MASOOM RAZA (1st semester SF)

SOCIOLOGY ASSIGNMENT

TOPIC- BIHAR'S EDUCATION SYSTEM

 INTRODUCTION

Access to schooling, proper learning environment and appropriate teaching tools

are backbone of any education system. For the past 70 years, and mainly in the
past 8 years, the first element have been focused primarily, there has been very
little clarity on the interventions that enhance the learning outcomes. Why do a
huge number of schools failed to provide meaningful education? What is wrong
with the Bihar education system, primarily run by the state government? I will be
discussing about the lack of quality education in our education system. Bihar is
one of the most illiterate and poor state of our country. This crisis is due to the
lack of primary education of children below the age of 18 years.
 THE INDIAN EDUCATION SYSTEM

India1, with a huge population of more than 1.3 billion, there is no surprise in
saying that India runs the largest government school system in the world. Why it
is not often recognized for its quality, education in the South Asian country has
been in the rise, and now places in the top half of the U.S. With over 7 lakh
schools in operation, India certainly has a big job on its hands. Despite having a
huge number of government funded schools, many parents choose to educate
their children in private institutions.
The education system in India sometimes called a “10+2+3” system, meaning
that the first 10 years of child's education is compulsory, per the Federal
government. Most students begin their schooling at the age of 5 years in the form
of preschool , add 6 Primary School begins. students remain obligated to attend
school at the age of 14 years, after that they may choose to and their education
or continue.
Indian education system has a rich history,2 it routes to the ancient ages where
they followed the Gurukul system- a system where the students resided in the
house of their Guru until the Guru felt that he was commanded all that he could
ever. The subjects taught varied from scriptures to metaphysics to Sanskrit to
mathematics and the knowledge attained would be passed on to the future
generations. However after the invasion of the British Empire, Britishers set up
schools that followed confined curriculum. Where subjects such as Mathematics,
Science, English etc. were taught. wild ancient system included interaction with
the nature, the British system was more classroom oriented.

1 [Link]
2 Education in ancient India by Hartmut Sharfe
 EDUCATION IN BIHAR

The schools in Bihar run by the state fund3 has lack of perfection, has many
loopholes, has the worst implementation of education and provides the worse
quality of education. Lack of regular and strict inspection. The authorities who
have been appointed for the checking of the system are corrupt (most of them).
Defaulters go away easily. There is always someone corrupt on lower or higher
level. most of the pointed are enjoying the “Sarkari Naukri Pleasure” and playing
with the lives of children, while their own children go to private schools and get
quality education. In the government funded schools, likewise in the private
schools, there are no different teacher for different subjects. in the primary
schools this can be worked but when it comes to Elementary School it kills the
idea of teaching. The schools do not have proper trained teaching staff and the
recruitment system of the teachers is also corrupt.
The government4 provides mid day meal, scholarship, bicycle, school dress and
even pocket money to lure more children to come and educate themselves. This
idea of luring children to come and study has somehow backfired and corrupted
the very soul of education. Because the government, in order to maintain checks
whether their funds are being used for the purpose, they ask for a complete hand
written details about the expenditures etc. From each schools and from the
teachers itself. So, the teachers who are superior or senior are given this work.
This results in two things. The students don’t get teachers to teach them and the
teachers misuse the government funds to fill their own stomach. Students Of
Higher class remains with the lack of knowledge in basic subjects because the
senior teachers are busy completing the task forwarded by government. which
automatically results in failure of Huge number of students in their board exams
despite their own hard work.

3 [Link]
4 [Link]
Bihar has more illiterate people in compare of any other Indian state and
although the literacy rate rose 14.8 % over a decade to 2011, there is still a crisis
in Bihar's primary education system. Classrooms usually are crowded but have not
the quantity of teachers accordingly. According to an IndiaSpend5 analysis of
government data Bihar has 37.3 % of teachers then it needs in elementary school.
And is short of around 2,78,602 teachers. According to the same analysis there
are at least 2 lakh vacancies in Bihar’s Government elementary schools.
Bihar is India's third most populous state with around 99 million people, it's
literacy rate is countries lowest and the female literacy rate is second lowest,
according to census 20116. Nearly 5 % of children aged between 6 to 14 years are
estimated to be out of school in Bihar, according to the 2015 human resource
development ministry education profile. Among those out of school 55% children
were never enrolled and 25 % dropped out of school. of those in primary school
only 85 % made it to secondary school in 2014-15. Children’s enrolled in class 1
who complete their secondary education are merely a percentage of 38,
according to Bihar economic survey 2015-16.
Bihar should have 746,469 teachers in elementary school, according to the pupil
criterion of one teacher for every 30 students in primary school and one teacher
for every 35 students in upper primary. Bihar has a teacher Pupil ratio 24 in upper
primary, higher than all India ratio in 17, but lower than the prescribed guideline
of 35.
When it comes to the number of students in class in Bihar also has the India's
worst count, for elementary classroom, 55 which includes from grade 12 grade 7
according to U-DISE (2015-2016) although the ratio declined to 51 in 2015-16
from 65 in 2012-13, but still continues to be higher than the national average of
27.

5 [Link]
school-student-76265
6 [Link]
Expenditure of Bihar’s government fund on elementary education for students is
lowest. Bihar, having India's second largest population aged between 5 to 14, but
still the government it spends little per student. In 2014-15, with a mere amount
of Rs 5298, Bihar recorded India's lowest expenditure per student on elementary
education, according to Economic and Political weekly. According to a survey in
2013 by accountability initiative, Bihar has improved its Student-Teacher ratio by
employing contract teachers, at lower salaries then teachers with permanent
jobs. Those contract teachers are also called para teachers. Para teachers are paid
6000 to 7000 per month while permanent teachers earn Rs 23000 to 30000 or
more per month.
 CONCLUSION

Thus, when I compare the level of Indian education system with the current
position of education in Bihar I find that destroys the very purpose of primary,
elementary and secondary education idea of Indian education system. I speak of
primary, elementary and secondary level because they are the most basic level of
and individuals educational background. I further took up on the methods,
procedures, expenditures, implementation of quality education in Bihar and
discovered that there is a huge loophole in the government system itself. By
spending lower proportion of education budget on teachers, Bihar spends more
money on other things such as Mid day meals and providing initiatives to attract
children’s to schools such as free textbooks, uniforms, bicycles, pocket money etc.