Dismal Basic Education Delivery in Digital India
Prof D Mukherjee
India’s aspiration to become a global digital leader contrast sharply with the fragile state of her public education system. The PARAK (Performance Assessment, Review, and Analysis of Knowledge) Survey exposes critical gaps in basic education, especially from Standards 3 to 10, across Government schools. Despite bold policy declarations and digital missions, millions of children still lack access to quality education, trained teachers, and equitable learning opportunities.The survey highlights widespread deficiencies: underqualified educators, poor infrastructure, and persistent disparities by region and gender. While states like Kerala, Himachal Pradesh, Mizoram, and Punjab fare better, many others-particularly Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Madhya Pradesh-struggle to meet basic learning benchmarks.One alarming finding is the scale of corruption in teacher recruitment, notably in Maharashtra, West Bengal, Odisha, and Bihar. Ghost teachers, bribery, and political interference undermine education delivery. Coupled with underinvestment-India spends far below the global average on education-this has led to a credibility crisis in the public schooling system.PARAK is more than a survey; it is a national reckoning. Its insights demand urgent, system-wide reforms in governance, infrastructure, and accountability. This report examines the methodology, findings, and implications-and calls for decisive policy action to rebuild India’s education from the ground up.
The PARAK Survey, a nationwide diagnostic, assessed the quality and equity of basic education across Government and aided schools in all Indian states and Union Territories. Using both quantitative and qualitative tools, it evaluated Standards 3 to 10 through standardized tests in mathematics, science, and language. Stratified sampling ensured representation across rural and urban areas. Data collection extended beyond academics to infrastructure, teacher availability, pedagogy, student attendance, and gender equity. Interviews with teachers, parents, students, and officials, along with RTI data and investigative reports, revealed deeper systemic issues. Technology, including AI-based verification, geo-tagging, and digital tracking, enhanced accuracy and regional comparisons. Findings were triangulated with Government and third-party data, making PARAK one of India’s most credible education audits.
Findings were stark: only 38% of Standard 5 students could read Standard 2-level texts; fewer than 30% of Standard 8 students could solve division problems. Learning levels declined with age, reflecting deep pedagogical failures. States like Kerala and Punjab achieved literacy rates above 90%, while Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Madhya Pradesh remained under 70%. Over 60% of schools lacked safe drinking water; 55% lacked usable toilets, especially for girls; over 70% lacked internet access. Teacher shortages were critical, with some schools staffed by only one or two teachers. Subject specialists were scarce. Widespread corruption in recruitment was uncovered, including ghost teachers and political interference. Girls continued to face high dropout rates due to early marriage, safety concerns, and inadequate facilities-underscoring persistent gender inequality in education.
The PARAK Survey is a sobering mirror to India’s education system, revealing not just surface flaws but deep structural fractures. Despite years of reforms and digital missions, Government schools remain underprepared to serve the nation’s young learners. The data paints a distressing picture: millions of children, especially in rural and marginalized areas, are denied quality education, trained teachers, and basic infrastructure.
A widespread learning crisis lies at the heart of the findings. Only 38% of children in Standard 5 could read a Standard 2 text. In Standard 8, fewer than 30% could solve basic division problems. Alarmingly, learning levels decline as students advance through grades, indicating serious gaps in curriculum alignment, teaching quality, and learning retention. Children are promoted without mastering foundational skills.These deficits are compounded by severe infrastructural shortcomings. Over 60% of schools lack clean drinking water, and more than half do not have functional toilets-particularly affecting girls. Many schools operate without electricity, internet, or usable classrooms. In tribal and remote areas, even blackboards and furniture are scarce, creating environments where education cannot thrive.
The teacher-student dynamic is also compromised. In many states, the pupil-teacher ratio far exceeds the recommended 1:30. Some teachers manage multiple grades alone. A lack of subject-specialist educators, particularly in science and mathematics, further undermines learning. Teachers often lack proper training or support, not due to negligence, but due to systemic neglect of professional development.The problem runs deeper still. In states like Maharashtra, West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh, corruption in teacher recruitment-including bribes, favouritism, and “ghost teachers”-has eroded public trust. For the poorest families, dependent on Government schools, this failure leaves few alternatives and deepens inequality.
Gender disparities continue to cast a long shadow. Girls, especially in rural and tribal regions, face dropout risks due to unsafe travel, lack of sanitation, early marriage, and entrenched social norms. Gender-insensitive infrastructure and systemic neglect have kept many girls from completing their education.The digital divide further widens this gap. While India celebrates advances in AI and innovation, over 70% of Government schools lack internet access or digital learning tools. Those most in need of digital support remain the most excluded, widening the gap between urban privilege and rural disadvantage.The survey also highlights stark regional disparities. States like Kerala, Mizoram, Punjab, and Himachal Pradesh have better governance, stronger community engagement, and improved outcomes. Others lag far behind. A child’s educational opportunity is too often determined by geography rather than potential.
As India aspires to lead the digital age, her education system remains bound by dysfunction. The PARAK Survey underscores that the crisis stems not just from limited resources, but from weak governance, poor implementation, and lack of accountability. Flagship programs like Samagra Shiksha and Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao often remain unimplemented at ground level, especially in rural and tribal belts.A major barrier is fragmented governance. With overlapping roles between Centre and states, efforts are often diluted. Bureaucratic inertia and poor coordination stall meaningful reform. Monitoring is weak; school audits are infrequent and lack rigor, allowing ghost schools and absentee teachers to persist.
Teacher training is outdated. Most B.Ed. programs fail to prepare educators for inclusive, tech-driven classrooms. Even motivated teachers lack the tools and support to engage diverse learners. Moreover, India lacks a cohesive evaluation system for students, teachers, or schools. Without reliable data and benchmarks, excellence cannot be recognized, nor failure addressed.Community engagement has also faded. School Management Committees, intended to empower parents and local voices, remain inactive or symbolic.To become a true knowledge economy, India must reform governance, invest in educators, bridge digital divides, and ensure every policy translates into classroom reality. The PARAK Survey is not just a diagnosis-it is a national call to action
This is high time to give a call to restore the soul of Indi’s education. India stands at a critical crossroads. The PARAK Survey offers a stark, data-driven diagnosis of her educational health-revealing deep, systemic cracks that threaten to derail her demographic advantage. Despite her commendable strides in digital innovation and economic growth, the foundation upon which true national progress rests-basic education-remains deeply fragile. If these cracks are ignored, the much-celebrated demographic dividend could swiftly mutate into a demographic disaster.
The survey lays bare glaring learning gaps, inequitable access, and administrative dysfunction. Millions of children, particularly in Government-run schools, are failing to meet minimum learning standards. The decline in performance across grades, the acute shortage of qualified teachers, and the absence of basic infrastructure such as clean water, electricity, and internet connectivity highlight the urgency of the crisis.However, the solution is not top-down reform alone. Reinvigorating community participation is equally critical. Trained , ethics driven and morally empowered school and college management committees must be separated from the Governments and bureaucrats in order to impartially and indifferently monitor, question, and contribute to school, college and institutional development.
India’s digital ambitions will remain unfulfilled unless her daughters have equal access to quality education. Gender disparities-driven by poor infrastructure, safety concerns, and regressive norms-continue to push girls out of classrooms. This is not only a moral crisis but a strategic one. Inclusive progress demands urgent corrective action.The PARAK Survey’s findings are not a call for surface-level reform but a comprehensive reckoning. They urge systemic investment, merit-based teacher recruitment, curriculum overhaul, and digital equity. To build a Digital, Inclusive, and Equitable India, education must reclaim its place as a national priority. The moment to act is now-boldly and collectively.India stands at a pivotal juncture. Without foundational reforms in basic education, her demographic dividend could become a liability. The cracks exposed by the PARAK Survey-if ignored-risk derailing the country’s future. Reform must go beyond top-down directives. School Management Committees must be restructured and empowered to make schools more accountable to communities.Strong public schools, skilled teachers, and engaged learners are essential for national progress. Without inclusive education, dreams of global leadership will remain hollow-especially if girls continue to be left behind. The path forward is clear. What remains is the political will to walk it.
(The author is an Educationist, a Management Scientist and an Independent Researcher)
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