http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2007/06/05/stories/2007060500530800.htm
Equality in education Bhanoji Rao The real problem is at the base of the educational structure. There is no equality whatsoever at the primary and secondary levels of education. Article 15 of the Constitution is about the `prohibition of discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth'. Clauses 3 and 4 respectively allow the State to make special provisions (a) for women and children and (b) for the advancement of any socially and educationally backward classes of citizens or for the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes. The Constitution (Ninety-Third Amendment) Act, 2005 has added a new Clause 5, which reads as follows. "(5) Nothing in this article ... shall prevent the State from making any special provision, by law, for the advancement of any socially and educationally backward classes of citizens or for the Scheduled Castes or the Scheduled Tribes insofar as such special provisions relate to their admission to educational institutions including private educational institutions, whether aided or unaided by the State, other than the minority educational institutions... " Quotas at the Top The Amendment provided the backdrop for passing the Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Admissions) Act, under which a 27 per cent quota is proposed in institutions such as the IIMs to those who are known as Other Backward Classes. Some weeks ago, when the validity of the Amendment was challenged in the Supreme Court, the Central Government tried to defend it by affirming that it "does not violate the basic structure and is, in fact, intended to strengthen it by providing meaningful equality of educational opportunity by eliminating the existing inequality." It was further pointed out that "Reservation facilitated by the new Clause 15(5) is an important measure forming part of the social justice measures required to remove inequality, including social inequality, in all fields including education. The reservation policy is not disintegrative and is not against the unity and integrity of the nation." The real problem is at the base of the educational structure. There is no equality whatsoever at the primary and secondary levels of education, where the rich go to one set of schools and the poor another. Lacking Strong Foundation As stated in many expert articles,Even the lower middle-income families cannot afford the so-called `good' education advertised by private schools. One such school, which promises good instruction from Standards 1 through 10, charges Rs 1.3-1.5 lakh per annum for day scholars and up to Rs 3.4 lakh for those who prefer to stay on campus. The political and civil service establishments know fully well what has to be done to bring about equality of opportunity right from the foundation level. Government schools should have excellent infrastructure and well-paid teachers; tuition, transport, uniforms and books must be free for all; and, most important, there should only be one national-level examination at the end of grades 10 and 12. These will help unify the nation more than anything else. Amar, Akbar and Anthony studying together for 10-12 years and appearing for just one common national examination, which takes them to vocational, technical and higher education, are the best instruments of national integration. If equality does not flourish at the base, tinkering at the top will not bring about the declared outcomes to the citizenry at large (The author is Professor Emeritus, GITAM Institute of Foreign Trade, Visakhapatnam and Visiting Faculty, Sri Sathya Sai University, Prasanthi Nilayam. He can be reached at [EMAIL PROTECTED])
