Education in India

"Indian education" redirects here. For other uses, see Indian school.

Education in India
Ministry of Education
Minister of EducationDharmendra Pradhan
National education budget
Budget2.9% of GDP ($ 112 billion)[1]
General details
Primary languagesEnglish,
and other Indian languages
System typeFederal, state and private
Established
Compulsory education		1 April 2010
Literacy (2011[3])
Total77.7%[2]
Male84.6%
Female70.3%
Enrollment (2011[4][5])
Total(N/A)
Primary95%[6]
Secondary69%[6]
Post secondary25%[6]

Education in India is primarily managed by the state-run public education system, which falls under the command of the government at three levels: central, state and local.[7] Under various articles of the Indian Constitution and the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009, free and compulsory education is provided as a fundamental right to children aged 6 to 14. The approximate ratio of the total number of public schools to private schools in India is 10:3.[8]

Students at a public school in Punjab

Education in India covers different levels and types of learning, such as early childhood education, primary education, secondary education, higher education, and vocational education. It varies significantly according to different factors, such as location (urban or rural), gender, caste, religion, language, and disability.

Education in India has much room for growth, such as improving access to education, increasing the quality of education,[9] reducing disparities, lowering dropout rates, increasing enrolment and completion rates,[10] enhancing learning outcomes and employability, strengthening governance and accountability, promoting innovation and technology, and addressing the impact of COVID-19 pandemic. It is influenced by various policies and programmes at the national and state levels, such as the National Education Policy 2020, the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan, the Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan, the Midday Meal Scheme, the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Scheme, and the National Digital Education Architecture. It is also supported by various stakeholders and partners, such as UNICEF, UNESCO, World Bank, civil society organisations, academic institutions, private sector entities, and media outlets.

Education in India is plagued by issues such as grade inflation,[11] corruption, unaccredited institutions offering fraudulent credentials and lack of employment prospects for graduates.[12][13] Half of all graduates in India are considered unemployable.[14]

  1. ^ "Budget 2023: Education gets 'highest ever' allocation; share in GDP remains stagnant at 2.9%". The Economic Times. 2 February 2023. Archived from the original on 5 March 2023. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
  2. ^ "India Literacy Rate". UNICEF. Archived from the original on 25 December 2018. Retrieved 10 October 2013.
  3. ^ Kumar, Vinay (31 March 2011). "Census 2011: population pegged at 1,210.2 million". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 11 April 2021. Retrieved 9 April 2021.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference wdi_enroll was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ "Education in India". World Bank. Archived from the original on 15 June 2021. Retrieved 9 April 2021.
  6. ^ a b c "Educational Statistics At a Glance – Government of India" (PDF). education.gov.in. Archived (PDF) from the original on 28 February 2021. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
  7. ^ "Shaping up of Education in India Post: Independence". TheDailyGuardian. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
  8. ^ Kingdon, Geeta Gandhi (2 October 2020). "The Private Schooling Phenomenon in India: A Review". The Journal of Development Studies. 56 (10): 1795–1817. doi:10.1080/00220388.2020.1715943. hdl:10419/161235. ISSN 0022-0388. S2CID 158006322. Archived from the original on 6 April 2023. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
  9. ^ "Access to Quality Education and Governance – School Education".
  10. ^ "Education 4.0 I Insight Report - World Economic Forum" (PDF).
  11. ^ Chopra, Ritika (5 June 2017). "When 90% comes too easy in CBSE exams". The Indian Express. Retrieved 11 October 2024.
  12. ^ Joy, Santosh K. (18 January 2010). "44 institutions to lose deemed university status". mint. Retrieved 11 October 2024.
  13. ^ Mohan, Rohini (1 March 2021). "India's fake degree scandal reflects poor regulation of higher education". The Straits Times. Retrieved 11 October 2024.
  14. ^ Pradhan, Bibhudatta; Beniwal, Vrishti (17 April 2023). "Worthless Degrees Are Creating an Unemployable Generation in India". Bloomberg.com. Retrieved 11 October 2024.