The Indian education system has always been a boiling pot of debate, especially among the ruling party and its opposition. The cauldron has been stirred again by Rahul Gandhi who asserts that the government's mission of quality education is largely undelivered. The 'top-down' system which prevents creativity and imagination from thriving reflects the aspirations of a very small percentage of the population. Moreover, privatization and financial incentives are doing nothing to boost the quality of education. Is this remark just a way to undermine the opposition or does our education really need an upgrade?
Why Is the Indian Education System so Vulnerable?
The Indian education system has made a lot of progress in recent years. Despite that, its reputation today isn't very impressive. Between 2014 and 2024, many unfavourable developments have wreaked havoc with the perception of Indian education. From education leaks to fake universities, why has the education system become so susceptible to corruption? Let's probe some reasons.
Increasing Privatization of Education
The rising privatization, as remarked by Gandhi should not be underestimated. The high number of private colleges, autonomous institutions, and deemed private universities has lowered the quality of education. Consequently, securing high-paying jobs, job security, and satisfaction have been compromised.
Most commonly, such institutions are owned by influential people with the motive to extort money in the name of fees for different purposes. Just consider NEP 2020, which catalyzed privatization. It introduced alternate education models. These were potentially influenced by affiliated organisations like the Sangh Parivar.
Seeking Admissions is Easier for the Rich
A major flaw in the Indian education system is the favourable admission system for the rich. Those who can pay bribes and massive donations get admitted into institutions that remain a 'dream unfulfilled' for many meritorious students.
In many private engineering colleges, around 15% of seats are solely for the college's management to assign at its discretion. This contrasts sharply with the public universities, as they do not follow the management quota system.
Examination Malpractices and Cheating Rackets
Paper leaks have tainted the reputation of Indian education almost irrevocably. In 2024, the National Testing Agency (NTA) found itself at the centre of controversies when the irregularities in the national exam, the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) revealed paper leaks and million-dollar cheating scams.
Way before 2024, in 2013, the Vyapam scam in MP involving high-profile politicians resulted in rigging the results of 13 examinations by the Madhya Pradesh Professional Examination Board (MPPEB).
Lack of Defined Criteria for Teacher Recruitment
According to a report by UNESCO, teacher absenteeism is a significant factor breaking the integrity of the Indian education system. Politics in appointing teachers and the absence of a defined framework for recruitment are the major hindrances. Moreover, many teachers believe positively in private tuition. The practice is not only unethical but also shrinks the ability of students to think innovatively.
Unpacking Unfavorable Practices in the Indian Education System
The reasons mentioned above have largely gone unchecked. The following practices and developments highlight that Rahul Gandhi's statement isn't without evidence.
- The Modi government minimized the budget of the Higher Education Financing Agency (HEFA) from Rs. 2,200 crores in 2020-21 to just Rs. 1 crore in 2021-22.
- The Education Policy 2020, which prioritized 'online education' narrowed subject choices and increased competition and pressure for students.
- 12 fake universities that were operating between 2014 and 2024 were all shut down. It's still unknown as to how many students they would have misled.
- The SSC CGL scam in 2018 shed light on discrepancies and irregularities in the conduct of exams which caused paper leaks.
- In the Bihar Toppers Scam, undeserving candidates achieved high ranks via bribery and political connections.
- Irregularities were uncovered in the recruitment of teachers in various Delhi schools in 2016 (Delhi School Teachers Recruitment Scam).
- The coaching mafia exploitation between 2014 and 2020 involved private coaching places charging exorbitant fees and giving fake promises to students and parents.
- The Nalanda paper leak had question papers for the teacher recruitment exam going viral on social media a day before the exam was to take place.
Was the Era Before 2014 Free of Corruption?
If we go back further, it's easy to uncover even more instances of scams. One of the major ones was the 1997 IIT JEE exam leak, which was traced to a coaching hub in Lucknow. It led to the cancellation of the entire paper, spoiling the backbreaking efforts of lakhs of aspirants.
The Vyapam scam, as already touched before, intensified the public disillusionment with the Indian educational framework further.
In 1994, the University Grant Commission (UGC) released a huge list of fake universities operating in various states. Little did people know that it would become a regular posting, highlighting a serious imbalance between the supply and demand of higher education.
Yet another painful revelation was the AIEEE paper leak in 2011. The paper, which was being sold for a massive sum of Rs. 6 lakh, caused chaos in the country. What was appalling was that many regular sources at CBSE refused to comment on the issue.
The Need for Upgrading Indian Education Is Pressing
The multiple instances of scams and malpractices are hindering the development of our country. The lack of proper infrastructure, emphasis on a few subjects for a rewarding career, and the consequent competition are making the country a bustling ground for fraudsters.
What makes the landscape more dystopian is the prevalence of rape and molestation. A recent study shows that 63% of female students have dealt with unwanted staring and 50% received inappropriate comments.
The rape of a trainee doctor at Kolkata's renowned RG Kar Medical College in the latter part of 2024 sent shockwaves throughout the nation. The sexual assault epidemic is nowhere close to an end.
All of this is pushing India away from a progressive and economically sound country. The country’s employment rate has fluctuated rapidly since 2020 and has not improved significantly. To curb it, concrete measures should be taken to improve the current way in which the system works. Some effective measures include the following:
- More funding for public educational institutions.
- Setting up uniform guidelines for teacher recruitment.
- Teaching ethics when training teachers for schools and colleges.
- Strict financial audits, rules for admissions, and guidelines on resource allocation to lower the possibilities of fraud.
- Make sex education mandatory in schools so children understand the difference between good and bad touch, sexual rights, and menstrual needs.
With inputs from agencies
Image Source: Multiple agencies
*The views expressed are personal to the author and do not reflect the platform's opinion of the same.
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Praggya Joshi is a seasoned content writer specializing in creative writing, long-form, and short-form social media content. She has worked in the B2B, SaaS, health, and IT spheres and carries a deep knowledge of building SEO-optimized and user-friendly content strategies. A poet at heart, she finds solace in weaving her thoughts and life experiences into free-flowing verses. Praggya is devoted to honing her craft and tries her best to move past her comfort zone and gain new skills.
