Indian Education System- Issues and Challenges

Indian Education System- Issues and Challenges 

 INTRODUCTION 

The Education has become as competitive as educational institutions. In order to survive, institutions must improve the quality of their services. The Right to Education Act has revolutionized the education system in India. Although there are many issues and challenges for the higher education system in India, there are many opportunities to overcome challenges and make the higher education system much better. It needs greater transparency and accountability. In this study, we examine the education scenario in India and also identify emerging issues and the challenge in education in India. This Science and technology is growing exponentially, thus the knowledge base of all disciplines is expanding rapidly. The educational system invests in the responsibility of adapting and providing new knowledge to its occupants. So higher education has become competitive. Changes in culture, motivation, and levels of skills required in securing employment for students and the cost of providing the service, and forcing higher education institutions today to reformulate their educational models and add value in every aspect of their service. Higher education becomes inputs to the growth and development of the industry and is also seen as an opportunity to participate in the individual development process through a flexible educational setting. The essential to revise the current education system are growing competition, rapidly variations in technology, decreasing quality, unbalanced demographics, and privatization. Lacking of faculty in course, courses is not taught by the experienced faculty etc. are the numerous grievances in over current education system due to this, parents, student and general public are not satisfied. The World Bank reports that between 2000 and 2017, elementary school enrolment increased by more than 33 million: from 156.6 million in 2000–01 to 189.9 million in 2017–18. 

While achievement varies greatly between India’s 29 states and seven union territories, two-thirds of these have claimed to have achieved universal primary enrolment. It is always a problem of discrepancy, and it shows what society values and wants to hand over to future generations. However, the challenge with curriculum and evaluations begins only there. In addition to determining what is taught in schools, standards and content significantly affect the level of student and teacher involvement in teaching and learning? However, our system has been slow to utilize technology in a useful way to improve efficiency or effectiveness. In this study, we have referred different reports of AISHE, UGC, British Council, etc. for the Indian education system. A major shift in the education system can be observed since the pre and postBritish rule till today in India. Initially, children were educated in Gurukuls which was later modified and the modern education system was introduced. After India became independent, the constitution committed six fundamental rights, of which one was the Right to Education. It allowed free education for every child up between the age of 6 and 14 years. 

The education system is mainly divided into pre-primary, primary, elementary and secondary education, which is followed by higher studies. However, there are many drawbacks and loopholes in this system which if curbed can work for the overall development of the country. The Indian education system is quite an old education system that still exists. It has produced so many genius minds that are making India proud all over the world. However, while it is one of the oldest systems, it is still not that developed when compared to others, which are in fact newer. This is so as the other countries have gone through growth and advancement, but the Indian education system is still stuck in old age. It faces a lot of problems that need to be sorted to let it reach its full potential. As the Indian Education System is facing so many problems, we need to come up with effective solutions so it improves and creates a brighter future for students. We can start by focusing on the skill development of the students. The schools and colleges must not only focus on the ranks and grades but on the analytical and creative skills of children. In addition, subjects must not be merely taught theoretically but with practical. This will help in a better understanding of the subject without them having to mug up the whole thing due to lack of practical knowledge. Also, the syllabus must be updated with the changing times and not follow the old age pattern.Other than that, the government and private colleges must now increase the payroll of teachers. As they clearly deserve more than what they offer. To save money, the schools hire teachers who are not qualified enough. This creates a very bad classroom environment and learning. They must be hired if they are fit for the job and not because they are working at a lesser salary. Issues and Challenges The learning outcomes are very poor mainly because of lack of qualified teachers; there is no monitor tool on teacher knowledge once he/she became a teacher. Lack of IT and vocational courses in secondary level, Lack of connection between higher education and secondary education and it is not preparing students for higher education with respective to skills, because of it there is huge number of coaching institutes for entrance exams exploiting students. Large class sizes are widespread in the pre-primary school education system. With classrooms filled with students and teachers insufficient to provide enough individual attention, the student learning experience is scarce. Primary school teachers try to manage classes for 50 to 60 students in some school regions across the country.

Another important factor affecting the quality of education is the level of students admitted to universities. Undergraduate students in India are students who have graduated from upper secondary school (for children from 16 to 18 years old). Central or state governments have made no serious attempt to open any new schools in the upper secondary level over the past few decades. The only new such schools opened by central government are Navodaya Vidyalaya and Kendriya Vidyalaya (both of which are central schools). According to a recent British Council report on Indian school education, the number of central government-run secondary schools is 42,119 and higher secondary schools are 24,808. These schools provide education to deserving students for nominal fees. As per the data provided by the NAAC, as of June 2010, “not even 25% of the total higher education institutions in the country were accredited and among those accredited; only 30% of the universities and 45% of the colleges were found to be of quality to be ranked at 'A' level. The lack of teachers and the inability of the government educational system to attract and retain well-qualified teachers have been challenging the quality of education for many years. Large numbers of PhD / NET candidates are unemployed even if there are a lot of vacancies in higher education, and then these eligible candidates apply in other departments that represent the biggest shock to the higher education system. In the top 100 universities list by ‘Times Higher Education World Reputation Rankings’, none of the Indian universities could be found in the list. In the 2017 rankings by the HRD ministry, only 2,995 institutions (6%) participated from around 51,000-strong higher educational institutions in India. In the overall rankings, of the 100 best institutions, 67 are from just eight states. Among the best 100 universities, 40 are in three states. 

Among the best 100 colleges, 77 are from just five states. If we only look at the academic reputation and ratio of faculty to students, we can see where most of the universities are located in India. The academic reputation as shown in the QS classification is based on teaching and research. Teaching and research at any university depends on the quality of the faculty as well as the quality of students. The quality of teaching depends on the quality of the teachers. For teachers to transfer knowledge to students, they must have extensive knowledge of their subject matter, curricula and educational standards, as well as enthusiasm and desire to learn throughout their careers. There are a large number of universities in India, but 20 to 30 universities with a high level teaching staff are rarely considered. Higher education lacks a learning-based project. Young graduates need to learn new skills, especially vocational skills that can provide them with a job. So we don't focus on project-based learning at all. The theory is just not enough, and we also need practical knowledge as well. The industry is having trouble finding a suitable employee because the education provided is not appropriate to work directly in the industry, so before that a company is required to spend large amount on providing training for employee.The quality of education depends directly on the learning process. There is a less availability of learning resources in Indian colleges. Most of the colleges have poor quality of library building. This leads to poor service to the library. The number of books is much smaller, there is no magazine, and there is no magazine that raises the level of new knowledge. There are also poor internet facilities for accessing online database and resources. In India most universities have more than one curriculum loaded with theoretical knowledge. This curriculum is only concerned with passing the exam not only that, the curriculum does not rise to the level of market demand. Old and outdated curriculums are still followed by most universities as the demand for quality and skill changes every day due to globalization.

There are many different curriculum systems that confuse students who want to achieve the same goal as engineering, medicine, and business administration. At the higher education level, there is no uniformity in the curricula taught for the same program. The curriculum is frequently reviewed without regard to the contemporary requirements of industries. There is a lack of subjects that one can take in college. There are very distinguished scholars in our country whose Western writers cite the book. There is not enough focus on research in institutions of higher education. There are not enough resources and facilities, as well as a limited number of quality faculties to advice students. Most research scholars do not have fellowships or do not receive their fellowships on time, which directly or indirectly affects their research. Moreover, Indian higher education institutions are not affiliated with the research centres. So, this is another challenging area of higher education in India. The Problems associated with the Education System in India Even after more than a hundred years of “Gokhale’s Bill”1911, where universal primary education was originally mooted, India is yet to achieve this goal.China had achieved it in the 1970s. As per Census 2011, over 26% of India’s population is still illiterate, compared to 4% in China. About 50% of India’s population has only primary education or less, compared to 38% in China. The 13% of the population with tertiary education at the upper end in India is comparable with China. However, according to Educational Statistics at a Glance (ESAG) 2018, the thrust on providing primary education has yielded results across social and gender categories in the Gross Enrolment Rate (GER).Progress has been made in respect of female participation up to secondary level and GER for girls has exceeded that of boys.But the girl’s enrollment rate is lower than that of boys at the higher education level.

A gap is visible across social categories in terms of enrollment rate at the higher education level. According to NSSO’s 71st round (2014), drop-out rates are very high for boys at the secondary school level. Reasons for the same are economic activities, lack of interest in education, and financial constraints.The transition rate from secondary school to senior secondary and further to higher education is very low.Despite these highly ambitious education policies and elaborate deliberations on the same, the outcomes are rather shaky. Major criticisms and shortcomings of these policies and their implementations are:Elitist bias in the implementation of education policies is reflected in the top-heavy structure of India’s education profile, neglecting basic education and prioritizing higher education. The ratio of per-student public expenditure at the tertiary level is high relative to the primary level in India.Half the population is crowded at the bottom, either illiterate or with only primary education. Meanwhile, a disproportionately large segment is at the upper end with tertiary education. Poor quality of education.The 2015 Annual Status of Education Report (ASER)reflects this deteriorating quality. The report opines that deficits in foundational reading and arithmetic skills are cumulative, which leaves students grossly handicapped for further education.India had fared poorly in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) test in 2008.Education policies in India are focused on inputs rather than on learning outcomes. Issues with teachers Teacher shortages,Local politics,Corruption in teacher appointment,Defects in teacher training,Socio-cultural factors like caste division, and cynical attitude towards the teaching profession.The incentive structure for government school teachers is highly skewed, guaranteeing poor performance. There is no accountability, as there is a guaranteed lifetime job independent of performance,Inadequate public spending. From 1952-2012, education expenditure as a percentage of total government expenditure increased from 7.92 to 11.7, and as a percentage of GDP increased from 0.64 to 3.31. But it has still not reached 6% of GDP, as was recommended by the Kothari Commission way back in 1964. Expenditure by the government on elementary education is more than tertiary level, but expenditure per student is more in tertiary. So there is a need to increase expenditure in all segments. 

Non-inclusive and in-equitable education system. All India survey on higher education has shown that in West Bengal Muslim students in universities are very low. Lack of education at the primary and secondary levels is said to be the main reason.Even though Article 15(4),(5) provides reservations for SC, ST, and OBC in higher education institutions, the Economic Survey 2018-19 points out their inadequate representation in these institutions. The rich-poor divide is also visible at all levels of the education system.At the school level, poor children are primarily concentrated in government schools. The poor quality of government schools thus disproportionately affects these children and creates a vicious cycle of illiteracy.At the higher education level, the situation is more critical. One reason for the introduction of the National Medical Commission Bill is to curb the exorbitant fees charged by medical colleges.The inadequate employable skills of youth in India.Youths coming out of the higher education system in India are not employable, as they lack relevant industry-level skills. India’s long-standing neglect of primary and secondary education has limited access to quality basic education. No skill development program can succeed without an underlying foundation of basic education. National Policy on Skill Development and Entrepreneurship 2015(PMKVY) has shown disappointing results. 

Conclusion 

We know the importance of quality education. It directly affects the all aspects of growth of a country and helps the country to stand high in the overall platform. In India during the eras of seventy years, the higher education has developed a lot in terms of quantity. However, we are still missing of quality education as expected. To improve the quality of education the concerned experts have to think on the parameters (such as enough infrastructure, updated curriculum, skilled faculties, learning resources, financial help, and well planned guidelines) of quality education. The Reduce class strengths so that teachers can give proper attendance to each and every kid. 

The Indian education system must change for the better. It must give the students equal opportunities to shine better in the future. We need to let go of the old and traditional ways and enhance the teaching standards so our youth can get create a better world. In conclusion, the Indian education system is a complex and evolving landscape. It has its strengths, including its emphasis on STEM subjects and rote learning, and its challenges, such as the rural-urban education divide and exam pressure. However, with ongoing reforms and a focus on holistic education, India is working towards nurturing well-rounded individuals who can contribute to the nation’s growth and prosperity. The Indian education system continues to shape the minds and futures of millions, guided by the vision of a brighter tomorrow. 

BIBLIOGRAPHY 

1. Boyce, E. Mary, “Organizational Learning is Essential to Achieving and Sustaining Change in Higher Education”, Innovative Higher Education, Vol. 28, No. 2, 2003, 119-136. 

2.Ray Land, Agency, context and change in academic development, International Journal for Academic Development, 6:1, 2001. 4-20. 

3.B. Robert Barr & John Tagg, From Teaching to Learning — A New Paradigm For Undergraduate Education, Change: The Magazine of Higher Learning, Volume 27, Issue 6, 1995, 12-26. 

4.Barnett,R.(1992).Improving Higher Education: Total Quality Core, Buckingham: SRHE&OU. 

5.See https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/india/overview#3 and https://databank.worldbank.org/source/education-statistics-%5E-all-indicators 6.The major problems and remedies on primary education system in india by V S. Athawar April To June 2015 Online : ISSN-2394-7632, SCHOLARS IMPACT Print : ISSN-2394-7640 , Vol-I, Issue-3.