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Secondary Education in India
Secondary
education serves as a bridge between elementary and higher
education and prepares young persons between the age group
of 14-18 for entry into higher education or work
situations. The population of children in this age group
has been estimated to be 88.5 million as per Census, 2001.
Enrolment figures show that only 31 million of these
children were attending schools in 2001-02, which means
that two-third of the population remained out of school.
Given the liberalization and globalization of the Indian
economy, the rapid changes witnessed in scientific and
technological world and the general need to improve the
quality of life, it is essential that school leavers
acquire a higher level of knowledge and skills than what
they are provided in the eight years of elementary
education. The average earnings of secondary school
certificate holders are significantly higher than those
with primary school education.
Steps have been taken in the last few years to
universalize elementary education. Towards that end Sarva
Siksha Abhiyan (SSA) is being implemented all over the
country in collaboration with the State Governments.
Mid-day Meal Scheme is a part of this programme. As a
result of these steps, the number of “out of school”
children (6-14 years) has come down to less than 5% of the
total population in that age group. The Sarva Shikha
Abhiyan at the elementary level to universalize elementary
education for the age group 6-14 has already set the stage
for an exponential growth of demand for secondary
education. While the growth of enrolment in the secondary
school, had increased at an annual rate of 2.83 per cent
during 1990s, it increased at 7.4 per cent, per annum
between 2000 and 2003. The full impact of SSA is likely to
be reflected during the terminal years of the Eleventh
Plan. If the goal of universal retention at the elementary
level is achieved by 2010, steps will have to be taken to
expand facilities for secondary education in a big way.
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