. Nearly 200,000 students are pursuing higher studies in these 44 institutions in 13 states which have been recommended for non-continuation of the deemed status as neither on past performance nor on their promise for the future have the attributes to retain the deemed status.

Source: The Times of India (Online Edition), January 25, 2010

Maintain status quo on 44 deemed universities: Supreme Court tells Central Government

Giving temporary relief to nearly 200,000 students, the Supreme Court directed the central government to maintain status quo on 44 deemed universities facing de-recognition for being run as family fiefdoms and not meeting requisite standards. The court also issued notices to all the 44 deemed universities as also their parent varsities to file their response on the government’s decision to de-recognise them. At the same time, the court asked the UGC (University Grants Commission) to place its earlier report on the basis of which the Ministry had accorded deemed status to these institutions.

A bench of Justices Dalveer Bhandari and A K Patnaik passed the order notwithstanding the government assurance that no follow-up action would be taken against these institutions without court’s consent. The students from these universities received a bolt from the blue last week when the Centre informed the apex court that it had decided to de-recognise the institutions following the report of an expert committee which went into the issue. Amidst strong protests from the aggrieved universities on the government’s decision, the apex court assured them that it would not pass any adverse order without hearing them as the issue not only involved several institutions but also the fate of the affected students.

In a bid to assuage the students thrown into uncertainty, HRD minister Kapil Sibal had assured that not a single student will be adversely affected and that all of them will get a university degree. The court directed the Government to submit the reports of the Review Committee and the Task Force on the basis of which the HRD ministry had decided to crack the whip on the universities. The committee had found that these universities were being run as family fiefdoms rather than on academic considerations. It had found 44 such institutions having deficiencies and suggested that they should be given three years’ time to rectify. Nearly 200,000 students are pursuing higher studies in these 44 institutions in 13 states which have been recommended for non-continuation of the deemed status as neither on past performance nor on their promise for the future have the attributes to retain the deemed status.

Source: The Times of India (Online Edition), January 25, 2010

India’s GDP to grow at 9.2%: CMIE

Indian economic growth is likely to return to pre-crisis levels in the next fiscal year, driven by strong industrial and agriculture growth, a recent review by a think tank showed. The Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE) expects the Asia’s third largest economy’s GDP growth to accelerate to 9.2% in 2010-11 from 6.9% in 2009-10. “In fiscal 2010-11, real GDP growth will be propelled by a strong performance by the industrial sector and a robust recovery in agricultural and elite sector. Services sector too is expected to do well,” CMIE said in the report. “A revival in consumer confidence and investment activities will supplement growth in the commodities segment,” it added.

India’s GDP growth slowed to 6.7% in 2008-09 from 9% or more in the previous three years as the effect of global financial turmoil hurt demand, prompting the authorities to unveil a spate of measures designed to boost the economy. The measures helped as the country’s industrial output grew at its fastest pace in two years in November at 11.7%, the economy expanded 7.9% in the September-quarter and inflation jumped to a one-year high of 7.3% in December.

CMIE expects the wholesale price index, the main price barometer, to steadily fall to 7.7% in the June quarter and further to 3.8% March quarter of 2011. The drop in inflation which is seen across primary articles, fuel and manufactured products, is likely to be because of the high base value in 2009-10 and a good kharif (summer) crop production in 2010, it said. Headline inflation is estimated at 8.6% in March quarter, CMIE said.

Source: The Times of India (Online Edition), January 25, 2010