Question

Given the standing of some of its institutions of higher learning, the IITs and IIMs, India

is a potential knowledge power. Realising the potential, however, is not going to be easy.

The impressive strides made by Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) notwithstanding, universal

access to quality school education- a minimum necessary condition for any progress

towards making India a knowledge society’, as the 2006 report of the National Knowledge

Commission (NKC) puts it-remains a distant goal.

There is as yet no legislation at the national level to affirm the right to education, a

fundamental right under the Constitution. The number of school buildings for elementary

and secondary education falls far short of requirements and so does the number of

qualified teachers. The pressure on government budgets, which forces governments to

hire teachers on contract paying a pittance of a salary, is playing havoc with quality. While

the incursion of the private sector in the field is providing some competition, mechanisms

to enforce the required standards are lacking.

Not that there are no national standards or standards-enforcing agencies. We have the

National Council for Educational Research and Training (NCERT) to bring out textbooks in

various subjects for school education. The central government runs several model schools.

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) conducts examinations for schools

affiliated to it across the country. The states too have their school boards to conduct

exams and enforce minimum standards. However even the standards vary widely. In their

anxiety to show spectacular performance, some states are overly lenient-in marking

answer papers.

47.What remains a distant goal?

48.What is the main factor that has affected the quality of education?

49.Which are the standard enforcing agencies in India?

50. Who runs several model schools across the country?

51. How do most of the states mark answer papers?​

Answer 1

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