With annual budget just 10 days away, there must be some deep thinking process at the highest levels regarding sector-wise allocation of funds. While in a development aspiring nation like India, if all seem to be important, education is that sector which is really in want of more patronage from government, particularly through renewed thrust to all means with the aim of making it reasonably affordable for common people. There is a general perception that quality higher education is only for those who have financial capabilities. And this has actually been corroborated by a recent data released by NSO which shows that a huge percentage who are economically weak still cannot bear expensive education, underscoring the fact that among countless number of disparities noticeable in various forms and extents, when it comes to higher education, the tale is same.
The NSO report has been based on 75th National Sample Survey on ‘Household Social Consumption: Education’ carried during July 2017 to June 2018 and the chief objective was to ascertain the level of participation in 3-35 year age group in the education system, expenditure incurred by household members and of those currently not attending education at any level. From the report it has emerged that only 10.6% of the population who are above 15 years has successfully completed a graduate degree and when it comes to rural India which is home to the major segment of population, it’s only 5.7% and in urban it’s 21.7%. And endorsing once more the fact that social inequality do exist in the country in large degrees, the report has also shown that proportion of population with a graduate or higher degree is much lower for the socially backward sections than rest others. Among a wide range of indicators covered, a few will be enough to show how financial constraints have robbed educational dreams. Throwing light on education spending, it has revealed that 15% of men and 14% of women never had opportunities to get enrolled in an educational institution because of financial constraints and touching the segment who enrolled at some point but had to dropout midway due to financial hardships, it was a staggering 24% in men and 18% in women. In this context, it will be relevant to recall and ‘evaluate’ the JNU revolt episode which triggered due to exorbitant hike.
With such harsh realities, contemplating fee hikes and cutting higher education subsidies will be akin to injustice. For extracting true demographic dividends and making India a knowledge economy, not only it is vital to continue with existing subsidy patterns, there is also a compelling necessity to enlarge them substantially. The coming budget must give a considered thought on it. 

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Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313

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