I recently read an article calling for reforms in Indian education to roll back the deeds of the NDA government–it was written not long after the UPA government’s inauguration. As I moved towards the end of the article, I noticed the oft-cited examples of North American, European, and Japanese school systems as ones which “were built on the foundation of a publicly-funded efficient school system that ensured education of equitable quality for all children.”
This statement has become something of a cliché throughout Indian policy proposals. That is, “public institutions in the US, Europe, and Japan are functioning well; therefore, their equivalent institutions in India must be the sole realm of government.” It completely ignores the basic fact that most of these institutions were created outside the scope of government.
Post Disclaimer
The opinions expressed in this essay are those of the authors. They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of CCS.
