Over the course of 7 decades after Independence, the education system of India has evolved gradually yet phenomenally. From a literacy rate of 18% in 1951, we have moved up to 77.7%. Currently, the education system in India is the strongest and largest in the world hosting more than 315 million students. In the following years, the education system started getting influenced by various institutions. During the late nineteenth century, the Theosophical Society of India and Rama Krishna Mission started to merge the western ideals of education with the Indian roots to inspire the students and make them accepted universally.
At the time of independence, India was lagging behind on a number of developmental indicators. The British government had not prioritised educating the general population. It was up to the leaders involved in the freedom struggle to deal with these challenges and come up with a way to make India a modern, educated and developed nation.
Despite several hurdles in their way, our leaders succeeded in their aims to a great extent. It was due to their efforts that India could progress from a mere 27 universities in 1950-51 to 1,113 at present The country has 11,296 standalone institutes and 43,796 colleges.
Whether it was primary education, growth of schools and universities or other educational indicators, India has progressed in leaps and bounds since it became independent in 1947.
The establishment of the University Grants Commission, All India Council of Technical Education, Indian Institutes of Technology, Indian Institutes of Management and more in the decades after independence has helped India become a powerhouse of learning.
Female education was not given much importance at the time of independence. Most people in the country were extremely reluctant to send their girls to school.
However, the situation has changed. According to data by the Press Information Bureau, girls now outnumber boys in school education.
The wide gender gap in the field has been closed off for students in classes I to VIII. For primary school (class I to V) students, there are now 1.02 girls for every boy, a sharp jump from 0.41 girls in 1950-51. For upper primary (classes VI to VIII) the number is 1.01 girls per boy.
Literacy rate
The literacy rate in India jumped from 18.3% in 1951 to 78% in 2023. Female literacy saw the most remarkable turnaround in the period, surging from 8.9%to 92% in the same period.
Number of schools and colleges
Every government of independent India has focused on making educational facilities more available to the general public. The number of schools has increased to over ten times from 1.4 lakh at the time of independence to 15 lakh in 2020-21.
The number of colleges has also witnessed a steep rise. From 578 colleges in 1950-51, India now has 42,343 colleges. The number of universities in the same period surged from 27 to 1,043.
One significant sector that has seen a surge is medical education. The number of medical colleges has increased over 21 times in the last 70 years. From 28 medical colleges in 1951, the number has gone up to 703 colleges.
Another cornerstone of India’s education sector is the National Education Policy 2020 which has been brought out by the current Union government.
The policy aims to revolutionise education in India especially through regional language becoming a medium of instruction in schools.
The policy will also pave the way for an increased role for foreign universities in India.
The benefits of the National Education Policy 2020 will decide where the nation stands in the next few decades.
In India, where there are 500 million people, 18% of them are between the ages of 15 and 24 and are enrolled in secondary and higher education. In India, the adult literacy rate (15+ years) is 69.3%, with adult males having a literacy rate of 78.8% and adult females having a literacy rate of 59.3%.
A globally recognised curriculum
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) is just one of many school boards in India. However, it is often considered the best and most studied. It is known for its emphasis on holistic development and co-curricular activities. Moreover, the CBSE programme is geared toward students who wish to enter the medical and engineering fields.
Accessible and compulsory education
The Constitution states that all children aged six to fourteen have the fundamental right to education. As a result, no child gets left behind, with over 1 million schools in India providing high-quality and accessible education. Additionally, the best have quickly adapted to the “new normal.” Nowadays, schools offer both in-classroom and online classes, ensuring that each student completes their education regardless of their pace.
Affordable fee structures
Did you know that Indian schools are relatively more affordable than other institutions around the world? Schools supported by the government can provide free education in line with the Constitution. Of course, private schools will have different fee structures; however, you can ensure that the quality of education your child receives from the is a worthwhile investment.
The Indian education system has come a long way from the age of the gurukuls to the digitally-driven smart classes. And in the past few decades, it is striving hard to match the pace of the global village. From the Right to Education, 2009 act to the National Education Policy 2020, there is a lot that we have already achieved.
The enrolment ratio of children in the age group of 6-11 was 43% in 1951; however, in 2001 India saw 100% enrolment, driven mainly by the various Government schemes and campaigns. The Kothari Commission (1964-66) was the first attempt by the Central Government to create a uniform and forward-looking vision for the Indian education system.
It brought together 20 education sector experts for their suggestions on the future of the Indian education system. The National Education Policy (NEP) of 1968 was set up as per the Commission’s recommendations. The policy was an important initiative in the Indian education sector as it put forward a ‘National School System’ which encouraged access to education irrespective of students’ caste and sex.