India has been a major seat of learning for thousands of years, dating back to ancient seats of learning like Nalanda. ( German, literally means "children's garden" is a form of education for young children which serves as a transition from home to the commencement of more formal schooling India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Nālandā is the name of an ancient University in Bihar, India. In modern times, Indian educational institutions such as the (IITs, IISc, IIMs, NITs,AIIMS, ISI, BITS and ISB) are well known worldwide. The Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs, are a group of fourteen autonomous Engineering and Technology -oriented institutes of Higher education established The Indian Institute of Science ( IISc) is a premier post-graduate institution of research and higher learning located in Bangalore, India. The Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs are India's premier Management institutes that also conduct research and provide consultancy services in the field of management National Institutes of Technology (NITs are premier colleges of engineering and technology education in India. All India Institute of Medical Sciences ( AIIMS) (created 1956 is a Medical college and hospital in India, and is an autonomous institution Indian Statistical Institute (ISI engages in the research teaching and application of Statistics to the Natural sciences and Social sciences. Birla Institute of Technology & Science, (िबरला प्रौद्योिगकी एवं विज्ञान संस्थान िपलानी (known as BITS The Indian School of Business (ISB located in Hyderabad India is an international business school providing postgraduate programmes in Management ( Master of Business Administration India, being a developing nation, struggles with challenges in its primary education and strives to reach 100% literacy. Primary education is the first stage of Compulsory education. Universal Compulsory Primary Education, with its challenges of keeping poor children in school and maintaining quality of education in rural areas, has been difficult to achieve (Kerala is an Indian state to reach this goal so far). Kerala ( Malayalam: {{Kerala in Malayalam}}; All levels of education in India, from primary to higher education, are overseen by the Ministry of Human Resource Development (Department of Higher Education (India) and Department of School Education and Literacy), and heavily subsidized by the Indian government, though there is a move to make higher education partially self-financing. Department of Higher Education is the government department that oversees higher education in India. The Indian Government is considering to allow 100% foreign direct investment in Higher Education. ^[1]

Structure

Indian Education System comprises stages called Nursery,Primary,Secondary,Higher Secondary,Graduation & Post Graduation. Some students go in different stream after Secondary for 3 Years Technical education called Polytechnics

There are broadly four stages of school education in India, namely primary, upper primary, secondary and higher secondary(or high school). High school is the name used in some parts of the world (in particular Scotland, North America and Australia) to describe an institution Overall, schooling lasts 12 years, following the "10+2 pattern". However, there are considerable differences between the various states in terms of the organizational patterns within these first 10 years of schooling. The government is committed to ensuring universal elementary education (primary and upper primary) education for all children aged 6-14 years of age. Primary school includes children of ages six to eleven, organized into classes one through five. See also Primary education A primary school (from French école primaire) is an institution where children receive the first stage of Compulsory Upper Primary and Secondary school pupils aged eleven through fifteen are organized into classes six through ten, and higher secondary school students ages sixteen through seventeen are enrolled in classes eleven through twelve. In some places there is a concept called Middle/Upper Primary schools for classes between six to eight. In such cases classes nine to twelve are classified under high school category. Higher Education in India provides an opportunity to specialize in a field and includes technical schools (such as the Indian Institutes of Technology and Indian Institutes of Informaton Technology,Design & Manufacturing), colleges, and universities. Technical school is a general term used for Two-year college which provide mostly Employment -preparation skills for trained labor, such as Welding The Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs, are a group of fourteen autonomous Engineering and Technology -oriented institutes of Higher education established College ( Latin collegium) is a term most often used today to denote an Educational Institution. A university is an institution of Higher education and Research, which grants Academic degrees in a variety of subjects

In India, the main types of schools are those controlled by:

• The state government boards like SSLC, in which the vast majority of Indian school-children are enrolled,
• The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) board,
• The Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) board,
• National Open School and
• "International schools. The Secondary School Leaving Certificate ( SSLC) is a certification obtained by a student on successful completion of an examination at the end of study at the secondary The Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (often abbreviated as CISCE) is a private non-governmental board of School Education in India " These schools mimic the schools in the West in pattern and syllabi and are considerably more expensive than regular schools. The exams conducted have the syllabus of any one of the above-mentioned Councils or Boards.

Overall, according to the latest Government Survey undertaken by NUEPA (DISE, 2005-6), there are 1,124,033 schools.

Pre-primary Education

Pre-primary education in India is not a fundamental right, with a very low percentage of children receiving preschool educational facilities. The largest source of provision is the so called Integrated Child Development Services (or ICDS) and anganwadis. Anganwadi is a government sponsored child-care and mother-care center in India. However, the preschool component in the same remains weak.

In the absence of significant government provisions, the private sector (reaching to the relatively richer section of society) has opened schools. Provisions in these kindergartens are divided into two stages - lower kindergarten (LKG) and upper kindergarten (UKG). Typically, an LKG class would comprise children 3 to 4 years of age, and the UKG class would comprise children 4 to 5 years of age. After finishing upper kindergarten, a child enters Class 1 (or, Standard 1) of primary school. Often kindergarten is an integral part of regular schools,though there is a marked trend towards exclusive prep schools. A special Toddler/Nursery group at the age of 2–2½ is also part of the pre-primary education. It is run as part of the kindergarten. However, creches and other early care facilities for the underprivilaged sections of society are extremely limited in number. There are some organized players with standardized curriculums coming of age which cover a very small share of the urban population. Overall, the % enrollment of pre-primary classes to total enrollment (primary) is 11. 22% (DISE, 2005-06).

Elementary Education

Primary school in the remote Kanji village of the Kargil district. Kanji is a village in the Kargil district of the Ladakh region of the Jammu and Kashmir state of India. Kargil ( Hindi: कारगील; kərɡɪl is a district of Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir, India.

During the eighth five-year plan, the target of "universalizing" elementary education was divided into three broad parameters: Universal Access, Universal Retention and Universal Achievement i. The Economy of India is based in part on planning through its Five-year plans, developed executed and monitored by the Planning Commission. e. , making education accessible to children, making sure that they continue education and finally, achieving goals. As a result of education programs, by the end of 2000, 94% of India's rural population had primary schools within one km and 84% had upper primary schools within 3 km. See also Primary education A primary school (from French école primaire) is an institution where children receive the first stage of Compulsory Special efforts were made to enroll SC/ST and girls. Scheduled Castes ("SC"s and Scheduled Tribes ("ST"s are Indian population groupings that are explicitly recognized by the Constitution of Ādivāsīs (in Devanagari script: आदिवासी literally "original inhabitants" comprise a substantial indigenous minority of the population The enrollment in primary and upper-primary schools has gone up considerably since the first five-year plan. The Economy of India is based in part on planning through its Five-year plans, developed executed and monitored by the Planning Commission. So has the number of primary and upper-primary schools. In 1950-51, only 3. 1 million students had enrolled for primary education. In 1997-98, this figure was 39. 5 million. The number of primary and upper-primary schools was 0. 223 million in 1950-51. This figure was 0. 775 million in 1996-97.

In 2002/2003, an estimated 82% of children in the age group of 6-14 were enrolled in school. The Government of India aims to increase this to 100% by the end of the decade. To achieve this the Government launched Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan. The Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan ( Hindi: The 'Education for All' Movement, sometimes referred to as "each one teach one" is a Flagship programme

The strategies adopted by the Government to check drop-out rate are:

• Creating parental awareness
• Community mobilization
• Economic incentives
• Minimum Levels of Learning (MLL)
• District Primary Education Programme (DPEP)
• National Programme of Nutritional Support to Primary Education (Mid-day Meals Scheme)
• The 86th Constitutional Amendment Act was passed by the parliament to make the Right to Elementary Education a fundamental right and a fundamental duty. A fundamental right is a Right that has its origin in a country's Constitution or that is necessarily implied from the terms of that constitution
• National Elementary Education Mission
• A National Committee of State Education Ministers has been set up with the Minister of Human Resource Development as the Chairperson of the committee. Talent Development, part of human resource development, is the process of changing an Organization, its Employees its stakeholders and groups
• Media publicity and advocacy plans.
• Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan which function is the SCERT campus

Non-graduation market

This is a chart of non-graduation market of India as per Census 2001. The Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan ( Hindi: The 'Education for All' Movement, sometimes referred to as "each one teach one" is a Flagship programme

While availability of primary and upper primary schools has been to a considerable extent been created, access to higher education remains a major issue in rural areas (especially for girls). Government high schools are usually taught in the regional language, however urban and suburban schools usually teach in English. These institutions are heavily subsidised. Study materials (such as textbooks, notebooks and stationary) are sometime but not always subsidised. Government schools follow the state curriculum. There are also a number of private schools providing secondary education. These schools usually either follow the State or national curriculum. Some top schools provide international qualifications and offer an alternative international qualification, such as the IB program or A Levels.

Higher Education

Higher education in India has evolved in distinct and divergent streams with each stream monitored by an apex body, indirectly controlled by the Ministry of Human Resource Development and funded by the state governments. Higher education is Education that is provided by universities, vocational universities, Community colleges Liberal arts colleges Most universities are administered by the States, however, there are 18 important universities called Central Universities, which are maintained by the Union Government. The increased funding of the central universities give them an advantage over state competitors.

The Indian Institutes of Technology were placed 50th in the world and 2nd in the field of Engineering (next only to MIT) by Times Higher World University Rankings although they did not appear in the Shanghai Jiao Tong University Academic Ranking of World Universities. The Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs, are a group of fourteen autonomous Engineering and Technology -oriented institutes of Higher education established The THES - QS World University Rankings is an annual publication of university rankings around the world published by The Times Higher Education Supplement (THES Shanghai Jiao Tong University ( abbreviated Jiao Da (交大 or SJTU) located in Shanghai, is one of the oldest and most influential universities The Academic Ranking of World Universities is compiled by Shanghai Jiao Tong University ’s Institute of Higher Education and includes major institutes of higher education ranked There are several thousands colleges in India, Which provides technical education. The Indian Technical Education are very strong these days. They are producing millions of engineers every year.

International league tables produced in 2006 by the London-based Times Higher Education Supplement(THES) confirmed Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU)'s place among the world's top 200 universities ^[2]. Times Higher Education ( THE) formerly The Times Higher Education Supplement ( THES) is a magazine based _____________________________________________________________The sprawling campus of Jawaharlal Nehru University (जवाहरलाल नेहरू विश्वविद्यालय Likewise, THES 2006 ranked JNU's School of Social Sciences^[3] at the 57th position among the world's top 100 institutes for social sciences. Times Higher Education ( THE) formerly The Times Higher Education Supplement ( THES) is a magazine based

The National Law School of India University is highly regarded, with some of its students being awarded Rhodes Scholarships to Oxford University, and the All India Institute of Medical Sciences is consistently rated the top medical school in the country. The National Law School of India University (NLSIU or NLS is the premier institution for under-graduate and graduate legal education in India Rhodes Scholarship Rhodes scholar redirects here Rhodes Scholar redirects here Rhodes scholars The University of Oxford (informally "Oxford University" or simply "Oxford" located in the city of Oxford, Oxfordshire, England is the All India Institute of Medical Sciences ( AIIMS) (created 1956 is a Medical college and hospital in India, and is an autonomous institution Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) are the top management institutes in India. The Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs are India's premier Management institutes that also conduct research and provide consultancy services in the field of management

The private sector is strong in Indian higher education. This has been partly as a result of the decision by the Government to divert spending to the goal of universalisation of elementary education. Within a decade different state assemblies has passed bills for private universities, and some of these universities are performing very well these universities includes Gyanvihar university, Amity university, Rai university and many more

Accreditation

Accreditation for universities in India are required by law unless it was created through an act of Parliament. Gyanvihar Universe: An ambitious education project founded by the late Shri Suresh Sharma along with its founder chairman Sunil Sharma and Director Dr Without accreditation, the government notes "these fake institutions have no legal entity to call themselves as University/Vishwvidyalaya and to award ‘degree’ which are not treated as valid for academic/employment purposes"^[4]. University Grants Commission Act 1956 explains,

"the right of conferring or granting degrees shall be exercised only by a University established or incorporated by or under a Central Act carlo bon tempo, or a State Act, or an Institution deemed to be University or an institution specially empowered by an Act of the Parliament to confer or grant degrees. Thus, any institution which has not been created by an enactment of Parliament or a State Legislature or has not been granted the status of a Deemed to be University, is not entitled to award a degree. "^[4]

Accreditation for higher learning is overseen by autonomous institutions established by the University Grants Commission^[5]:

• All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE)
• Distance Education Council (DEC)
• Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)
• Bar Council of India (BCI)
• National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC)
• National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE)
• Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI)
• Medical Council of India (MCI)
• Pharmacy Council of India (PCI)
• Indian Nursing Council (INC)
• Dental Council of India (DCI)
• Central Council of Homeopathy (CCH)
• Central Council of Indian Medicine (CCIM)
• veterinary council of india (VCI)

Graduation market

This is a chart of graduation market of India as per Census 2001. The University Grants Commission of India is a Union government body that provides funds for government-recognised universities and Colleges It The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE is the statutory body established for proper planning and co-ordinated development of the Technical education system in Indian Council of Agricultural Research ( ICAR) New Delhi, India is an autonomous organisation under the Department of Agricultural Research and Education The Bar Council of India is an autonomous body in India which governs the legal/law institutions in India The National Assessment and Accreditation Council ( NAAC) is an accreditor and is an autonomous body funded by University Grants Commission of Government The Medical Council of India is a constitutional body in India set up primarily to establish uniform standards of higher qualifications in The Pharmacy education and profession in India up to graduate level is regulated by the Pharmacy Council of India (PCI a statutory body governed by the provisions of the Pharmacy Act The Indian Nursing Council is a regulatory body for Nurses and education in Nursing in India. The Dental Council of India was incorporated under the The Dentists Act, 1948 to regulate dental education and the profession throughout India.

History

India has a long history of organized education. The Gurukul system of education is one of the oldest on earth but before that the guru shishya system was extant, in which students were taught orally and the data would be passed from one generation to the next. A Gurukul ( Guru refers to "teacher" or "master" Kul refers to his domain from the Sanskrit word kula, meaning extended family Gurukuls were traditional Hindu residential schools of learning; typically the teacher's house or a monastery. Education was free (and often limited to the higher castes), but students from well-to-do families paid Gurudakshina, a voluntary contribution after the completion of their studies. At the Gurukuls, the teacher imparted knowledge of Religion, Scriptures, Philosophy, Literature, Warfare, Statecraft, mathematics, Medicine, Astrology and "History" ("Itihaas"). Hindu philosophy is divided into six Sanskrit ''{{IAST|āstika}}'') schools of thought or darshanas (literally "views" Sankhya Literature in Sanskrit begins with the Vedas, and continues with the Sanskrit Epics of Iron Age India; the golden age of Classical Ayurveda ( Devanāgarī: आयुर्वॆद the 'science of life' is a system of Traditional medicine native to India, and practiced in other Indian epic poetry is the Epic poetry written in the Indian subcontinent. Only students belonging to Brahmin and Kshatriya communities were taught in these Gurukuls. However, the advent of Buddhism and Jainism brought fundamental changes in access to education with their democratic character. The first millennium and the few centuries preceding it saw the flourishing of higher education at Nalanda, Takshashila University, Ujjain, & Vikramshila Universities. Nālandā is the name of an ancient University in Bihar, India. For the Genus of metalmark butterflies, see Taxila (butterfly. WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Ujjain ( Hindi:उज्जैन (also known as Ujain, Ujjayini, Avanti University was one of the two most important centers of Buddhist learning in India along with University during the Pala dynasty. Art, Architecture, Painting, Logic, mathematics, Grammar, Philosophy, Astronomy, Literature, Buddhism, Hinduism, Arthashastra (Economics & Politics), Law, and Medicine were among the subjects taught and each university specialized in a particular field of study. Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices Hinduism is a religious tradition that originated in the Indian subcontinent. The Arthashastra ( IAST: Arthaśāstra) is a Treatise on statecraft, economic policy and Military strategy which Takshila specialized in the study of medicine, while Ujjain laid emphasis on astronomy. Nalanda, being the biggest centre, handled all branches of knowledge, and housed up to 10,000 students at its peak. British records show that education was widespread in the 18th century, with a school for every temple, mosque or village in most regions of the country. The subjects taught included Reading, Writing, Arithmetic, Theology, Law, Astronomy, Metaphysics, Ethics, Medical Science and Religion. The schools were attended by students representative of all classes of society. Traditional structures were not recognized by the British government and have been on the decline since. Gandhi is said to have described the traditional educational system as a beautiful tree that was destroyed during the British rule. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi ( Gujarati: મોહનદાસ કરમચંદ ગાંધી moɦən̪d̪äs kəɾəmʧən̪d̪ gän̪d̪ʱi (2 October 1869 – 30 January [1]

Up to the 17th century

The first millennium and the few centuries preceding it saw the flourishing of higher education at Nalanda, Takshila, Ujjain, & Vikramshila Universities. Nālandā is the name of an ancient University in Bihar, India. For the Genus of metalmark butterflies, see Taxila (butterfly. WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Ujjain ( Hindi:उज्जैन (also known as Ujain, Ujjayini, Avanti University was one of the two most important centers of Buddhist learning in India along with University during the Pala dynasty. Art, Architecture, Painting, Logic, mathematics, Grammar, Philosophy, Astronomy, Literature, Buddhism, Hinduism, Arthashastra (Economics & Politics), Law, and Medicine were among the subjects taught and each university specialized in a particular field of study. Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices Hinduism is a religious tradition that originated in the Indian subcontinent. The Arthashastra ( IAST: Arthaśāstra) is a Treatise on statecraft, economic policy and Military strategy which Takshila specialized in the study of medicine, while Ujjain laid emphasis on astronomy. Nalanda, being the biggest centre, handled all branches of knowledge, and housed up to 10,000 students at its peak.

Education under British Rule

British records show that indigenous education was widespread in the 18th century, with a school for every temple, mosque or village in most regions of the country. The subjects taught included Reading, Writing, Arithmetic, Theology, Law, Astronomy, Metaphysics, Ethics, Medical Science and Religion. The schools were attended by students representative of all classes of society. Printed books were introduced in India by 1579. ^[6] Pre-British schools and colleges were maintained by grants of revenue-free land. The East India Company, with its policy of maximizing land revenue, stopped this and thus starved the Indian education system of its financial resources.

The current system of education, with its western style and content, was introduced & funded by the British in the 19th century, following recommendations by Macaulay. Traditional structures were not recognized by the British government and have been on the decline since. Gandhi is said to have described the traditional educational system as a beautiful tree that was destroyed during British rule. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi ( Gujarati: મોહનદાસ કરમચંદ ગાંધી moɦən̪d̪äs kəɾəmʧən̪d̪ gän̪d̪ʱi (2 October 1869 – 30 January

The British established many colleges like St. Xavier's College, Sydenham College, Wilson College and Elphinstone College in India. Sydenham College or Sydenham College of Commerce and Economics is an institute located in Mumbai (previously Bombay affiliated to the University of Bombay Wilson College is a degree college affiliated to the University of Mumbai in Mumbai. Elphinstone College is an institution of higher education affiliated to the University of Mumbai.

According to Prof. Emeritus M. G. Sahadevan, F. R. C. P. (London), the first 'western-modelled' medical college of Kerala was started at Calicut, in 1942-43, during World War II. Kerala ( Malayalam: {{Kerala in Malayalam}}; WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> For the district with the same name see Kozhikode District. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including Due to shortage of doctors to serve the military, the British Government decided to open a branch of Madras Medical College in Malabar, which was under Madras Presidency then. A military is an Organization authorized by its Nation to use force usually including use of Weapons in defending its Country (or by attacking The Madras Medical College is a prominent educational institution located in Chennai, India. After the war, the medical school at Calicut was closed and the students continued their studies at Madras Medical College.

After Independence

After independence, education became the responsibility of the states. A state is a political association with effective Sovereignty over a geographic Area and representing a Population. The Central Government's only obligation was to co-ordinate in technical and higher education and specify standards. This continued till 1976, when the education became a joint responsibility of the state and the Centre.

Education Commission

The Education Commission under the Chairmanship of Dr. D. S. Kothari, the then Chairman, University Grants Commission, began its task on October 2,1964. Daulat Singh Kothari (1905-1993 was an eminent Indian scientist It consisted of sixteen members, eleven being Indians and five foreign experts. In addition, the Commission had the benefit of discussion with a number of internationally known as consultants in the educational as well as scientific field----.

After 1976

In 1976, education was made a joint responsibility of the states and the Centre, through a constitutional amendment. The center is represented by Ministry of Human Resource Development's Department of Education and together with the states, it is jointly responsible for the formulation of education policy and planning. A ministry is a specialised organisation responsible for a sector of Government Public administration, sometimes led by a minister, but usually a senior Talent Development, part of human resource development, is the process of changing an Organization, its Employees its stakeholders and groups

NPE 1986 and revised PoA 1992 envisioned that free and compulsory education should be provided for all children up to 14 years of age before the commencement of 21st century. Government of India made a commitment that by 2000, 6% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) will be spent on education, out of which half would be spent on the Primary education. Primary education is the first stage of Compulsory education.

The 86th Amendment of the Indian constitution makes education a fundamental right for all children aged 6-14 years. The access to preschool education for children under 6 years of age was excluded from the provisions, and the supporting legislation has not yet been passed.

In November 1998, Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee announced setting up of Vidya Vahini Network to link up universities, UGC and CSIR. This article is about the government position For other uses see Prime Minister (disambiguation. Atal Bihari Vajpayee (अटल बिहारी वाजपेयी əʈəl bɪhaːɾiː ʋaːdʒpeiː (born December 25 1924 The eleventh Prime Minister of India. A computer network is a group of interconnected Computers. Networks may be classified according to a wide variety of characteristics A university is an institution of Higher education and Research, which grants Academic degrees in a variety of subjects The University Grants Commission of India is a Union government body that provides funds for government-recognised universities and Colleges It The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research ( CSIR) is the premier industrial Research and development (R&D organization in India.

Recent developments

The Indian Education System is generally marks-based. However, some experiments have been made to do away with the marks-based system which has led to cases of depression and suicides among students. In 2005, the Kerala government introduced a grades-based system in the hope that it will help students to move away from the cut-throat competition and rote-learning and will be able to focus on creative aspects and personality development as well. Kerala ( Malayalam: {{Kerala in Malayalam}}; iDiscoveri education started by Alumni of Harvard, XLRI is a pioneer in this field. This organization has already developed 5 model schools.

Outdoor Education in India

Outdoor education is relatively new to schools in rural areas of India, though it is quite well established in urban areas. Outdoor education usually refers to organized Learning that takes place in the Outdoors. These trips are conducted to enhance personal growth through experiential learning and increase awareness about various subjects like the environment, ecology, wildlife, history, archaeology, geography and adventure sports.

Expenditure on Education in India

The Government expenditure on Education has greatly increased since the First five-year plan. The Economy of India is based in part on planning through its Five-year plans, developed executed and monitored by the Planning Commission. The Government of India has highly subsidized higher education. Nearly 97% of the Central Government expenditure on elementary education goes towards the payment of teachers' salaries.

Data based on "Educational Planning and Administration in India : Retrospect and Prospect", Journal for Education Planning and Administration, Vol. VII, Number 2, NHIEPA. New Delhi by Dr. R. V. Vaidayantha Ayyar.

Note:

• Expenditure is in millions of Rupees
• Expenditure for Ninth-year plan excludes Rs. 45267. 40 million for Mid-Day Meals

Initiatives

Non-Formal Education

In 1979-80, the Government of India, Department of Education launched a program of Non-Formal Education (NFE) for children of 6-14 years age group, who cannot join regular schools. These children include school drop-outs, working children, children from areas without easy access to schools etc. The initial focus of the scheme was on ten educationally backward states. Later, it was extended to urban slums as well as hilly, tribal and desert areas in other states. A slum, as defined by the United Nations agency UN-HABITAT, is a run-down area of a city characterized by substandard housing and squalor and lacking in tenure security The program is now functional in 25 states/UTs. A Union Territory is a sub-national administrative division of India. 100% assistance is given to voluntary organizations for running NFE centers.

Bal Bhavans

Bal Bhavans centers, which are operational all over India, aim to enhance creative and sports skills of children in the age group 5-16 years. There are various State and District Bal Bhavans, which conduct programs in fine-arts, aeromodeling, computer-education, sports, martial arts, performing arts etc. Martial arts are systems of codified practices and traditions of training for Combat. They are also equipped with libraries with books for children. New Delhi alone has 52 Bal Bhavan centers. New Delhi (नई दिल्ली ਨਵੀਂ ਦਿੱਲੀ نئی دلی is the Capital city of India. The National Bal Bhavan is an autonomous institution under the Department of Education. It provides general guidance, training facility and transfer of information to State and District Bal Bhavans situated all over India.

Distance education

India has a large number of Distance education programmes in Undergraduate and Post-Graduate levels. The trend was started originally by private institutions that offered distance education at certificate and diploma level. By 1985 many of the larger Universities recognized the need and potential of distance education in a poor and populous country like India and launched degree level programs through distance education. The trend caught up, and today many prestigious Indian Universities offer distance programs. Indira Gandhi National Open University, one of the largest in student enrollment, has only distance programs with numerous local centers that offer supplementary contact classes.

Education for special sections of society

Women

Under Non-Formal Education programme, about 40% of the centers in states and 10% of the centers in UTs are exclusively for girls. A Union Territory is a sub-national administrative division of India. As of 2000, about 0. 3 million NFE centers were catering to about 7. 42 million children, out of which about 0. 12 million were exclusively for girls.

In engineering, medical and other colleges, 30% of the seats have been reserved for women.

SC/STs and OBCs

The Government has reserved seats for SC/STs in all areas of education. Reservation in Indian law is a form of Affirmative action whereby a percentage of seats are reserved in the public sector units union and state civil services Scheduled Castes ("SC"s and Scheduled Tribes ("ST"s are Indian population groupings that are explicitly recognized by the Constitution of Ādivāsīs (in Devanagari script: आदिवासी literally "original inhabitants" comprise a substantial indigenous minority of the population Special scholarships and other incentives are provided for SC/ST candidates. Many State Governments have completely waived fees for SC/ST students. The IITs have a special coaching program for the SC/ST candidates who fail in the entrance exams marginally. The Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs, are a group of fourteen autonomous Engineering and Technology -oriented institutes of Higher education established Seats have been reserved for candidates belonging to Other Backward Classes as well in some states like Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. The Central Government of India classifies some of its citizens based on their social and economic condition as Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe and Other Backward Class The struggle for reserving seats for students from OBC categories in elite institutions like IITs, IIMs and AIIMS and Central Universities is still going on. The Supreme Court of India is obstructing this reservation for the reason that there has been no caste-wise census since 1931 and the population share of OBCs cannot be based on 1931 census. The Department for the Welfare of SC/ST/OBC/Minorities introduced the SC/ST tuition-fee reimbursement scheme in 2003-2004. The scheme applies to SC and ST students of Delhi who are enrolled in recognized unaided private schools and who have an annual family income of less than Rs. 1 lakh. It provides a 100% reimbursement of the tuition fees, sports fee, science fee, lab fee, admission fee and the co-curricular fee if the student's family income falls below Rs. 48, 000 per annum and a reimbursement of 75% if the family income is greater than Rs. 48, 000 per annum but less than Rs. 1 lakh. The subsidy provided by the scheme covers between 85% and 90% of the beneficiary's total running expenses in studying in a private school.

Post Graduate Classes at Correctional Homes

The Government of West Bengal has started the Post Graduate teaching facilities for the convicts at the Correctional Homes in West Bengal.

Contemporary education issues

Modern education in India is often criticized for being based on rote learning. Rote learning is a Learning technique which avoids understanding of a subject and instead focuses on memorization. Emphasis is laid on passing examinations with high percentage. Very few institutes give importance to developing personality and creativity among students. Recently, the country has seen a rise in instances of student suicides due to low marks and failures, especially in metropolitan cities, even though such cases are very rare. The boards are recently trying to improve quality of education by increasing percentage of practical and project marks.

Many people also criticize the caste, language and religion-based reservations in education system. Reservation in Indian law is a form of Affirmative action whereby a percentage of seats are reserved in the public sector units union and state civil services Many allege that very few of the weaker castes get the benefit of reservations and that forged caste certificates abound. Educational institutions also can seek religious minority (non-Hindu) or linguistic minority status. In such institutions, 50% of the seats are reserved for students belonging to a particular religion or having particular mother-tongue(s). A religion is a set of Tenets and practices often centered upon specific Supernatural and moral claims about Reality, the Cosmos A first language (also mother tongue, native language, arterial language, or L1) is the language a human being learns from birth For example, many colleges run by the Jesuits and Salesians have 50% seats reserved for Roman Catholics. The Society of Jesus ( Latin: Societas Iesu, SJ and SI or SJ, SI) is a Catholic religious order The Salesians of Don Bosco (or the Salesian Society, originally known as the Society of St In case of languages, an institution can declare itself linguistic minority only in states in which the language is not official language. For example, an engineering college can declare itself as linguistic-minority (Hindi) institution in the state of Maharashtra (where official state language is Marathi), but not in Madhya Pradesh or Uttar Pradesh (where the official state language is Hindi). Hindi ( Devanāgarī: hi [[wiktहिन्दी हिन्दी]] or hi [[wiktहिंदी हिंदी]] IAST:, IPA:) is Maharashtra ( Marathi: mahārāṣṭra, IPA) is a state located on the western coast of India. Marathi (mr मराठी Marāṭhī) is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by the Marathi people of what is considered western India. Madhya Pradesh (abbreviated as MP) ( Hindī: मध्य प्रदेश pronounced, Translation: Middle Province) often Uttar Pradesh (उत्तर प्रदेश اتر پردیش pronounced, Translation: Northern Province) referred to as '''U Hindi ( Devanāgarī: hi [[wiktहिन्दी हिन्दी]] or hi [[wiktहिंदी हिंदी]] IAST:, IPA:) is These reservations are said to be a cause of heartbreak among many. Many students with poor marks manage to get admissions, while meritorious students are left out. Critics say that such reservations may eventually create rifts in the society.

Ragging is a major problem in colleges, many students die due to ragging every year. Rag (student society Ragging is a form of abuse on newcomers to educational institutions in India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and in many other countries Some state governments have made ragging a criminal offense.

Expenditure on education is also an issue which comes under the scanner. According to the Kothari commission led by Dr Vijay Kothari in 1966, expenditure on education has to be minimum 6% of the GDP. Whereas in 2004 expenditure on education stood at 3. 52% of the GDP and in the eleventh plan it is estimated to be around 4%. The "sarva shikshan abhyan" has to receive sufficient funds from the government to impart quality education.

Chronology of main events

• 1935: Central Advisory Board of Education (CABE) set up.
• 1976: Education made a joint responsibility of the states and the Centre.
• 1986: National Policy on Education (NPE) and Programme of Action (PoA)
• 1992: Revised National Policy on Education (NPE) and Programme of Action (PoA)
• December 17, 1998: The Assam Government enacts a law making ragging in educational institutions a criminal offence. Events 546 - Gothic War (535–554: The Ostrogoths of King Totila Year 1998 ( MCMXCVIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar) Assam) ( Assamese: অসম Ôxôm) is a northeastern state of India with its capital at Dispur, a suburb of the city
• November 1998: Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee announces setting up of Vidya Vahini Network to link up universities, UGC and CSIR. This article is about the government position For other uses see Prime Minister (disambiguation. Atal Bihari Vajpayee (अटल बिहारी वाजपेयी əʈəl bɪhaːɾiː ʋaːdʒpeiː (born December 25 1924 The eleventh Prime Minister of India. A computer network is a group of interconnected Computers. Networks may be classified according to a wide variety of characteristics A university is an institution of Higher education and Research, which grants Academic degrees in a variety of subjects The University Grants Commission of India is a Union government body that provides funds for government-recognised universities and Colleges It The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research ( CSIR) is the premier industrial Research and development (R&D organization in India.

See also

• Literacy in India
• Speech on Education in India by Keshub Chandra Sen delivered at London on 24th May 1870. Literacy in India is an indispensable means for effective social and economic participation contributing to human development and poverty reduction says UNESCO. Keshub Chunder Sen ( Bengali: কেশব চন্দ্র সেন Keshob Chôndro Shen) (also Keshab Chandra Sen (November 19 1838 - January 8 1884

Further reading

• http://www.hinduwisdom.info/Education_in_Ancient_India.htm. Education in Ancient India.
• The Beautiful Tree: Indigenous Education in the Eighteenth Century by Dharampal (Biblia Impex, Delhi, 1983)
• Marie Lall, The Challenges for India's Education System, Chatham House: London, 2005 (ASP BP 05/03)
• Meenakshi Jain et al. Chatham House, formally known as the Royal Institute of International Affairs, is a Non-profit, Non-governmental organization based in London (2003) History in the New NCERT Textbooks Fallacies in the IHC Report, National Council of Educational Research and Training, ISBN 81-7450-227-0
• Rosser, Yvette. Yvette Rosser is an American author and scholar Yvette Rosser was born on January 31 1952. Curriculum as Destiny: Forging National Identity in India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh (2003) University of Texas at Austin. PDF link
• Shourie, Arun. Arun Shourie (born 1941) is a prominent Indian Journalist, Author, and Politician. Eminent Historians: Their Technology, Their Line, Their Fraud New Delhi, 1998.
• Hunter Education Commission Report (1884) - Fascinating report detailing the history of education in India (from the coloniser's perspective of course)
• India Education Diary - The Eden of Education

Notes

External links

• Higher Education Opportunities in India
• Admission Notifications and Examination Alerts from Boards & Universities across India
• Government official education website
• Education India & Entrance Exams
• education in india and career guidance for students
• education community site in India
• Indian Knowledge Networking