"We are responsible for what we are, and whatever we wish ourselves to be, we have the power to make ourselves. If what we are now has been the result of our own past actions, it certainly follows that whatever we wish to be in future can be produced by our present actions; so we have to know how to act. "

-- Swami Vivekananda

Future of Education: A Prediction

Future is uncertain, still one can predict it. If we talk about the future scenario of Indian education it is no less encouraging. The way, in which the reformation in the education sector is being carried out, no doubt the education scenario of the country, will change very soon. Starting from the primary education system, the government is now taking various steps to universalise the elementary education in the country. Various non government organizations (NGOs) have also come forward to join the revolution.

At the higher educational level significant changes have taken place in the system. In the past few years, the scientific and technological developments in the country has got international attention. The future of Indian education may be summarised on the following lines:

1. Future Indian education will be exceptional.
2. Role of education by 2010 will be dynamic.
3. Focus will be on technical and professionaleducation.
4. Barriers in getting integrated education will be removed.
5. Education will be based on society's requirements.
6. Present defects of our school education system will be overcome by 2010.
7. A different kind of Indian student will emerge by 2010.

Major Challenges:

The government's education expenditure as a percentage of GDP has never ever risen above 4.3% of GDP, despite the target of 6% having been set as far back as 1968 by the Kothari Commission. The country’s education system turns out millions of graduates every year but the key challenges before the Government are:

1. Improving access and quality at all levels of education
2. Increasing funding in higher education
3. Improving Infrastructure
4. Improving Management
5. Improving literacy rates
6. Universalization of elementary education

Despite efforts to include all sections of the population into the Indian education system, through various programmes and schemes, large numbers of young people are still without schooling. It is true that enrolment in primary education has increased (at least 35 million) but as many as 60 millions of children under the age group 6–14 years are still far from school. One of the major problems is the non availability of schools within a reasonable distance. Many remote areas of the country have no educational institute at all. This difficulty should be overcome to improve the education system of the country.

Improving the quality of education is another challenge before the government to reach at the target. The quality should get international recognition in terms of effectiveness of teaching, attainment level of the students, availability of adequate teachers etc.

Other challenges are: inadequate school infrastructure, high teacher-student absenteeism, large number of teacher vacancies, poor quality of education and inadequate funds.

Other groups of children ‘at risk’, such as orphans, child-labourers, street children and victims of riots and natural disasters, do not necessarily have access to schools.

To raise the literacy rate, all sections of the society will have to realize the value of education and hence should come forward to improve the Indian education system.

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