The new census report says that we Indians are 1.21 billion and 40% of the population comes in the age of 15. We have a very young population index and the index reveals the fact that we are going to be a good competition to China. Now the question can be what is the importance of education and population index?

There is nothing more to explain, if our country is pooled with fresh blood and identifies as a growing population, why we are not anywhere in the international economic index? No nation is blessed with every resource, so as we. But the European and American economy controls the world’s economy with limited resources. Even we have a large number of fresh bloods. Our GDP growth is showing a very slow movement ahead and we are still not so far from where we start.

Education system

Where is the Problem? Is a population of 1.21billon is identified as lazy? One of the major reasons is in our Education system. It doesn’t provide room for such a vast population. If we don’t have a strong base then how will India even dream for the sky? In a globalized world like this, India is dumped with the illiterate population and this one of the main reason between the nation and its economic growth.

Government of India has identified this issue and takes a lot of initiative and made policies to overcome this situation. It is good to start everything by nurturing it from the base and that is a reason behind the National Level Policies at the Elementary and Secondary Levels of Education.

The First Step

We have to start from the very beginning. So the Government put forward the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) policy which aims the holistic development of the children in our society. The program is incorporated under the Integrated Child Development Services programme and the activities focused on the health, mental and physical and emotional development.

In most of the rural areas in the country, Day-Care centers will support the ECCE program. This will also support girl students to attend the school rather than be at home to take care of the younger once. And this will also help the working women in the poorest background.

Early Childhood Care and Education

The ECCE program is supported by the Ministry of HRD. It lays down various policies for the full child care and pre-primary education.  The continuation of the program will be implemented through the School Health Programs.

Elementary Education

Policies at elementary education aimed to mainly three aspects. The first one is to provide a universal access and give access to school for all children in the nation. The second is to retain those students in school up to 14 years of age. The third one is to ensure quality education in the primary level that provides a base of learning to the students.

Child Centered Approach

This is one of the best policies adopted by the Government. The academic program is customized so as to encourage the students to regularly attend the school. The primary education is full of activities and the learning process is through these activities. The teachers will be more responsible and should take care of each and every student personally. Here they are playing a vital role in the development of the student and are asked to give correct instruction, where needed. As the student grows, the learning part will increase and so the program focuses on the skill based development along with the theoretical aspects. Also the physical punishment is strictly prohibited in schools. The working hours and vacations are made feasible to the students.

School Facilities

The quality education not only comes from the academic curriculum but also from the environment of the learning process. Most of our schools are known to be the poorest in facilities offered to the students. So the Government is focusing more to increase the infrastructure, necessary learning tools, more number of books in library and the primary facilities like water, lavatory etc. There should be enough number of teachers of every subject and about 50% of the teachers should be women.

Non Formal Education

Non Formal Education, NFE can be called as part time program in the school level education which enables the school drop outs and the students who are not able to attend regular class because of the family background can get the advantage of this program. This is possible with the help of the local community. Qualified and committed persons from the local community can play the role of an instructor and will get a good support from the Government regarding the teaching aids.

NFE will ensure quality in education and is competitive to the formal system of education. The curriculum is carefully designed with respect to the national core level, but also take care the needs of the learners. Lateral entry to this program is possible and all the study material given to the pupil is free of cost. Panchayath Raj institutions and other agencies in the Government sector will monitor the NFE centers in the particular area.

A Resolve

In India, there is a real issue of dropout from the school. Students from the rural part of the country discontinue their studies at any time of the academic calendar. So apart from attracting the pupils to the school Government also give attention to retaining these students at the school at least 14 years of age. It ensures the quality education through NFE centers and other similar agencies as part of the National mission commenced for the compulsory and quality education.

Secondary Education

Under the Board of Secondary Education, students are exposed to the specialized field like science, commerce, humanities, history and geography etc according to their interest in study. Now the Board is given authority, to take decision and necessary changes needed in this sector. Quality education is ensured and there is a complete effort to make the secondary education accessible to all social class of the society. In order to develop necessary skills in the students, for increasing their competency level new and advanced techniques are implemented through the policies. Many technical institutes also opened in the sector and computer literacy is made a part of the academics. Navodaya Vidyalayas and other residential schools opened for promoting the secondary education and to give chance to the talents growth, development and flourish without any barriers.

What is Vocationalization?

It is a part of higher education system, an effort to make maximum candidates employable in the country. Vocational education system provides various courses in the occupational field like Health care, Computer application, Agriculture and Social Service etc. The courses are normally offered after the secondary stage, but with the new initiation from Government it is made feasible to the students after eighth class. The sector is operated by Government with private partnership and our have a large number of institutions playing in this sector.

Vocational courses at different level offer students to have knowledge and skills in specialized field. It helps to develop a positive attitude towards the work life and also offer the interested students move forward higher level of career. Lateral entry to other professional/technical courses can be possible after doing a vocational course. In India now a lots of student opting Vocational courses instead of ordinary secondary education.  This is the aim of Government, to stretch secondary education accessible to the every citizen irrespective of economic and social division, through Vocationalization.

All together the National Policies on Elementary and Secondary education together stands for the development and growth of the social as well as the  professional life of the citizen and thereby the progress of the nation.