Why India’s education system fails marginalised communities?
Kartavya Desk Staff
Syllabus: Education
Source: TH
Context: Recent reports highlight systemic failures in India’s education system, disproportionately affecting marginalised communities (SC/ST/OBC).
• The Supreme Court and activists demand reforms to bridge caste and class-based disparitiesin access to quality education.
How Indian Education Fails Marginalised Communities?
• Structural Inequality: Government schools in rural/urban slums lack infrastructure, trained teachers, and digital resources.
E.g. Only 12% of rural schools have functional libraries (ASER 2023).
• Bias in “Merit”: Competitive exams (JEE/NEET) favour English-medium, urban, and coaching-trained students.
E.g. 90% of IIT toppers come from elite coaching hubs like Kota.
• Social Discrimination: Caste-based exclusion persists in campuses (hostel segregation, microaggressions).
E.g. Rohith Vemula’s suicide exposed institutional casteism in Hyderabad University.
• Low Representation: SC/ST students form <10% of PhD enrolments in top institutions (IITs/IISc).
E.g. Zero ST faculty in 7 IITs (2018 govt. data).
• Economic Barriers: Poor families prioritize livelihoods over education; dropout rates spike post-Class 10.
E.g. 32% of Dalit girls drop out by secondary school (NSSO).
Initiative taken by Government:
• SHREYAS Scheme: Supports OBC, EBC, and DNT students with scholarships and coaching for higher education.
• National Fellowship for SC/ST/OBC Students: Gives financial aid for MPhil and PhD studies in Indian universities.
• Mid-Day Meal Scheme: Provides free meals in schools to boost enrollment and attendance. It especially benefits children from SC, ST, and poor families.
• Ambedkar Interest Subsidy Scheme: Offers interest subsidy on education loans for overseas studies to OBC/EBC students.
• Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP): Promotes education and empowerment of the girl child, especially in backward areas.
Consequences of Systemic Exclusion:
• Perpetuates Poverty: Limited access to quality education traps marginalised communities in poverty; over 80% of manual scavengers are Dalits.
• Skewed Representation: Upper-caste dominance persists in elite institutions like IITs, where 90% of faculty belong to privileged groups.
• Social Unrest: Student-led protests, such as against JNU fee hikes, expose deep cracks in equitable access to higher education.
• Economic Loss: Education inequality leads to a $56 billion annual GDP loss, as per World Bank estimates.
• Mental Health Crisis: Marginalised students suffer from higher dropout rates due to institutional discrimination and isolation.
Reforms Needed for an Inclusive System:
• Redefine Merit: Evaluate exam performance in the context of socio-economic disadvantages to ensure fairer outcomes.
• Expand Reservations: Implement affirmative action in faculty hiring and extend it to private sector educational institutions.
• Boost Infrastructure: Modernise rural schools with smart classrooms, internet access, and well-trained educators.
• Anti-Discrimination Cells: Establish effective grievance redressal units with strict penalties for caste-based bias and harassment.
• Vocational Integration: Incorporate skill-based learning and career-linked training as outlined in NEP 2020 to improve employability.
Conclusion:
India’s education system must transform into an equalizer, not an exclusionary tool. Policy reforms, social accountability, and inclusive pedagogy are urgent. As Ambedkar asserted, *“Education is the milk of the tigress—drink it, or perish without it.”*
• How have digital initiatives in India contributed to the functioning of the education system in the country? Elaborate on your answer. (UPSC – 2020)