Govt. Schools are available still Child Education Allowance @Rs.2250 & Child HSA @ Rs 6750 is paid to Government Employees
Educational Empowerment of Socially – Economically -Administratively ” Depressed Citizens” can only reduce their Exploitation
DAYA SAGAR
Imagine how miserably were the Indian people placed economically and administratively & politically when India got independence in 1947 from the fact that in 1949 constitution of India was drafted with provisions for special political / administrative support only for some identified socially & educationally backward classes/ depressed classes {SC (only from those practicing Hindu religen) and ST } only from amongst the citizens of India inspite of there being also provisions there in for Equality before law ; Prohibition of discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth: Equality of opportunity in matters of public employment etc. and even after 75 years of independence in 2024 not only the provisions for SC/St are still there but in addition many more backward / other backward classes have been identified where though not for political support ( reservations ) atleast need has been felt / reservations have been additionally provided more than what has been kept for SC/ ST in professional institutions and administration ( appointment in government services , even in promotions) but still as per government disclosures India have 81 Cr ( 81,00,000,00) Indian citizens who need to be provided / are being provided / will be provided atleast for another 4 to 5 years just 5 kg of food grains free of cost per month. One can well imagine what could be economic status of majority of Indian population in 1947 and what has been the spirit behind the Preamble to Constitution of India saying which say < :: “We, the people of India, having solemnly resolved to constitute India into a Sovereign Socialist Secular Democratic Republic.
Had we been able to provide quality education to the under privileged from amongst us instead of symbolic material assistances / subsidies the numbers needing special supports would have reduced over the years instead of increasing. Governments have spent billions of rupees on the school education infrastructure and inspite the teachers in government schools having much much superior wage structure and job security in comparison to most of the private schools /academies even those employed in school education departments are not found sending there own wards in government schools even in cities what to talk of villages, This sends a wrong message to common people about the quality of education imparted in Government Schools to the extent that these days even a labour earning just Rs.500 a day through his/ her hard labour is seen rushing to a local private school / academy where he/ she pays a tuition fee of Rs 300 to Rs.1000 per month per child and also spends similar amount for private tuition after school even when Government pays atleast Rs. 50000 plus other special allowances to a lowest level undergraduate school teacher where as the teachers in private academies are mostly being paid not more than Rs. 10000 to Rs.15000 per month with almost no job security (see table A ) . The teachers teaching higher classes in government schools are paid much higher.
Hence most of the socially backward and economically ‘poor ‘ parents are not able to afford / to provide competitive education to their children and where ever they manage some college education they cannot afford to improve their competitive quality of education of their wards through further coaching / private tutoring in comparison to economically equipped parents and hence any special assistance provided through reservations etc even to SC/ST/OBC majority cannot be made use of on ground for quality higher education or / and for securing superior positions in government services , what to talk of economically poor parents from general classes.
To be continued
(The writer is Sr Journalist, social activist
and analyst J&K affairs).