Present Status

1. Enrolment Ratios: Elementary level enrolment ratios are close to 100%. Gross enrolment ratios (GER) for secondary education have increased, although net enrolment ratio (NER) remains low.
   • GER for Grades 6-8: 90.9%
   • GER for Grades 9-10: 79.3%
   • GER for Grades 11-12: 56.5%
2. Enrolment Trends: From 2007-08 to 2015-16, enrolment in government primary schools declined by 2.31 crores, while enrolment in private primary schools increased by 1.45 crores.
3. Out-of-School Children: As per the 75th round NSSO survey (2017-18), 3.22 crore children in the age group of 6 to 17 years are out of school.
4. Human Development Report (2019): Between 1990 and 2018, mean years of schooling increased by 3.5 years and expected years of schooling increased by 4.7 years in India.
5. Attendance Rates: ASER surveys estimate national attendance in primary and upper primary schools at 71.4% and 73.2%, respectively, with considerable state-wise differences.
6. Enrolment Drop-offs: Enrolment drop-offs are severe for Scheduled Castes (19.6% to 17.3%), Scheduled Tribes (10.6% to 6.8%), differently-abled children (1.1% to 0.25%), and female students within these categories.
7. Learning Outcomes: Over 5 crore elementary school students have not attained foundational literacy and numeracy.
8. Pupil-Teacher Ratio: The national pupil-teacher ratio is 24:1 for elementary schools and 27:1 for secondary schools.
9. Mental Health: Student suicides due to examination and career stress increased from about 6,600 in 2012 to about 9,000 in 2015.

Challenges in School Education

1. Inadequate Public Funding: Government spending on education remains around 3% of GDP, compared to the world average of 4.7% (World Bank).
2. Focus on Infrastructure Over Learning Outcomes: Disproportionate emphasis on infrastructure rather than actual learning outcomes.
3. Governance and Monitoring: Centralized governance leads to conflicts of interest and ineffective management.
4. Teacher Training and Vacancies: Inadequate teacher training, numerous teaching vacancies, and high absenteeism affect education quality.
5. Limited Vocational Education: The school system offers limited options for vocational training.
6. Language Barriers: Underdeveloped Indian languages and lack of standard publications hinder learning, especially in rural areas.
7. Small Schools: Numerous small schools are economically and operationally inefficient, often requiring teachers to cover multiple grades and subjects.
8. Mental Health Support: Inadequate mental health support for students leads to increased stress and related issues.

Steps Taken

1. VidyaDaan 2.0: National program for contributing e-learning content.
2. e-Pathshala: NCERT portal/app hosting educational resources.
3. PRAGYATA Guidelines: Guidelines for digital education addressing limited or no access to technologies.
4. Manodarpan: Psychosocial support initiative for mental health and emotional well-being.
5. PM eVIDYA: Multi-mode access to digital education, including DIKSHA portal, TV channels, radio, and special content for the visually and hearing impaired.
6. Operation Digital Board (ODB): Converts classrooms into digital classrooms.
7. ShaGun Portal: Monitors Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan implementation.
8. Shala Siddhi: Online portal for school self-evaluation.
9. National Digital Education Architecture (NDEAR): Supports teaching, learning, and administrative activities.
10. National Education Technology Forum (NETF): Platform for exchanging ideas on technology use in education.
11. Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan: Universalisation of primary education.
12. Mid-Day Meal: Enhances enrolment, retention, and nutritional levels among school children.
13. RTE Act, 2009: Enforces free and compulsory education for children aged 6-14 years.
14. NIPUN Bharat Mission: Aims for universal proficiency in foundational literacy and numeracy by the end of Grade 3 by 2026-27.
15. Strengthening Teaching-Learning and Results for States (STARS) Project: Improves monitoring and measurement activities in school education.
16. Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan: Integrates Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA), and Teacher Education (TE) to provide quality education and enhance learning outcomes.

Way Forward

1. Increase Funding: Raise government spending on education to at least 6% of GDP by 2022.
2. Improve Governance: Develop robust mechanisms to enforce regulations on teacher qualifications, absenteeism, and learning outcomes, with regular assessments by independent bodies.
3. Focus on Learning Outcomes: Integrate small schools to optimize resources, run remediation processes concurrently with regular classes, and implement consequences for failing to meet minimum learning outcomes.
4. Enhance Vocational Education: Award credits for subjects passed, provide options for vocational courses from secondary level, and pilot innovative vocational education models.
5. Revamp Curriculum: Design pre-primary and primary syllabus on a skill-based continuum, align vocational education syllabus with NSQF, and include practical learning activities.
6. Teacher Training: Improve teacher training and reduce vacancies to enhance teaching quality.
7. Reduce Mental Stress: Include life skills and stress management in the curriculum, provide mental health support, and ensure easy access to counseling, especially for at-risk children.
8. Broaden RTE Coverage: Extend RTE to cover ages 6-18, ensuring foundational knowledge and workforce inclusion.
9. Address Drop-Outs: Implement creative policies to tackle drop-outs due to financial constraints and loss of interest, such as free bicycles to improve mobility.

Higher Education in India

Present Status

1. Enrolment in Higher Education:
   • Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) has increased from 25.8% in 2017-18 to 26.3% in 2018-19. Gender parity is almost achieved with GER for men at 26.3% and women at 26.4%.
   • India lags behind the world average GER of 33%, with comparable economies like Brazil at 46%, Russia at 78%, and China at 30%. South Korea exceeds 93%.
   • The number of universities increased from 903 in 2017-18 to 993 in 2018-19, with a significant share managed by the private sector.
   • Narrowing gender gap with 51.36% male and 48.64% female enrolment.
   • SC and ST student enrolment stands at 14.89% and 5.53%, respectively.
   • Significant regional disparities with college density ranging from 7 in Bihar to 59 in Telangana, and GER varying from 5.5% in Daman & Diu to 56.1% in Chandigarh.
   • Pupil-Teacher Ratio (PTR) in universities and colleges is 29.
2. Quality Concerns:
   • Few Indian institutions feature in the top 200 of global rankings.
   • Limited employability of graduates.
   • Foreign student enrolment increased from 34,774 in 2012-13 to 47,575 in 2016-17, with higher male enrolment.

Issues

1. Iniquitous Access:
   1. Low GER, especially among SC (23%) and ST (18%) populations.
   2. Significant regional disparities and limited access in rural areas.
2. Poor Quality:
   1. Only three Indian institutions in the top 200 global rankings.
   2. Proliferation of substandard private institutions with inadequate infrastructure and outdated curricula.
   3. Outdated assessment systems and poor learning outcomes.
3. Governance and Management:
   1. Overregulation and under-governance.
   2. Non-transparent entry norms and high entry barriers.
   3. Excessive government control and intervention in university autonomy.
   4. Overburdened universities with massification of substandard education.
4. Lack of Funding:
   1. Insufficient investment and government funding, with only 1% of GDP spent on higher education.
   2. Limited financial avenues leading to high capitation fees.
5. Skills and Employability:
   1. Curriculum misaligned with industry needs, lacking employability and innovation skills.
   2. Lack of hands-on training results in unprepared graduates.
6. Commercialisation of Education: Private institutions focusing on profits over quality, leading to degree mills.
7. Poor Research and Development:
   1. Limited R&D, lack of international exposure, and collaborations.
   2. Separation of research from teaching activities.
8. Curriculum Issues: Lack of interdisciplinary approach and restricted use of ICT in education delivery.
9. Teaching Vacancies: High vacancies in teaching positions and inadequate training.
10. Quality Concerns: Rapid expansion without regard for quality, with many institutions rated as middle or poor by NAAC.
11. Misalignment with Industry Needs: High unemployment among graduates due to curriculum not aligned with industry requirements.

Steps Taken

1. Research and Development:
   1. RISE Scheme: Funded by Higher Education Financing Agency (HEFA) for infrastructure and research investments.
   2. Prime Minister’s Research Fellows (PMRF): Enhances quality of technical research.
   3. IMPRINT India: Boosts scientific and technological research through IITs and IISc.
   4. SPARC: Facilitates academic and research collaborations with international institutions.
2. Enrollment and Access:
   1. National Education Policy (NEP) 2020: Aims to increase GER to 50% by 2035 with a flexible, interdisciplinary curriculum.
   2. SWAYAM Portal: Provides quality education through online courses.
   3. Unnat Bharat Abhiyan: Engages higher educational institutions with rural development.
   4. Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA): Strategic funding to state institutions based on performance.
3. Funding and Regulation:
   1. Higher Education Financing Agency (HEFA): Finances infrastructure improvements.
   2. Institutions of Eminence (IoE): Program to develop world-class institutions.
   3. National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF): Ranks institutions based on various performance metrics.
4. Improving Quality:
   1. NAAC and NBA Accreditation: Mandatory assessments for funding eligibility.
   2. GIAN Initiative: Engages international experts with Indian institutions.
   3. TEQIP: Supports quality improvement in technical education.
5. Support for Marginalized Groups:
   1. UDAAN, SAKSHAM, Ishan Uday: Scholarship programs for disadvantaged groups.
6. Digital and Distance Learning:
   1. SWAYAM and NPTEL: Online courses and learning platforms.
   2. YUKTI 2.0: Supports incubated startups and technologies in higher education.

Government Bodies

1. UGC (University Grants Commission): Regulates and provides funds to universities.
2. AICTE (All India Council for Technical Education): Regulates technical education.
3. ICHR (Indian Council of Historical Research): Supports historical research.
4. ICSSR (Indian Council of Social Science Research): Supports social science research.
5. Higher Education Commission of India (HECI): Proposed to replace UGC for improved regulation and transparency.

Way Forward

1. Regulatory and Governance Reforms:
   1. Establish a unified regulatory framework and amend the UGC Act.
   2. Develop a framework for foreign universities and ensure transparent selection processes for leadership positions.
2. Curriculum Design:
   1. Standardize curriculum and continuously update with industry and expert feedback.
   2. Integrate skills and vocational training with higher education.
   3. Mandate internships for professional and technical courses.
3. Accreditation Framework:
   1. Ensure regular accreditation of all higher education institutions.
   2. Expand the number of credible accreditation agencies and focus on outcome-based accreditation.
4. Creating World-Class Universities:
   1. Develop ‘Institutions of Eminence’ with significant funding.
   2. Implement a graded funding mechanism for top public universities.
5. Performance-Linked Funding and Incentives:
   1. Link grants to institutional performance and quality.
   2. Establish a public funding system for research and innovation.
   3. Adopt a prize system for solving specific research problems.
6. Development of Teacher Resources:
   1. Develop stringent norms for faculty recruitment and encourage quality teaching.
   2. Introduce mandatory training and outcome-based evaluation for faculty.
   3. Regularly assess the quality of journals used for faculty evaluations.
7. Distance and Online Education:
   1. Broaden the scope of MOOCs and ODL.
   2. Permit high-ranking universities to offer online education programmes.
   3. Leverage technology to address faculty shortages.
8. Vocational and Profession-Led Education:
   1. Establish norms for vocational education institutions and integrate vocational subjects in universities.
   2. Focus on high-demand skills such as public health and foundational teaching.
9. Additional Measures:
   1. Strengthen public institutions and improve inclusion through scholarships and freeships.
   2. Provide greater autonomy in academic matters and incentivize good performers.
   3. Increase funding from various sources and transform top universities into institutes of excellence.
   4. Promote interdisciplinary education and incentivize research among faculty.
   5. Forge international collaborations to enhance academic quality.

Teacher Education in India

Present Status

1. Regulatory Body: The National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) regulates teacher education in India.
   • Teacher-Training Institutes: 23,219 recognized institutes, with around 90% privately run. The intake was 17.58 lakh in 2016.
2. Teacher Eligibility: Teachers in schools must pass the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET), and higher education teachers must pass the National Eligibility Test (NET) or State Level Eligibility Test (SLET).
   • Qualification Rates: Only 13.53% of candidates qualified for the Central Teacher Eligibility Test (CTET) in 2015. The pass percentage for UGC-NET is also low, with only 6% qualifying.
3. In-Service Training: The current framework includes 592 District Institutes of Educational Training (DIETs), 112 Colleges of Teacher Education (CTEs), 35 Institutes of Advanced Studies (IASEs), and 17 Block Institutes of Teacher Education (BITEs).
   • Training Statistics: Only 14.9% of teachers received in-service training for elementary education in 2015-16, despite the provision of 20 days of training under Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA).
4. Teacher Vacancies: There are 9 lakh teacher vacancies out of 51.03 lakh sanctioned posts, with 4.2 lakh vacancies in SSA schools.
5. Pupil-Teacher Ratio: 33% of schools do not meet the required pupil-teacher ratio. There are also 2.91 lakh surplus teachers due to regional demand-supply imbalances.
6. Teacher Attendance: A national survey showed 25% of teachers absent from school, and only half teaching during unannounced visits.

Issues

1. Regulatory Monitoring: Insufficient regulatory monitoring of teacher education institutions.
2. Teacher Eligibility Tests: Some state-level TETs are not adequately robust.
3. In-Service Training: Inadequate training programs and lack of public funding support.
4. Demand-Supply Imbalance: No robust system to balance regional or state-level demand and supply of teachers.
5. Accountability: Limited systems for teacher accountability.

Steps Taken

1. Regulatory Framework:
   • NCTE: Regulatory body for teacher education.
   • Accreditation: Efforts to improve accreditation and grading processes.
2. In-Service Training:
   • Pt. Madan Mohan Malviya National Mission for Teachers & Teaching: Aims to build a strong professional cadre of teachers.
   • NISHTHA: National mission to improve learning outcomes through integrated teacher training.
   • SSA Provision: 20 days of in-service training for all teachers.
3. Technological Interventions:
   • Madhya Pradesh’s M-Shiksha Mitra: Mobile application to monitor teacher attendance.
4. Performance Monitoring:
   • PINDICS (Performance Indicators): NCERT’s quality monitoring tools to evaluate teachers’ competencies.
   • National Electronic Teacher Registry: Proposed platform to host teachers’ profiles and monitor performance.

Way Forward

1. Strengthening the Regulatory Framework:
   1. Transparent Criteria: Develop and enforce rigorous criteria for recognizing institutions.
   2. Close Dysfunctional Institutes: Ensure the closure of fraudulent or dysfunctional teacher education institutions.
   3. Institutions of Eminence: Establish 5-6 teacher training institutions with an annual intake of 2000 students each.
2. Robust In-Service Teacher Development:
   1. Professional Development: Redesign in-service training with continuous professional development through various modes like coaching, peer-learning, and sabbaticals.
   2. Mission Mode Implementation: Implement the Pt. Madan Mohan Malviya National Mission for Teachers & Teaching in mission mode.
3. Accountability of Teachers:
   1. Electronic Registry: Set up a national electronic teacher registry to host educational profiles and monitor performance.
   2. Performance-Based Salary: Link salary increments to performance assessments.
   3. Tri-Annual Testing: Test teachers tri-annually on the same subjects they teach.
   4. Strengthen TET: Standardize TET across states to match central TET standards.
   5. NET/SLET for Higher Education: Continue and strengthen the use of NET/SLET as minimum eligibility criteria for higher education faculty.
4. Balancing Teacher Demand-Supply:
   1. Forecast Model: Develop state-level teacher-demand forecast models to address regional surpluses and deficiencies.
   2. Transparent Appointments: Ensure transparent and timely appointments to address vacancies.

These structured steps and measures are essential to revamp the ecosystem of teacher education, ensuring quality education through well-trained, accountable, and adequately supported teachers.

NEW EDUCATION POLICY, 2020

1. The National Education Policy (NEP), 2020 is the first education policy of the 21st century and replaces the thirtyfour-year-old National Policy on Education (NPE), 1986. 
2. Built on the foundational pillars of access, equity, quality, affordability, and accountability, this policy is aligned to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and aims to transform India into a vibrant knowledge society and global knowledge superpower by making both school and college education more holistic, flexible, multidisciplinary, suited to 21st century needs and aimed at bringing out the unique capabilities of each student.
3. The launch of the National Education Policy 2020 marked remarkable progress in the area of education and learning. India has completed one year into the National Education Policy. The pandemic has slowed the progress of NEP. 
4. The NEP is essentially about learning through observation, listening, exploring, experimenting, and asking questions. 

Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE)	1.Universal Access to ECCE for children of 3-6 years 2. ECCE will be delivered through Anganwadis and pre-schools that will have teachers and Anganwadi workers trained in the ECCE pedagogy and curriculum.  3. Pre-school sections covering at least one year of early childhood care and education will be added to Kendriya Vidyalayas and other primary schools, particularly in disadvantaged areas.  4. NCERT will develop a National Curricular and Pedagogical Framework for ECCE for children up to the age of 8 5. Implementation to be jointly carried out by Ministries of HRD, Women and Child Development (WCD), Health and Family Welfare (HFW), and Tribal Affairs.
Attainment of Foundational Literacy and Numeracy	1. National Mission on Foundational Literacy and Numeracy by MHRD: Under it, States/UTs will prepare an implementation plan for attaining universal foundational literacy and numeracy in all primary schools for all learners by grade 3 by 2025.  2. National Book Promotion Policy is to be formulated to ensure the availability, accessibility, quality, and readership of books across geographies, languages, levels, and genres.  3. National Repository of high-quality resources on foundational literacy and numeracy will be made available on the Digital Infrastructure for Knowledge Sharing (DIKSHA).
Curtailing Dropout Rates and Ensuring Universal Access to Education at All Level	1. Providing effective and sufficient infrastructure so that all students have access to safe and engaging school education.  2. Open and Distance Learning (ODL) Programmes offered by the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) and State Open Schools will be expanded and strengthened with special emphasis on Socio-Economically Disadvantaged Groups (SEDGs).  3. Tracking students as well as their learning levels through counselors or well trained social workers.
Student Assessment	1. School examinations in Grades 3, 5, and 8 which will be conducted by the appropriate authority.  2. Board exams for Grades 10 and 12 will be continued but redesigned.  3. National Assessment Centre, PARAKH (Performance Assessment, Review, and Analysis of Knowledge for Holistic Development), will be set up as a standard setting body under MHRD.  4. Holistic Progress Card with 360-degree, multidimensional report that reflects the progress as well as the uniqueness of each learner in the cognitive, affective, and psychomotor domains.  5. National Testing Agency (NTA) to serve as an autonomous testing organization to conduct entrance examinations for undergraduate and graduate admissions and fellowships in higher education institutions.
Multilingualism and the power of language	1. Medium of instruction up till grade 5, and preferably till Grade 8 and beyond, will be home language/ mother-tongue/ local language. 2. ‘The Languages of India’ is a fun project/ activity to be taken by every student under the ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’ initiative.  3. Three languages formula with greater flexibility.  4. All classical languages (Sanskrit,Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Odia) will be widely available in schools as options. In addition, Pali, Persian, and Prakrit will also be widely available as options.  5. Indian Sign Language (ISL) will be standardized across the country.
School governance	1. Schools can be organized into complexes or clusters which will be the basic unit of governance and ensure availability of all resources including a strong professional teacher community. Schools will develop School Development Plans (SDPs). These plans will then become the basis for the creation of School Complex/Cluster Development Plans (SCDPs). 2. The twinning/pairing of one public school with one private school will be adopted across the country, so that such paired schools may learn from each other, and also share resources, if possible.
Robust Teacher Education and Recruitment	1. New and comprehensive National Curriculum Framework for Teacher Education (by 2021)  2. By 2030, the minimum degree qualification for teaching will be a 4-year integrated B.Ed. degree.  3. Setting-up of National Mission for Mentoring with a large pool of outstanding senior/retired faculty  4. Teacher Eligibility Tests (TETs) for all teachers across Foundational, Preparatory, Middle and Secondary stage in both public and private schools.  5. More autonomy to teachers in choosing aspects of pedagogy in classroom teaching  6. National Professional Standards for Teachers (NPST) will be developed by the National Council for Teacher Education by 2022.  7. National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) to be restructured as a Professional Standard Setting Body (PSSB) under General Education Council (GEC).

Significance and Challenges associated:

1. Comprehensive Framework: It provides an overarching vision and comprehensive framework for both school and higher education across the country.
2. It encourages critical thinking. In the Prime Minister’s words, the policy focuses on ‘how to think’ rather than ‘what to think’.
3. Stress on Formative Years: In adopting a 5+3+3+4 model for school education starting at age 3, it recognises the primacy of the formative years from ages 3 to 8 in shaping the child’s future.
4. Mother Tongue: It also recognises the importance of learning in the child’s mother tongue till at least Class 5.
5. Vocational Courses: The new policy is the breaking of the straitjackets of arts, commerce and science streams in high school, and the laudable goal of introducing vocational courses with internships.
6. Not Mandatory: Though the NEP only provides a broad direction but it is not mandatory to follow.
7. Transferable Job: The NEP doesn’t say anything specifically on children of parents with jobs which are frequently transferable.
8. Education is a concurrent subject, the reforms proposed can only be implemented collaboratively by the Centre and the States.
9. Challenge of 6% GDP: The government has set a target of 6% spending on education and this is difficult due to the current tax-to-GDP ratio, economic slowdown and pandemic impact.
10. No Definition for Top Ranking Universities: The document states universities from among the top 100 in the world will be able to set up campuses in India. While it doesn’t elaborate the parameters to define the top 100.

Way forward

The NEP seeks to address the entire gamut of education from preschool to doctoral studies, and from professional degrees in vocational training. It acknowledges the 21st century need for mobility, flexibility, alternate pathways to learning, and self-actualisation. Thus, political consensus shall be built up and centre and states must work in a collaborative manner to implement NEP in letter and spirit.

Education as public good and privatization of education

Why Education Should Be a Public Good

1. It is a service that every welfare democracy is obligated to provide in the most accessible form.
2. Article 26 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted at the UN General Assembly in 1948, declared that “everyone has the right to education.”
3. By 2030-2032, India is projected to become the third-largest economy, exceeding ten trillion dollars. This growth will be driven by knowledge resources, not natural resources, making quality education crucial for this transition.
4. Nearly one-fifth of India’s population lives below the poverty line. Making education a public good offers them a dignified way to learn and earn a living.
5. Education should be viewed as a tool for development against deprivation, not as a commodity influenced by market forces, such as the demand for certain types of education (e.g., Artificial Intelligence).

Why Education Should Not Be a Public Good

1. Many top institutes in the US, such as Stanford and Harvard Universities, are privately owned and provide scholarships to students.
2. Public education may not always lead to quality education due to bureaucratization, limited competition, limited resources, and a reduced need to attract the best talent.
3. Financial institutions offer education loans that students can repay after they start earning (e.g., the “study now, pay later” model in Australia). This ensures quality is not compromised as institutions have more funds to disburse.
4. Higher education is not a pure public good. While there are positive externalities, meaning society benefits when more people go to college, students also enjoy significant benefits. Therefore, it is reasonable for students to bear a substantial portion of the cost of higher education.

Benefits of Privatization

1. Supplement Public schools: The demand for education has grown far more rapidly than what public institutions can accommodate. They lack capacity and resources to scale up.
2. Greater Coverage: Private institutions can play a positive role in increasing geographical spread and expanding access.
3. Induce Competitive spirit: Increased participants will enhance competition and quality of education.
4. More credibility: Private institutions are considered more efficient than their public counterparts, which is evident from trends of higher enrolment in the private sector.
5. Innovation in learning methods: Private institutions perceived as offering value for money and employing increased use of technology.

Demerits of privatization

1. dimension is unclear, and debatable. No evidence to show that private school children outperform public school. 
2. Non-Inclusive Access: Mandatory 25% reservation for SEBC children under RTE is openly flouted with only 20% of available seats being filled so far.
3. Excessive commercialization of school education in form of high fees, capitation charges, business-like approach to education, which creates accessibility & affordability issues.
4. Lagging standards: In absence of a strong monitoring and certification system, many private schools lack infrastructure, teachers, basic amenities, etc.

Conclusion

1. Private schools may not guarantee equitable and universal access to education; thus, they should supplement, rather than replace, government schools.
2. With 65% of students enrolled in public schools, it is essential to comprehensively reform and revitalize this sector.
3. The progressive recommendations of the National Education Policy, 2020, should be implemented in both letter and spirit.

Status of women’s education in India

Data

1. Literacy Rates:
   • Female Literacy Rate: As of 2021, the female literacy rate in India stands at 75.1%, up from 64.6% in 2011​​.
   • Overall Literacy Rate: The overall literacy rate is 94.02%​​.
2. School Enrollment and Retention:
   • Enrollment: According to the Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) 2022, enrollment rates for girls in rural India have shown improvements. Nearly 95% of girls aged 6 to 14 are enrolled in schools​​.
   • Dropout Rates: Despite high enrollment rates, dropout rates remain a concern, especially at the secondary level, due to socio-economic factors, early marriage, and household responsibilities​​.
3. Higher Education:
   • Participation in STEM: Women’s participation in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) has been increasing, with initiatives like supernumerary seats in IITs and NITs contributing to this rise​​.
   • Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER): The GER for women in higher education was reported at 27.3% in 2021, showing a positive trend but still lagging behind men​​.

Issues Related to Women’s Education in India

1. In traditional Indian society, sons are considered assets, while daughters are seen as liabilities, making expenditure on their education a low priority.
2. Women are traditionally viewed as caretakers of the home and children, roles perceived as not requiring formal education.
3. There is a concern that educated women may become independent earners, potentially challenging the male ego. The patriarchal structure of Indian society often limits women’s roles and opportunities.
4. In impoverished families, girls are often required to care for their siblings and handle household chores, leaving them with neither the time nor the financial resources for education.
5. Poor sanitation facilities in schools, especially for girls, deter many from enrolling.
6. Infrastructure issues, such as lack of roads and the distance of schools from villages, further constrain women’s education.
7. Gap in upper primary and secondary schooling:While female enrolment has increased rapidly since the 1990s, there is still a substantial gap in upper primary and secondary schooling.
8. High drop-out rates:Increased female enrolment is, compromised by persistently high rates of drop-out and poor attendance of girls relative to boys. Girls also constitute a large proportion of out-of-school children.
9. Inter-state variations:There are also considerable inter-state variations in gender parity. While the greatest surges in female enrolment have been achieved in the most educationally disadvantaged states such as Bihar and Rajasthan, these states still have a long way to go to catch up with the better performing states of Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Himachal Pradesh.

Importance of Educating Women

1. Health Benefits: Female literacy significantly improves a society’s health and economic well-being. Educating girls leads to delayed marriages, healthier children, and a reduction in poverty.
2. Poverty Alleviation: Education enables women to gain employment, lifting families out of poverty. In 2018, women’s labour force participation in India was only 26%. Educating women can increase this participation. Women also tend to have fewer vices like drinking and often have a propensity for saving.
3. Social Development: Women’s education addresses various societal issues. The Kothari Commission of 1968 recommended education as a tool for social development. Advancing women’s education can help India achieve its social development goals.
4. Gender Equality: Education helps close the gender gap in society. Co-education institutions can foster respect for women among children.
5. Economic Productivity: Educated women contribute to economic gains and can help raise the nation’s GDP.
6. Reduction in Infant Mortality: Educated women are more likely to make better health decisions for their families, reducing infant mortality rates.
7. Inclusive Growth: As a developing nation, India strives for growth in all sectors and for all sections of society. Education is key to achieving this goal.
8. Women’s Empowerment: Education is a powerful tool for women’s emancipation and empowerment, enabling them to secure their rights and gain a respected place in society.
9. Strengthening Democracy: Educated women are more likely to participate in politics, strengthening democracy through increased awareness and mobilisation for their rights.

Government steps taken

1. Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao Scheme: This scheme aims to raise awareness and enhance the efficiency of welfare services for the girl child. Initially focused on addressing the declining child sex ratio, it also promotes the education, survival, and protection of the girl child.
2. Digital Gender Atlas: The Ministry of Human Resource Development has developed a digital gender atlas to advance girls’ education in India.
3. National Scheme of Incentive to Girls for Secondary Education (NSIGSE): The scheme aims to create an environment that reduces dropouts and encourages the enrolment of girls in secondary schools.
4. Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan: To ensure greater participation of girls in elementary education, this initiative includes targeted interventions such as opening new schools, appointing additional female teachers, providing separate toilets for girls, and conducting teachers’ sensitisation programmes. Additionally, Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas have been established in Educationally Backward Blocks (EBBs).
5. Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA): This programme aims to enhance the quality of education by ensuring a secondary school is within reasonable distance of every habitation, improving the quality of secondary education, and removing gender, socio-economic, and disability barriers.
6. Udaan: Launched by CBSE, ‘Udaan’ provides free online resources to girl students in Classes XI and XII, specifically targeting the low enrolment ratio of girls in prestigious institutions.
7. STEM Education: To increase women’s participation in STEM education, supernumerary seats have been created in IITs and NITs.
8. Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana –  is a Government of India backed savings scheme designed for parents of girl children – to set up a trust for their child’s eventual schooling and marriage expenses.

Way forward

1. Mandatory Education for Girls and Retention in Higher Education: Ensure compulsory education for girls and support their retention in higher education by providing adequate infrastructure, such as separate toilets for females.
2. Skill Development: Equip girls with job-relevant skills demanded by employers or necessary for starting their own businesses.
3. Security and Safety: Enforce laws strictly and increase policing to enhance the safety and security of women.
4. Health: Strengthen Anganwadi centres, Balwadis, and ensure frequent visits by health personnel to encourage and motivate girls.
5. Empowerment through Mahila Mandals: Utilize Mahila Mandals to empower women across the country.
6. Raising Aspirations: Inspire girls and their parents by providing role models and images that broaden their horizons and dreams.
7. Women’s Representation: Increase women’s participation in local, regional, and national legislation to enhance their influence in policy making.