The intent of this education reform route map spanning the entire spectrum from preschool to PhD education, is to provoke debate within the somnolent groves of Indian academia and the intelligentsia to transform the nation’s demographic liability into an asset IF INDIA’S ACADEMY had a conscience and sense of responsibility, August 15, when the nation celebrates Independence Day, would be a day of introspection, if not sackcloth and ashes. Although since the hauling down of the Union Jack 67 years ago, the Indian State has chalked up some notable achievements — national unity, democracy, rule of law, constitutional government — its failures in birth control, universal healthcare, poverty eradication, income inequality, justice delivery etc, by far outnumber its successes. Yet perhaps the most egregious failure of the Indian State and several political formations which have established 15 governments in New Delhi and state capitals during the past six decades, has been the conspicuous failure to adequately educate and develop the country’s vast human resource pool which had the potential to restore the Indian subcontinent and particularly the Indian Republic within it, to its glory days of less than three centuries ago. Right until the mid-18th century this geography contributed 20 percent of global GNP. Indian architecture, goods and manufactures were acclaimed worldwide and its vast landmass was a busy hub of learning boasting the world’s greatest universities. Today, almost seven decades after independence, in every sector of the education continuum — preschool, primary, secondary and higher education — India is routinely ranked among the bottom decile of the world’s 195 nation states in education quality surveys conducted by reputable international organisations. This situation analysis report is the backdrop against which the Narendra Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party assumed office in New Delhi on May 26 following its huge victory in General Election 2014. Nevertheless, Modi and BJP have aroused great expectations within the academy and the small but growing community of reformers committed to upgrading Indian education which needs drastic overhaul across the board. The cause of their enthusiasm is a single sentence in the BJP election manifesto which states that “public spending on education would be raised to 6 percent of the GDP, and involving the private sector would further enhance this”. This commitment is of great significance because it hasn’t been honoured since the Kothari Commission recommended it in 1966, as a precondition of national development. Despite promising to take the lead in implementing this recommendation made 39 years ago, no government at the Centre has succeeded in raising public spending (Centre plus states) on education to 6 percent of GDP in any year. For this desideratum to be attained, the Central government needs to provide a sum equivalent to 2 percent of GDP for education, setting an example for the country’s 29 states and seven Union territories to contribute the remaining 4 percent. However, in its first Union budget presented to Parliament and the nation on July 10, finance minister Arun Jaitley provided a sum of Rs.68,728 crore…
