School

Education in
India

General Education of the Youth and

Literacy and numeracy for the masses
 General Structure of School Education

A uniform structure of
school education viz., the
10+2 system has been
adopted by all the States
and Union Territories of
India.

Primary Stage

Middle Stage

High School Stage

Higher Secondary Stage

Graduation Degree

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 Primary, Upper Primary, High and Higher
Secondary schools

However, within the States and the UTs,
there are

variations in
the number of classes constituting the

Primary,

Upper Primary,

High and

Higher Secondary schools,

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 Within the States and the UTs, variations in

age for admission to class I,

medium of instruction,

stages of public examinations,

teaching of Hindi and English,

number of working days in a year,

academic session, vacation periods,

fee structure,

compulsory education etc.

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 Stages of School Education in India
Primary Stage-[1-5]

The Primary Stage consists of Classes I-V,
i.e., of five year duration, in 20 States / UTs
namely Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh,
Bihar, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu &
Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh, Manipur, Orissa,
Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu,
Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal,
Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Chandigarh,
Delhi and Karaikal and Yanam regions of
Pondicherry.
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 The Primary Stage [I-IV]

The primary stage consists of classes I-IV in

Assam, Goa, Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala,

Maharashtra, Meghalaya, Mizoram,

Nagaland, Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Daman &

Diu, Lakshadweep and Mahe region of

Pondicherry

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 Middle Stage of education-[VI-VIII]

The Middle Stage of education comprises

Classes VI-VIII in as many as 18 States. UTs
viz., Arunachal Pradesh, Bihar, Haryana,
Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Madhya
Pradesh, Manipur, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim,
Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, West
Bengal, Andaman & Nicobar Islands,
Chandigarh, Delhi and Karaikal region of
Pondicherry;

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 Middle Stage of education- [V-VII]

Classes V-VII in Assam, Goa, Gujarat,

Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Meghalaya,
Mizoram, Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Daman & Diu,
Lakshadweep and Mahe region of Pondicherry
and Classes VI-VII in Andhra Pradesh, Orissa
and Yanam region of Pondicherry. In Nagaland
Classes V – VIII constitute the upper primary
stage.

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 The Secondary / High School /Higher secondary

The Secondary Stage consists of Classes IX-X in 19 States / UTs.
Viz., Arunachal Pradesh, Bihar, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh,
Jammu & Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh, Manipur, Nagaland, Punjab,
Rajasthan , Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, West
Bengal, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Chandigarh, Delhi and
Karaikal region of Pondicherry.

The High School stage comprises classes VIII to X in 13 States/UTs
viz., Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Goa, Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala,
Maharashtra, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Orissa, Dadra & Nagar Haveli,
Daman & Diu, Lakshadweep and Mahe & Yanam regions of
Pondicherry.
Higher secondary

However, the Higher Secondary / Senior Secondary stage of school
comprising classes XI-XII (10+2 pattern) is available in all the States
/ UTs though in some States / UTs these classes are attached to
Universities / Colleges.

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Primary Education

Literacy
drop out rate
shortage of teachers
shortage of primary schools
 Primary Education: Literacy

Combined gross enrolment ratio for

primary, secondary and tertiary education,
in 2005 was 63.8 (%) (HDI)

Dropout rates have placed limits on large
number of children of this country to
receive the light of literacy.

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 In primary level, grades or standards are
from I to V.

Primary schools, institutes providing education for

grades I to V are the largest among the schools and
educational institutes in India.

Still their number is far less than what actually should
be. The enrollment in primary schools is also greater
than in any other level but drop out rate and
shortage of teachers is significant in rural areas of
many states.

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The Secondary Education [classes 9-10.]

The Secondary Education which serves as a bridge
between primary and higher education, to prepare
young persons of age group 14-18 in the world of
work and entry into higher education. The
Secondary Education starts with classes 9-10
leading to higher secondary classes 11 and 12.

The relevant children population at the secondary
and senior secondary level, as projected in 1996-97
by NSSO has been estimated at 9.66 crores.
Against this population, the enrolment figures of the
1997-98 shows that only 2.70 crores attending
schools. Thus, two-third of the eligible population
remains out of the school system.

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The Secondary Education [classes 9-12.]

To accommodate the children in schools at
secondary level, we have at present 1.10
lakhs institutions (1998-99). With the
emphasis on universalisation of elementary
education and programmes like District
Primary Education Programme, the
enrolment is bound to increase.

In future, we may require more than two
lakhs institutions at the secondary level to
accommodate them.

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General Education upto
graduation in India

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 Data of 2005: The gross enrolment ratio
Classes (I-V) (6-11 years) 109.4%
Classes (VI-VIII) (11-14 years) 71.15%
Classes (I-VIII) (6-14 years) 94.92%
Classes (IX-X) (14-16 years) 52.26%

Classes (XI-XII) (16-18 years) 28.54%

Higher Education (18-24 yrs) 11.61 %

The drop out rate

Classes (I-V) (6-11 years) 25.47 %
Classes (I-VIII) (6-14 years) 48.71 %
Classes (I-X) (6-16 years) 61.59 %
These high drop out rates from both primary and secondary school,
combined with low enrolment rates at the higher levels deprive tens of
millions of children of their full rights as citizens.

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Enrolled In & Dropped Out of School: 2003 data

In 2003,Out of approx. 211 million children in the (6-14 yrs) age
group - 84.91 % are enrolled in schools.

More than 35 million children in the (6-14) age group are out of
school

Net primary school enrolment / attendance is only 77%

By year 2016 there will be approx. 500 million people with less
than five yrs of schooling

Another 300 million that will not have completed high school.
Two third of the population will lack minimum level of education
Contd….

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• More than 50 % of the girls in the country do not enroll in
schools
• Only 45.8 % girls complete education in rural areas as
compared to 66.3 % boys. In urban areas, 66.3 % girls
complete education as opposed to 80.3 % boys
CHILD LABOURERS
• Children put in an average of 21 hours of labour per week,
at the cost of education 60 million children are thought to
be child labourers 35% of our population are still illiterate
Source: (Data compiled from figures provided by CRY,
NGO Global March Against Child Labour, and UNICEF),
(UNICEF-India-Statistics (2004), (Report of the Committee
on India Vision 2020, Planning Commission, 2002)
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 Vocational training and self-employment avenues

Every year 5.5 million students pass out of Class X, of

which 3.3 million go to Class XI, leaving 2.2 million out
of the education stream.

Those who drop out after Class VIII are approx. 20-21
million.

Urgent attention needed for this 21 million-target
group.

Available formal training capacity of the country - only
2.3 million students.

This leaves a gap of 18.7 million. The ITI system needs
to be revamped to fill up this gap.
Contd…

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The National Literacy Mission
(NLM)
The Community Education Centre
(CEC)

NLM was based on the 1986 National Policy

on Education; set up with the aim of imparting
functional literacy to adults in the 15-35 age
group by 1988--1995.
India – Moving towards a lifelong learning approach

NLM was set up with the aim of imparting

functional literacy to 80 million adults in the 15-
35 age group by 1988--1995.

It started with a mass campaign approach: the
Total Literacy Campaign (TLC), but has evolved
into a programme of adult education.

Literacy for youth and adults still remains its core,
but it is developing elements of lifelong learning
for increasingly large and diverse groups of
participants.

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 National Literacy Mission: Literacy
as an active and potent instrument of change

The N L M conceived literacy as an active and potent
instrument of change and for the creation of a
learning society.

Functional literacy was defined as:

• Achieving self-reliance in literacy and numeracy;

• Becoming aware of the causes of their own
deprivation and ways of overcoming their condition
through organisation, and participation in the process
of development ;

Acquiring skills to improve economic status and
general well-being.

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Functional literacy was also aimed at:

adopting the values of

national integration,

environmental conservation,

women’s equality and

observance of small-family norms.

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 The revised National Policy on Education: 1992

NLM combined Post- Literacy and Continuing

Education (PL & CE) activities in order to
consolidate and improve functional literacy skills of
neo-literates.

The Post-Literacy Campaigns had three broad
learning objectives – remediation, continuation and
application.

A new scheme of Continuing Education, distinct
from the previous PL & CE, was launched by NLM
in 1997.

The aim was to provide learning opportunities to
neo-literates on a continuing basis and to reinforce
and widen the literacy skills for personal, social and
economic improvement.

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 Adult Illiteracy

Implementation of this functional and instrumental

concept of literacy varied greatly and often veered
towards a conventional approach that focused more
on the mechanics of recognising alphabets at a
rudimentary level, rather than self-sufficiency in
acquiring the tools for further learning and
developing critical consciousness.

With over 300 million adults in illiteracy, India
accounted for about 40 per cent of the world’s
adult illiteracy.

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 The Community Education Centre (CEC)

The Community Education Centre (CEC), the

main delivery point of CE programmes,
looked after by a Prerak (Animator), is meant
to be a community-based centre with a library
and reading room. It plans and carries out
activities in training, information, culture,
sports, communication and discussion forums
for the communities it serves.

The CEC is seen as a permanent institution,
located in a public place, open to all, and run
with close community involvement.

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 Key stakeholders of
the Community Education Centre

The participants are neo-literates, mostly women,
and the Panchayats (elected local self-government
bodies) are regarded as key stakeholders of the
CEC.

At district level the programme implementing
agency is the Zila Shaksharta Samiti ( ZSS or
District Literacy Society).

A registered society with a General Council and an
Executive Committee, under the leadership of the
district head of administration. It receives funds
from the government and disburses funds to CECs
on the basis of approved plans.

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Vocational And Life Enrichment Education

A District Resource Unit (DRU), located in the

District Institute of Education and Training
(DIET), and the State Resource Centre provide
technical and academic support to the
programme.

The Jan Shikshan Sansthan (People’s Training
Organisation), a district-level institution, often
managed by an NGO, works with the ZSS to
provide vocational and life enrichment
education. It offers courses based on local
market demands.

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 Districts with low education level

About a quarter of India’s 600 districts which have a
low education level now each have a district literacy
society and a functioning adult education programme
under its auspices.

Although the NLM objectives and programmes are
conceptually linked to a broader approach to adult
and lifelong learning, the heavy burden of illiteracy
compels India to remain focused on narrow literacy
objectives, especially in seven of the 28 states which
account for 65 per cent of the total illiterate
population.

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 Remedy for low education level

It is in the same states that the national programme for primary

education, Sarva Shisksha Abhiyan (Education for all Campaign),
is weak and, therefore, continues to feed the pool of illiteracy.

This is so much so that the primary schools have been described

as maintaining a system of ‘institutionalised sub-literacy.’ (The
Statesman, editorial, 22 August, 2006).

Other challenges relate to finding effective pathways to address

the multiple disadvantages of educationally-deprived populations
who are living in extreme poverty, are largely low-caste or ethnic
minorities, often in poor health, and women.

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 Expansion of functional literacy in India

National Knowledge Commission (2008) stressed a

focus on expanding functional literacy among the
population.

Illiteracy remains a major problem, even among the
age-group 15-35 years.

Therefore literacy programmes must be expanded
rather than reduced, and given a different focus that
is directed towards improving life skills and meeting
felt needs, especially (but not only) among the
youth.

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 Role of Central & State Governments

The primary responsibility for school education is

borne by the state governments.

Therefore any policy changes must be with the full
participation and involvement of the States.

However, positive changes in systems of schooling
will require the active involvement of the Central
Government as well as State Governments.

This is not only in the matter of providing resources
but also in promoting organizational and other
changes.

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 SUPPORT ORGANI SATIONS
of
Union Department of Education:
National Council of Educational Research and Training
:
Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE)

National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS)

Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS)

Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti (NVS)

Central Tibetan Schools Administration (CTSA)

Central Institute of Education Technology

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 National Council of Educational Research and
Training (NCERT).

The NCERT was established in 1961. It functions as
a resource centre in the field of school education
and teacher education. The NCERT undertakes
programmes related to research, development and
training extension and dissemination of educational
innovations etc., through various constituent
Departments at the headquarters in New Delhi and
11 Field Officers all over the country. Publication of
school textbooks and other educational material like
teachers’ guides/manuals etc. are its major
functions.

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Central Institute of Education Technology (CIET)

CIET is an important unit of NCERT which is

engaged in the production of satellite based audio
and video programmes for Elementary and
Secondary levels which are aired on All India Radio,
and Doordarshan.
CIET also coordinates programme production
activities of the six States Institute of Education
Technology at Patna, Lucknow, Ahmedabad,
Hyderabad, Pune and Bhubaneshwar.

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Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE)

CBSE was initially called as ‘The Board of

High School and Intermediate Education’. It
was established with a view to play a useful
role in the field of Secondary Education, to
raise the standard of Secondary Education,
to make the services of the Board available to
various educational institutions in the country
and to meet the educational needs of those
students who have to move from State to
State.

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 Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE)

The CBSE, the Headquarter of which is in
Delhi from 1962, subscribes to a diverse,
mass participative education system with a
broader base of access that provides the
benefits of uniformity, flexibility and diversity
as envisaged in the National Policy of
Education; the services of the Board are
available to various educational institutions in
the country and to meet the educational
needs of those students who have to move
from State to State.
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Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE)

Board today has 8979 schools [on 31-03-

2007] including

141 schools in 21 countries. There are

897 Kendriya Vidyalayas,

1761 Government Schools,

5827 Independent Schools,

480 Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas and

14 Central Tibetean Schools.

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Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE)

Major Activities and Objectives:
Ø To prescribe conditions of examinations and
conduct public examination at the end of Class
X and XII. To grant qualifying certificates to
successful candidates of the affiliated schools.
Ø To fulfill the educational requirements of
those students whose parents were employed in
transferable jobs.
Ø To prescribe and update the course of
instructions of examinations
Ø To affiliate institutions for the purpose of
examination and raise the academic standards
of the country.

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The prime focus of the CBSE is on
Ø Innovations in teaching-learning
methodologies by devising students friendly
and students centered paradigms.
Ø Reforms in examinations and evaluation
practices.
Ø Skill learning by adding job-oriented and
job-linked inputs.
Ø Regularly updating the pedagogical skills
of the teachers and administrators by
conducting in service training
programmes, workshops etc.
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