Education and Social Change ( Sociology Optional)

Background

  • Education engages itself in a much more positive action and can perform the function of an initiator of change.
  • It inculcates in the younger generation whatever changes are desirable for rebuilding a society.
  • Moreover, it cultivates necessary intellectual and emotional readiness to deal with challenges of change.

Education and modernization in India

  • Education is an important instrument of modernization.
  • Modern values in social, economic and political spheres have to be instilled in the minds of people to achieve the goal of modernization. Values such as equality, liberty, scientific temper, humanism and ideas against blind faith pave the way for modernization.
  • This task can be effectively performed by education.

Thinkers’ Perspective

  • Max Weber(1864–1920) defines modernisation regarding the role of rationality and irrationality in the transition from traditional to modern society.
  • German historian Thomas Nipperdeyoffered a highly detailed formulation in 1983 comparing modern versus traditional society, in terms of various social institutions, norms, values, culture, traditions, sustained growth, innovations and much more.

Early phase

  • In ancient India education was provided by the family, kin group and society as a whole through participation in daily life. But as the needs, and activities increased in course of time, a more systematic means of instruction was introduced and a specialised occupational group of teachers was formed.
  • The Brahmans acted as formal teachers and were repositories of knowledge and learning. This system of education emphasized more on life than on instruction. The transmission of religious ideas and the interpretation of sacred texts were the major functions of Gurukuls and Vidyalayas.
  • However, this educational system was available only to a small section of the population, that constituted the upper layers of the varna hierarchy majorly. Subsequently, this system collapsed under the pressure of social and economic change.
  • Initially the British rulers supported traditional schools and encouraged their expansion and growth. But, by the middle of the nineteenth century the colonial policy changed, and a decision was taken to introduce European Literature and Science in India. English was made the medium of instruction in the higher branches of learning. This policy concentrated on the education of the upper and middle classes.
  • There were significant limitations of the educational policy of the colonial period. Higher education was given priority over primary education. The enrolment in colleges and universities increased at a higher rate than in schools. Consequently, modernization through education remained confined to the educated and elite groups that mostly belonged to the upper caste and in urban areas. It hardly affected the common mass of the population in rural and urban areas.
  • However, the system of education introduced during the colonial rule has several positive implications. It gave a fundamentally different orientation to the educational system and it laid the foundation of modern education in India.
  • he structure of educational institutions was developed along professional lines. This structure which classified institutions under categories like primary school, high school, college, and university continued even after independence.

Later phase (after Independence)

  • Education in India had achieved amazing success during the last twenty years. Its achievements both in absolute and relative terns, have been remarkable.
  • At the time of independence only about 14 per cent of the country's population was literate. Only one child out of three had been enrolled in primary schools. In addition to low levels of enrolment and literacy, regional and gender disparities were also prevailed.
  • The educational system faced problems of expansion, stagnation, and wastage. After Independence, it was recognised that education formed a vital aspect of the modernisation processes.

Therefore, educational reform was accepted as an important agenda of national development which are as follows:

  • Budgetary allocations played important role also like in First Five Year Plan 7.9% of total plan outlay was allocated for education. In Second and Third Plan, the allocations were 5.8% and 6.9% of the total plan outlay. While in Ninth Plan only 3.5% of the total outlay was allocated for education.
  • The Central Advisory Board of the government established two committees – one for higher education and one for secondary education – to address the challenges of education, formulate comprehensive education policies and improve the overall education system of the country.
  • Indian Government implemented the recommendations of Kothari Commission under ‘National Policy on Education’ in 1968. The main recommendations were universal primary education. Along with introduction of new pattern of education, three language formula, introduction of regional language in higher education etc.
  • To combat the changing socio-economic needs of the country, Government announced a new National Policy on Education in 1986 for Universalisation of primary education, vocationalist secondary education and specialisation of higher education.
  • National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) at National level and State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) at State level were established to maintain the standard of education along with University Grants Commission (UGC) as institute to maintain higher education.
  • Various Higher Education Institutes of World recognition was established like IITs, IIMs, NITs, AIIMs etc.

Assessment of Education System Post Independence

  • In 1951, we had a literacy rate of 18.3 per cent which went up to 52.2 percent in the 1991 census. The rate of literacy according to the 2001 census, was 65.38 per cent.
  • While the literacy rate in the case of the male was 75.85 pe cent, it was 54.16 per cent in the case of female
  • Now, almost 94 percent of the country’s rural population has primary schools within within 1 km range. At the upper primary stage 84 per cent of the rural population has schools within a distance of 3 km.
  • Apart from expansion and spread of educational opportunities at different levels, special emphasis has been given to improve the status of women through education. It is believed that empowerment of women is a critical precondition in the development processes along with development of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes.
  • The transition from class education to mass education has widened the scope of ultimate entry of girls and underprivileged groups of the society into the education system which further joined the national mainstream of development
  • The phenomenal growth of literacy and education among women is unprecedented. It has radically transformed their economic contribution has also become conspicuous, which also helped them being financially independent.
  • The national policy of providing equal opportunities as well as special opportunities to the underprivileged classes has begun giving positive results.
  • The educational system till Independence catered to the needs of the upper and the middle classes. A large number of lower caste children have entered educational institutions at all levels.

Education status in 21st Century

As of 2019, India has the most number of students in a country. Compared to the tragic situation of 1947 when the country had merely 400 schools, 19 universities with a little over 5000 students, we have come a long way.

Currently, India boasts of 1.5 million plus schools, 751 universities and 35 thousand plus colleges.
To modernise the knowledge delivery ways according to the needs of the 21st century generation, schools and universities are adopting various unique practices in such a manner that they are able to become self-dependent and ambitious achievers.

Some of these new age methods are:

  • Experiential Learning:It is the process of learning through doing or experience, and is more specifically defined as “learning through reflection on doing”. Experiential learning comprises a hands-on approach to education that goes beyond the theoretical aspect and a classroom and strives to bring a more innovative way of learning.
  • Peer Learning:Peer learning has become a part of an active learning strategy in a lot of Universities and B-Schools. This form of pedagogy encourages students to interact with their classmates/peers and learn from each other beyond classroom without any supervising authority.
  • The Rise of Ed-Tech:Starting from the past decade, the new generation of learner is looking for courses which are experiential and interactive in nature and facilitate authentic skill development. This is where the Ed-tech is making its mark as per the need.

The evolution of communication, cheaper internet, gamification, Artificial Intelligence (AI) &Machine Learning (ML) powered learning platforms are some of the reasons behind the changing face education in the country and globally. The smartphone revolution has also provided wings for the educational technology to fly.

Conclusion

  • The education landscape of India has evolved considerably since Independence. The intervention of technology has made it much easier and more insightful than it ever was.
  • It should be apparent by now that education has acted as a strong modernising force in Indian society. It is changing the World-view of the people.
  • The growth of educational institutions based on the rational principle of science is itself an expression of modernization.
  • The benefits of imparting relevant education have been understood by the governments which have done their bit to boost the existing system for all sections of the society.
  • Their aspiration and abilities being different a new orientation is necessary to find out their talents and capacity so that their educational needs can be fulfilled.