Namaste friends,
Every year in Feb, we look at our Parliament with great expectations, Budget is tabled, discussed, and passed by our elected MPs with a Big Applaud. Poor people keep searching for 'Poverty elimination' govt initiatives, Salaried class looks for Tax cuts, business men for any industry/service specific taxes/reliefs, farmers for subsidies. Almost all of us are busy on 28th Feb calculating any financial impact on our pocket for 'that ONE financial year' in specific. Every year I am also busy doing similar analysis for my pocket and my people (country) from layman's view, with my limited knowledge on the subject.
This year I was again disturbed by the budgetary provisions for growing educational demands in Bharat. In the year 1966-68 in the first National Education Policy (20 years after Independence National Leaders were able to take out some time to draft country's FIRST Education Policy!), it was suggested and agreed that 6% of the Budgetary provisions should be reserved for Education for the growing population demand. Unfortunately, in no budget since then, the required % was allotted for education, one of the Basic Need of modern world and necessity for the development of individual and the nation. Demography says, Bharat is a 'Young Country' with 'Pre-reproductive' & 'Reproductive' age groups amounting to more than 65% of the total population.
Since Independence, the need for labor intensive development strategy was emphasized in Bharat to elevate living standard of the masses, however, very little attention is given to improve the skill sets of our human resources. Cosmetic surgery may not suffice for a deeply wounded country bleeding for thousands of years under foreign rule.
At the time of Independence, 37% of Indian population was literate and today the % is gone up to 65-70% (doubled in 60 years of Independent Bharat). Again, the numbers are for literacy and do not talk about the standard & level of the education.
If we look at the population growth rate of Bharat, we need 40,000 New schools every year (from 2001 onwards). The further break-up tells that more than 2000 schools are required in large states like Maharashtra every year with an intake capacity of not less than 500 students. This is all about basic schooling! We can call it Literacy or universalization of education!! with no skills developed for a person to be fit in the modern world!!! Continuing with the same example, we need 4,00,000 teachers & approximately 2700 New Teacher's Training colleges (D.Ed/B.Ed) every year.
If we go by the economic reports by published by Govt committees, 70% of the population in Bharat, earns less than Rs 30/day. Which means, the cost to educate this section of our population rests with the government! Hence, at least 28 - 30,000 New Schools are required to be directly supported by the Govt funds. Again, the remaining 30% of our population can afford education in private institutes only if it is offered at affordable cost, under strict Govt control.
The current budget has allotted 54,000 crores for the entire Education Sector (a Superb 40% hike over previous Financial year). Lets see how much of it will be required just to meet the basic cost for universalization of education for children below 14 for the growing population. The Net Salary for the 4 Lakh teachers (Newly hired each year) is approximately 4,000 crores. The infrastructure cost required for the New Schools is approximately 40,000 crores! What about all other educational projects?(college education, technical, vocational, higher education, professional, research, expansion of current set up, special packages for Minority governed institutions etc). Actually, govt has allocated only 21,000 crores for Universalization! rest will be utilized for other educational projects. Cheating! and Pure Cheating!
On one hand, government has made 'Education' as the Fundamental right for all children below 14 years, and on the other hand, 'Yearly Financial Statement' shows NO commitment to the law passed by The Parliament, supreme power of Democratic Bharat! A 'Thought', backed by logical action plan is a Vision, else, its just a sweet dream, similar to the Directive Principles from our Constitution.
All futuristics agree that 'Information' & 'Knowledge' are 'Power' in the 21st century, and education is the key to achieve. World has experienced the strength of our country in each and every field of knowledge, IT, ITES, Space Sciences, Medicine, Philosophy, Literature, Pure Sciences etc to name a few. The American President Mr Barak Obama in his latest speeches to the country has warned the citizens to be ready and prepared to compete with the Indian & Chinese talent, or parish.
The question is, do we have a long term plan/vision, and more importantly, commitment and strenght to achieve the set goals? The National Policy on High Priority Sectors like Education, Population, Health etc need to be reviewed immediately after 5 years. Its shame that we have prepared National Population & Health policies first in 1970s and Education policy in 1968! that too becuase of the compulsion from World Bank & IMF for soft loans! Our leaders got time again in late 1990s (25 years after first plan) to review and prepare second policy for these High Priority Sectors. Bharat's Population was in the 'Exponential Phase' of Demographic Transition during same period. Insensitive leaders of a Welfare State!
Do we Bharatiyas have the guts & wisdom to rise above party, cast, religion & regional politics to tackle the issues of National interest?
If we want Bharat to become a SUPERPOWER, we need to educate our people to wipe out ignorance & illiteracy. Utilize our Financial resources with maximum precision on High Priority Sectors with long term vision, and raise voice against all sorts of corruptions which are eating up valuable scarce resources required for Nation Building! Else, developed countries will continue to rule Bharat through our Idiot & Selfish Leaders!
Regards
Umesh Londhe
