Page 40 - EW February 2023

Cover Story

1991 INFLECTION POINT

FOR INDIAN EDUCATION?

Winds of change reminiscent of the 1991 Union budget
that catalysed liberalisation and deregulation of industry,
are gathering momentum in India’s moribund education
sector mired in dead habit, rote learning and rock-bottom
learning outcomes

Dilip Thakore

T HREE DECADES AFTER THE WATER- expanding middle class, if not yet to unfortunate children

SHED Union Budget of 1991 catalysed
of bottom-of-pyramid households.
liberalisation and deregulation of In-
Since the dawn of the new millennium, 44 continuum
dian industry, doubled post-indepen-
(K-12) schools affiliated with the Geneva/The Hague-based
International Baccalaureate and 400 schools affiliated with
dence India’s annual rate of economic
growth which averaged 3.5 percent
tion (CAIE) boards which prescribe globally respected sylla-
(“the Hindu rate of growth” in the
famous disparagement of late econo- the UK-based Cambridge Assessment International Educa-
buses, curricula and certification, have become operational
mist Dr. Raj Krishna), and lifted 400 million citizens out of in India. And some of Britain’s most famous public (i.e,
poverty, similar winds of change are gathering momentum private, exclusive) schools including Millfield, Wellington
in India’s moribund education sector mired in dead habit, and Harrow (alma mater of Jawaharlal Nehru and Winston
rote learning and rock-bottom learning outcomes. Churchill) are readying to plant their flags in Indian terra
A strong, accelerating reforms current is coursing firma this year.
through the shady bowers and musty corridors of the coun- These venerated schools which pride themselves on de-
try’s 200,000 pre-primaries, 1.4 million primary-secondary livering excellent mix of academic, co-curricular, sports and
schools, 42,000 colleges and 1,072 universities with an ag- life skills education, and especially for nurturing students’
gregate enrolment of 300 million children and youth. Sud- leadership skills, hold out promise of churning out industry,
denly after decades of masterly inactivity, dozens of new business and professional leaders who could lead India’s
genre private schools, colleges and universities providing charge towards transforming into a $30 trillion (from the
world-class infrastructure, highly qualified faculty drawn current $2.9 trillion) economy by 2047, when the nation
from around the world, are dispensing contemporary syl- celebrates the centenary of its independence from debilitat-
labuses and curriculums to children of the country’s fast ing foreign (British) rule.

40 EDUCATIONWORLD FEBRUARY 2023