In ancient times, India had the Gurukula system of education in which anyone

who wished to study went to a teacher's (Guru) house and requested to be taught. If
accepted as a student by the guru, he would then stay at the guru's place and help in all
activities at home (The School). This not only created a strong tie between the teacher
and the student, but also taught the student everything about running a house. The guru
taught everything the child wanted to learn, from Sanskrit to the Holy Scriptures and
from Mathematics to Metaphysics. The student stayed as long as she wished or until
the guru felt that he had taught everything he could teach (The School). All learning was
closely linked to nature and to life, and not confined to memorizing some information.
The modern school system was brought to India, including the English language,
originally by Lord Thomas Babington Macaulay in the 1830s (The School). The
curriculum was confined to modern subjects such as science and mathematics, and
subjects like metaphysics and philosophy were considered unnecessary. Teaching was
confined to classrooms and the link with nature was broken, as also the close
relationship between the teacher and the student. India places a high value on
education, as it ensures a stable future. All parents want their children to attend the best
private English schools, but places are limited. The admission process is therefore
highly competitive. (The Parts) According to the 2009 Right to Education Act, schooling
is free and compulsory for all children from the ages of 6 to 14. However, improvements
are slow being implemented and disadvantaged groups may still not have adequate
access to education (The Parts). Most Indian schools have a strong focus on academic
subjects, with little scope for creativity and few or no extra-curricular activities.
Traditional schooling methods tend to emphasis rote learning and memorization, rather

than encouraging independent or creative thinking (India). There is a strong focus on

examinations from an early age. This makes the atmosphere at Indian schools
competitive. The United Nations strives to build a better Nation through the power of
Education. Three main priorities that were established for this new, modern schooling
include; schooling being available for everyone, to decrease dropout rates, and to
increase the quality of learning.
There is a huge priority that all people can attend school. Indias schools vary by
the childs needs and of course the financial ability from the family. There are
public/government schools which are funded and run by the government. However, the
public education system faces serious challenges including a lack of adequate
infrastructure, insufficient funding, a shortage of staff and scarce facilities (The School).
There are also private schools, since many government schools do not provide
adequate education, Indian parents aspire to send their children to a private school.
Some expats choose to send their children to private Indian schools. Also, comes
international schools in all major cities (India). They are attended by expat and Indian
children. And of course schools for disabled people which provide non-formal education
and vocational training to children with disabilities (The Parts).
Dropout rates:

As you can see above the dropout rates in India are extreme (Education).
The next priority in India is to decrease dropout rates. The dropout rate is 7 th
highest in the country and is higher than the national dropout rate (Education). This is
very scary and is in the midst of creating solutions for this problem. The idea of
importance of education must be expanded to the people which must start with parents
who will pass it along over generations.
Additionally, the quality of learning is a major issue and reports show that
children are not achieving class-appropriate learning levels. According to Prathams
Annual Status of Education 2013 report, close to 78 percent of children in Standard III
and about 50 percent of children in Standard V cannot yet read Standard II texts.
Arithmetic is also a cause for concern as only 26 percent students in Standard V can do
a division problem (India). Without immediate and urgent help, these children cannot
effectively progress in the education system, and so improving the quality of learning in
schools is the next big challenge for both the state and central governments
(Education). Improving learning will require attention to many things, including
increasing teacher accountability. According to school visits teacher attendance is just
85 percent in primary and middle schools and raising the amount of time teachers

spend on-task and increasing their responsibility for student learning also needs
improvement (The Parts). Part of this process requires better assessments at each
grade level and more efficient monitoring and support systems. Overall, the public
school system also needs a better general management system (Education).

Education rights:

As this picture shows everyone deserves a quality education and to be given a

successful life ahead of them (Tablets).
India has a lot of changes occurring within their school systems aiming for
improvement. Everyone is entitled to an education no matter who you are, the dropout
rates must decrease and everyone deserves a quality education. India will teach the
adults the power of education who will then pass this knowledge on to the younger
generations. India is very diverse within schooling but overall is leading to bettering the
schools, their opportunities, and the systems.

Sources:
The School System in India. (n.d.). Retrieved March 25, 2015, from
http://india.angloinfo.com/family/schooling-education/school-system/
The Parts- Education System in India - GNU Project - Free Software Foundation.
(n.d.). Retrieved March 25, 2015, from https://www.gnu.org/education/edu-systemindia.html
Primary Education in India: Progress and Challenges. (2015, January 20). Retrieved
March 25, 2015, from http://www.brookings.edu/research/opinions/2015/01/20primary-education-in-india-progress-challenges-sahni
India Education. (n.d.). Retrieved March 25, 2015, from
http://ibnlive.in.com/news/full-text-trinamool-manifesto-for-wb-elections/14675553.html
Tablets To Help Bring Quality Edu'n In Rural India. (2013, January 31). Retrieved
March 25, 2015, from http://www.careerindia.com/news/2013/01/31/tablets-to-helpbring-quality-education-in-rural-india-003871.html