India Education System

BS (Calcutta) Failed - not any more. India's education is world-class ready to meet the demands of a worldwide demand for skilled technicians

How does the education system in India work?

Education in India has come a long way since the British introduced regular schooling during their period of occupation. No longer as seen as just providing the masses with rudimentary skills, today, education in India is seen as the stepping-stone to a well-paid career and upward social mobility.

Among the best institutes ranked in the India are the IIT's and the IIM's. Indian professionals are also regarded among the best in the world and are in great demand. This is a sign of the inherent strength of India's education system. The Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT's), Indian Institutes of Science, National Law Schools and the Indian Institutes of Management (IIM's) compete with the best education institutes of the world in offering excellent courses.

There are more than 740,000 formal schools in India with 3.6 million teachers and over 175 universities that offer both undergraduate and postgraduate courses. These universities also have about 6,000 affiliate colleges. The education system in India takes the structure generally referred to as the 10+2+3 pattern. The first 10 years offer general education for all. The next two years are high school years where vocational, academic courses provide differentiation and this generally marks the end of the main education system.

The next three years are college years. The student specializes in a chosen course in higher education studies. Graduation can take anywhere between 3 to 5 years, depending on the course. After completing a post degree, various institutions offer opportunities for doing research for continuing students. Distance learning courses are also having widespread acceptance and their expansion has given women more opportunities and democratization of the entire education system in India.

The governing body of the education system in India is the CBSE – the Central Board of Secondary Education. It conducts exams and functioning of schools. The Council of Indian School of Certificate Examinations (CISCE) conducts the Secondary Education exams and the Indian School Certificate exams for students completing the 10th and 12th classes. The National Open School offers opportunities for students unable to afford formal schooling. The International School Body controls the international standard curriculum for schools under that standard.

The National policy of Education formulated in 1992 has been successful in specifying the role of education. It has discouraged memorizing and encouraged rote learning as opposed to questioning and experimentation. Different standards of evaluation though exist in the state boards and this has created some disparities. The presence of the caste system and its active role in Indian society is also a negative factor in the reservation of education opportunities in India.

Corruption has permeated into the allocation of places in higher learning institutions and student politics. Despite these disparities, the objectives and implementation of the education system in India has come a long way and the expectation is that it will continue to do so in the future. With so many medical, engineering and management colleges in India offering world class education, it is evident that there are high hopes for the education system in India.