The National Statistical Organisation (NSO) recently published a report titled ‘Household Social Consumption: Education in India’. This is part of the 75th round of the National Sample Survey, which ran from July 2017 to June 2018. Concurrently, they also released a Report on Health in India based on the same survey.
A Historical Perspective
This release marks the 6th survey on social consumption related to education. Previous surveys were undertaken during the 35th, 42nd, 52nd, 64th, and 71st rounds, with the 71st relating to January-June 2014. The sample constituted 64,519 rural households drawn from 8,097 villages and 49,238 urban households from 6,188 blocks across India. Both qualitative and quantitative aspects of educational attainment among household members and their utilisation of education services were evaluated.
Internet Access and the Digital Divide
The survey brought out distinct variations in Internet access across states, cities, villages, and income categories, revealing a significant digital divide within the country. Only 4% of rural households and 23% of urban households owned computers, while just 24% of households nationwide had internet access. Approximately 24% of individuals aged between 15 and 29 years in rural areas, and 56% in urban areas, could operate a computer.
Education and Literacy Rates
The survey reported a literacy rate of 77.7% amongst persons aged seven and above. A comparison of rural and urban areas indicated a literacy rate of 73.5% in rural areas against 87.7% in urban areas. Overall, the male literacy rate (84.7%) was higher than the female literacy rate (70.3%). Tertiary education statistics revealed that only 5.7% in rural areas had a degree or higher, compared to 21.7% in urban areas.
Access to Schools, Attendance, and Types of Education
Data related to the accessibility of schools, student attendance, and types of education were also part of the survey. Only 38% of rural households had secondary schools within 1 km, unlike 70% of urban households. Primary schools were within 1 km for 92.7% of rural households and 87.2% of urban households. General education accounted for 96.1% of the students, leaving the rest in technical/professional education. The Gross Attendance Ratio at the primary level stood at nearly 100% for both males and females in rural and urban areas.
Free Education, Scholarships, and Stipends
The survey revealed that approximately 14% of students in formal education received a scholarship/stipend/reimbursement. Government institutions provided free education to 77% of their students, while merely 2% of students in rural areas and 1% in urban areas who attended private unaided institutions received free education. At the pre-primary level, nearly 33% of Indian students received free education, with this figure moving up to 62% at the primary level.
Private Coaching and Expenditure on Education
Around 20% of students attending pre-primary and above level in India sought private coaching. The incidence of private coaching peaked at the secondary level, with 31% of male and 29% of female students seeking it. The average expenditure per student during the 2017-18 academic session was Rs. 8,331 for general courses and Rs. 50,307 for technical/professional courses.
Reasons for Non-attendance
For individuals aged 3-35 years not currently attending education, the dropout rate was 14% in rural areas and 10% in urban areas. Economic activities were the most common reason for males, while for females, it was domestic activities.
Key Concerns
The survey highlighted several concerns such as the digital divide, gender disparity in literacy rates, heavy reliance on private coaching centres, exorbitant household expenditures on education, and the urban-rural divide in access to services.
Future Prospects
The New Education Policy 2020 brings hope for improvements in India’s education scenario and addresses some of the key concerns highlighted by the survey. The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the shift towards online education, which needs to be complemented with infrastructure reforms, governmental support, and training backed by civil-society groups.
Sources: Findings from NSO Report “Household Social Consumption on Education in India”.
