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LATEST NEWS UPDATES | Class Struggle

Class Struggle

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published Published on Aug 15, 2010   modified Modified on Aug 15, 2010


The success of programmes like the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) and Mid Day Meal Scheme (MDMS) in getting most children enrolled at the primary level has created the illusion that the government is now finally getting down to business and boldly financing education. Spending on education quadrupled between 1990-91 and 2000-01 . Since 2004-05 , the combined expenditure on education by the Centre and states has increased at a blistering pace — from about Rs 96,694 crore to Rs 1,86,499 crore, an almost 100 per cent increase. However, during this period, total expenditure by the government on all sectors has also gone up considerably, backed by the high growth rate of the Indian economy. But how much of the total government expenditure — and GDP — is the share that goes to education? It has remained virtually stagnant since 1991-92 .

If you break down the expenditure to see how much is being spent on different stages or types of education, the declines become starker. Between 2001-02 and 2007-08 , the combined expenditure of the Centre and states as a proportion of total expenditure and GDP actually declined for elementary, secondary and higher education.

A similar decline or stagnation has been witnessed in technical and professional education in recent years. The share of government expenditure on technical education has stagnated at about 0.4 per cent of GDP for almost two decades. In a country where only about 2 per cent of the population has received technical education of any kind, this is disastrous.

What is the effect of the state's retreat from education? Since there is widespread thirst for education and an ever-growing demand for diverse educational options and services, the vacuum is filled by private educational institutions . But the burgeoning private sector in education comes with its own problems, which are now beginning to haunt Indian students and their families.

Private educational institutions tend to congregate in areas where they get the best returns. Thus, remote tribal areas or villages will not see private schools while urban centers will have an excess of them. This tends to deprive already disadvantaged sections of the population from access to education.

Since private educational institutions essentially function for profit, their fee structures tend to be higher than that of government-run institutions. According to National Sample Survey (NSS) reports, household expenditure on fees for education has gone up by 188 per cent in rural areas and 154 per cent in urban areas between 1993-94 and 2004-05 .

The quality of education is one of the most serious casualties of declining public expenditure , because the government's regulatory system too takes a hit from the lack of resources to monitor the gigantic Indian educational system. Recent incidents of deemed universities, teachers' training colleges, medical colleges and regular colleges functioning below stipulated standards are but the tip of the iceberg. Delays in checking and implementing standards, and widespread corruption in regulatory bodies lead to thousands of students getting duped. This can be prevented if there is efficient regulation.

Declining quality standards in mainstream education have also led to the growth of the shadow education system — the world of private tuition and coaching classes. Parents struggle to ensure that their children receive better education and seeing falling standards in institutions, especially schools, they are forced to pay for private coaching. Again, this puts a burden on families' expenditure. Expenses on private coaching have recorded an increase of 73 per cent in rural areas and 82 per cent in urban areas since 1993.

In higher education, regulation of quality has become a serious issue. There are about 17,625 colleges in the country. Out of these, about 14,000 come under the purview of the UGC and the remaining under technical education bodies like the AICTE and MCI. Out of the UGC colleges, only 5,589 are recognised under section 2(f) of the UGC Act, meaning they fulfill the minimum condition of being run by a registered body with an affiliation to some recognised university. Over 60 per cent of colleges do not even fulfill the bare minimum conditions.

The National Assessment & Accreditation Council (NAAC) is responsible for evaluating the performance and standards of colleges and universities. However, it has been unable to inspect over 60 per cent of the institutions. Granting accreditation or evaluation rankings are a different matter altogether.

Another important area within education that has suffered is teachers' training. This is a crucial link in the system as it is teachers who are going to nurture future generations. However , the government has virtually ceded ground to unscrupulous operators by allowing them to set up private teachers' training shops across the country, partly under pressure to produce sufficient number of teachers to fulfill its Right to Education obligations. The National Council for Teachers' Education (NCTE) has become a mere clearinghouse for applications.

In short, the government is still far from the recommended 6 per cent of GDP on education . Ironically, it seems to be maintaining the low level in the hope that the private sector will somehow make up for it. But that does not seem to be happening. For the country, it clearly spells trouble.

The Times of India, 14 August, 2010, http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Class-Struggle/articleshow/6310050.cms


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