Secondary school education is one of the most important phases of every student's life.

It has been
one of the best ways to help empower girls, provide a foundation to many youngsters, reduce infant
mortality rates in India and elevate a person's economic status. 

Therefore, every child should attain secondary education irrespective of their social status, their
gender or their economical backgrounds. 

Some of the top CBSE schools in Bangalore have been revamping their vision for this generation's
youth and have increased the number of scholarships to help children who come from a lower
economic background to gain an international secondary education.

How Secondary School Education Can

Benefit an Individual and the Society at
Large?
‍

1. Reduces the Number of Child Marriages

When girls attend secondary school, they are exposed to better opportunities that help with their life
choices and to make sensible decisions. This drastically reduces the probability of succumbing to
child marriage. This in turn would also lead to lowering the number of early pregnancies by at least
50%. 

2. Reduce Infant Mortality Rate

There are millions of children around the world who do not get a chance or who do not have the
means to attend secondary school. And infants whose mothers do not have a secondary level
education are more likely to die as compared to the infants of mothers who have had high school
education. Educated girls are also likely to take better care of their families than those who are
uneducated.

3. Helps Improve a Person's Economic Status

A person's economic status is increased by an average of 10% for every extra year of schooling they
attend. A secondary school and a post secondary education following that will help increase
employment opportunities which inturn would spur a stronger economic growth for the individual and
the country he resides in.

4. Personal Skill Development

Secondary school years are a great platform to socialize, learn new sporting skills, involve in
extracurricular activities and co-curricular activities which help in attaining key skills that will help
children survive in this competitive world. This gives them the confidence to socialize among common
peer groups and build their network.

5. Career Advancement
With a good secondary school education, students get a chance to explore different avenues and
possible career choices. Higher education gives children the skills to excel in a particular area of
interest , thus making them more of a possible prospect for employers to pursue.

6. Promotes Equality and Diversity of the Society

Secondary school is when children learn to understand the society and its many nuances, therefore
this gives them a sense of empowerment and a feeling of unity in their endeavors. 

A diverse environment like a secondary school can expose children to different cultures and enable
them to make better decisions keeping in mind their roles and responsibilities as individuals of a
society.

7. Reduces Crime Rate

Secondary education teaches teenagers the difference between what is right and wrong and how their
decisions may drastically affect their lives forever. Education of young citizens decreases overall
arrests by 11% for every extra year a student educates himself.

8. Reduces Violence Based on Genders

Gender equality is one of the best aspects that is imparted with the help of secondary and higher
secondary education. Domestic violence and gender based abuses reduce to a large extent in
societies that encourage and value education for its youngsters.

9. Better Health Outcomes

There are many studies across the world that state how children who attend secondary school benefit
in health outcomes. Each additional year of education decreases the average fatal rate by 8.4%,
especially in lower and middle income countries across the world. 

According to one of the studies undertaken to understand the impact of education on health, it was
noted that every extra year of secondary education was associated with a 24.5% and 43.1% reduction
in young citizens being infected by the deadly HIV.

‍
Secondary Education is the second stage in the system of public education usually
beginning with Class IX & X of during which education is differentiated in varying
degrees according to the needs, interests, and aptitudes of the pupils. Secondary
Education stage is important because it represents the gateway to a successful
professional life and becomes important for their future living in a society. A second facet
for the importance of this stage is that it is the bridge between the general formation of
the mind and personality which school education is and the higher learning
specializations which the college and university representatives. This stage is both a
criterion of the school system and the forecaster of the learning futures of the university.

Finally, it is at this period that character begins to be formed, character as a multifaceted

expression of the effective, the slow learning of the vocational and the boundless vistas
opened up by the spiritual and the intellectual. It is these many facets of human
personality at its formative stage that the secondary stage subserves.

At the Senior Secondary level (Class XI & XII), the curriculum shifts its emphasis from
general to core subject-focused specialized content. The concepts in different disciplines
are dealt with in depth and rigor. This is a stage where students identify their subjects of
interest for future learning and get a better understanding of their career path. Thus, at
this stage, they are better informed to select the subjects and streams of their choices
and aptitude.

The curriculum emphasizes basic facts and conceptual understanding, processes and
skills, application of knowledge acquired, use of technology, etc. While the curriculum
focuses on achieving this subject based objectives, it also develops a positive attitude to
think and analyze logically, reasoning abilities, problem-solving approaches, and
interdisciplinary learning. These stages of curriculum delivery in Senior Secondary
section emphasize on knowledge construction.

Schools offer the Humanities Stream, Science Stream, the Commerce Stream, the
Vocational Stream, and Language. The focus is on self-learning and experiential
learning so that the students are prepared to take on college studies in the future.

Why Secondary Education is Important in India?

Secondary education is an important part of the Indian

education system. It is the bridge that connects primary
education with higher education. It is at this juncture a student
decides what professional he did like to pursue as a career.
The importance of Secondary Education in India aims for the
all-around development of the student along with an
understanding of the various vital branches of knowledge.

It trains the student to become a good citizen and uplifts the

democratic principle of the country.

It inculcates the feeling of unity in diversity among the student

and informs them how important they are for the social and
economic development of the country.

Secondary education is important because it promotes

rational development in the students through which they
gain practical skills.

It also strives to increase the practical efficiency of the

students. It is worth noting that the aims and objectives of
primary, secondary, and higher education vary.

This is so because students in all the groups are of different

ages and bear different emotional and mental growth.

Secondary education prepares young people for the labour

market and is especially certain among those who leave for a
job just after secondary education.

With a large number of young people passing through

secondary education, a country’s economic growth rate shifts
from labor-intensive to knowledge-centric.

Another vital reason for the importance of secondary

education is that young women passing through this
education system become better equipped in decision-
making.
They will have a better understanding of when to marry, bear
children, or child health and education. Besides, the
additional time spent in studies also helps in reducing
maternal mortality.

What Is Secondary Education in India?

Secondary
level education in India comes after the primary education
stage. It is the intermediate stage of education where the
basic concepts taught in the primary section are explained in
more detail to prepare the students for higher education or
the job market.

The duration of secondary education in India is 2-3 years of

academic study. This includes the 8th, 9th, and 10th
standards for students from 13-16 years of age.

However, the system can vary slightly between states where

some consider 8th to 10th as part of secondary education
while others limit it to only the 9th and the 10th standards.

To someone asking what is secondary education in India?

Simply put, it is the stage in a student’s life where they decide
on what professional career they want to pursue and which
stream will make it a reality.

It is the stage where they gain a greater understanding of

streams like arts, commerce, and science and the differences
in the specific professions.

Secondary Education Benefits

In India, education is divided into primary and secondary.

During the primary education phase, students learn the basic
types of government, structure, and functioning of a civilized
society. They also learn the affairs of society and history in a
nutshell.

Meanwhile, a student in secondary education will continue to

learn in greater detail what he finished learning in the primary
stage.

The students will learn more challenging concepts that will

come in handy to get employed as well. Besides, young
people become aware of the different fields available via the
streams of science, commerce, and arts.

There are numerous benefits of secondary education. Other

than making the young people ready for a professional life if
they chose so, it also prepares the students for higher
education.

It opens a window of understanding their abilities as well as in

which field they can use it best. To understand the concept
netter, here are 7 Secondary education benefits
1. Preparation for The Professional World
During secondary education, students develop practical skills
and knowledge that will help them to enter the world of jobs.

Well, if not immediately, the students will at least realize what

career path suits them. It opens doors, gives them options
and an informed decision-making ability to choose a specific
degree.

Besides, by the time the secondary education is over, the

student will have also reached the end of adolescence.

They will have also acquired knowledge and skills that shall

remain with them throughout their lives as a responsible
member of society.
2. Improved Academic Knowledge

Secondary
education improves the knowledge a student earned during
the primary education stage. Thus it also helps them in
becoming successful in the academic world.

At this stage, students learn more new concepts with greater

details and also develop an inclination or interest towards a
particular subject.
Hence they will realize what subjects they like better and
therefore, what professional career or education stream to
pursue.
3. Communication Skills Develop

People passing through secondary education find it easier to

get accustomed to change, they also develop the ability to
quickly understand and manage new information.

Also, they can listen effectively, present their views clearly,

make plans, and rationally discuss issues or problems.
4. Window to Career Options

There are too many new things happening in the modern

world. New ideas, new technologies, and new options. Too
many options create the dread of choice.

However, through secondary education, students can explore

and gain a clearer understanding of the variety of career
options.

As students learn new concepts during their secondary

education, they also uncover new abilities and develop new
skills. This becomes a big advantage in deciding which career
to choose.

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5. Develop Life Skills

Students develop necessary life skills like critical

thinking, teamwork, and problem solving through secondary
education.
This will help them through the rest of their lives, be it as a
student or a professional. Meanwhile, their rationale will help
in the overall growth of a society, and thereby the country.

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6. Broadens Horizon

If a strong foundation is set during the students’ secondary

education, it will also provide success to them as adults.

During this phase of education, students begin to identify

themselves as an individual. They see their potential while
growing physically, mentally, and emotionally.

Secondary education shows the students a balanced

perspective of the world. It tries to drum up a sense of reality
in them. Besides, a leadership quality or a team player quality
is developed in them through different activities.
7. Better Job Prospects
 An individual with
secondary education will attract better job prospects. This is
so because that individual will already have developed the
necessary knowledge and skills.

Hence, employers seek employees with at least secondary

education. Besides, surviving in this technologically advanced
globe without secondary education can be tedious.

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Post-Secondary Education Benefits

Post-secondary education is also known as tertiary education

or higher education. It comes after secondary education.

It involves a student pursuing their choice of a specific degree

through a college, university, or trade technical and
professional schools.

Post-secondary education benefits are many as well as

varied. Depending on their choice of career a student may
pass out with a trade, diploma, or a college degree. The
expertise can also be further developed to a master’s degree,
professional degree, or doctorate. Some of the benefits of
post-secondary education are:

 Although postsecondary education isn’t a basic

requirement to get employed, it sure does increase an
individual’s chances of getting employed with higher
income potential.
 Not everyone pursues post-secondary education, but it
does allow developing deeper subject knowledge and
skills.
 Post-secondary education requires intense and
rigorous studying. This helps in personality
development and critical thinking ability.
 Through post-secondary education, students improve
their written, verbal, and communication skills.
Conclusion

Secondary education is your most dependable friend in the

21st century. Its importance cannot be emphasized less.

The prosperity and growth of a country have a direct

connection with secondary education. This article clearly
explains the importance and benefits of secondary education
in India.

Secondary education is the education stage following primary education. The basic
concepts taught in the primary section are utilized in the secondary section bearing
the concepts that the learners will be learning in their higher studies. Secondary
education in India covers 2-3 years of academic study, including 8th, 9th, 10th,
consisting of 13-16 years of age. 
Some states/UTs that consider 8th to 10th as a part of secondary education are
Goa, Kerala, Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Karnataka, Daman & Diu, Gujarat, etc. The
states/UTs which consider class 9th and 10th as part of the secondary education are
Punjab, Chandigarh, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Andaman & Nicobar Islands,
Delhi, Nagaland, etc. 
The status of secondary education in India is a leap for the students to pursue their
preferred streams to engage in a professional career. However, changes in
secondary education are expected with the New Education Policy (NEP) introduced
by the central government.
Table of Contents

 All about Secondary education system in India

 Importance of secondary education
 Features of secondary education in the New Education Policy (NEP)

All About the Secondary Education System in India

Education in India is mainly classified into two levels - primary and secondary.
Primary schools aim to teach the basic structure of the ways and means of a
civilized society keeping the form of government in mind. It teaches the history and
affairs of society in a nutshell to the students and also tries to ensure that proper
mental nourishment is given to the children to facilitate their growing stage.
On the other hand, secondary education strives to provide a more detailed outlook
on the affairs of society and the changes taking place in different disciplines at the
same time. This is directed more towards the career of a young child who is now
aware of the various fields available for them in a three-tier system, i.e.,
commerce/science/arts. This classification of careers into three paths was
introduced, keeping the trend of the 20th century in mind. Still, with the coming of
the 21st century, the education model needed a change, and it did witness a lot of
changes, but it was limited within the purview of streams and not the education
system as a whole. It is only in the NEP that the entire system was put into the
debate, and new reformations were suggested leading to the scrapping of the old
system. 
In a nutshell, the education system of the 20th century restricted a young child of
10th and 12th to reason with the subjects he was learning, and the 21st-century
model, NEP, is trying to do the opposite, i.e., to allow the students to make use of
reasoning capacity. A more detailed account of the NEP is given in the passages
below.
 Class 10th Examination
Students of class 10th usually appear for the final examination in 5-6 subjects such
as English, Mathematics, Social Science, Science, A language subjects, and
another elective subject that will vary between schools and educational boards.
Some of the most popular elective subjects within the country are Computer
Applications, Physical Education, Economics, Environmental Science, and
Commerce.
Class 12th Examination
In the Secondary Education System in India, most schools do not provide students
with flexibility in class 11th to pick the subjects of their choice within a particular
stream of science, commerce, and arts. Instead, a standard set of subjects are pre-
assigned to the students belonging to each stream. The core subjects for the
Science stream are Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Maths. For the commerce stream,
the primary subjects are Accounts, Business Studies, and Economics. Finally, for
the arts stream, the core subjects consist of History, Political Science, Geography,
and Psychology.
Why is Secondary Education Important?

Secondary education has a very strategic position in the educational system of

India. It is the bridge between primary education and higher education. The
importance of Secondary Education is:
 To make the students all-rounders in understanding the important branches of
knowledge.
 To train India's students to be good citizens who will contribute to the
country's social and economic development and to maintain the democratic
spirit of India.
 To improve the rational development and practical skills of students.
 To improve the practical efficiency of the students.
The struggle to revive secondary education came right after the Independence of
India under the leadership of Pandit Nehru, the first prime minister of India. It started
to take new initiatives by forming committees, commissions and to develop the
infrastructure, quantity, and quality of secondary education in India. These
committees suggested curriculums that would focus on the overall development of
students instead of continuing the colonial legacy of rote-learning and were achieved
to a certain level. However, the colonial concept of rote-learning remained in the
system. 
Education nourishes the minds of students or learners. Education helps in the
overall development of a student's personality and aptitude. As education moves
parallel with society, it also changes the aims, objectives, and other central
indicators for the upliftment of the young and talented youth of the country. The aims
and objectives of education are not uniform for all stages of education. There are
differences in the aims and objectives of primary, secondary, and higher education
due to the variance of age and the student's mental and emotional growth.
In India, the central government shared that education has been a state subject, but
it has been put on the simultaneous list. This has been done to achieve free and
compulsory primary education because it is directed in Article 45 of the Indian
Constitution that universal, free, and mandatory education becomes the center and
state's joint responsibility.
Features of Secondary Education in the New Education Policy
(NEP)

Secondary education in India will be witnessing a change in the years to come. The
model set by the education board is a little similar to that of the secondary system
existing in America. But, there are some regional additions to it. The features of NEP
that reflect secondary education in India are as follows:
 It will be called the secondary stage of education.
 It will have 9th, 10th, 11th, & 12th under its purview.
 The 9th to 10th will be categorized as junior high school students. The
curriculum will also be prepared in that manner.
 The students from classes 11th to 12th will be categorized as senior high
school or junior college students. The curriculum will be different from the
existing ones, streams will be replaced with preferred subjects, and the same
process will be mandated for colleges.
 The main aim of the NEP is to eradicate rote learning.
Meaning of Higher education1:
In the context of formal education, there are four levels or stages of Education namely-
Elementary or Primary Education level, Secondary Education Level, and Higher or
University level.
The stages of education after secondary education up to postgraduate of Research
degree level considered as Higher Education. In simple words, Higher Education is
the education above the instructional of the Secondary school, usually beginning
with grade 13, which is provided by Colleges, Universities and Graduate Schools,
Junior Colleges,
Professional Schools and other degree-granting institutions. It is the stages of
education covering Bachelors degree, Master degree, Master of Philosophy Degree,
and Doctorate of Philosophy Degree, etc.

Higher education is one sense, can be called the tertiary level of education, which is
the top of the education pyramid. Higher education may be of general education or
non-technical education as well as technical and professional education. Higher
education has three (3) levels of degree such as Ig degree of Bachelor course,
2nd degree of Master course, and 3 rd degree of Master of Philosophy or Doctor of
Philosophy in the Indian context.
The chief aim of higher education is to produce adequate and qualified human
resources for the economy as a whole, of such quality and quantity that they are
attained to the production activities of the state and by the way, the State’s social,
economic, political, civil and cultural environment become self-sustained and vibrant.
The ultimate objective of higher education will, therefore, be the facilitation of our
graduates and post-graduates is to prepare them to face the Global Competition.
(Annual Administration Report, for the year 2004-05 Directorate of Higher Education,
Manipur).

The Objectives and Purposes of Higher Education 1:

The Radhakrishanan Commission 3 purposed the following objectives and purposes of
Higher Education.

1. In the changing political, social and economic conditions, providing healthy representation in
politics, administration, profession, industry and commerce.
2. In the universities, developing an intellectual attitude towards things and encouraging growth
of knowledge among the youth.
3. Emphasizing social reform through the creation of sighted, intelligent and courageous
leadership.
4. Encouraging Universities to play their part as organs of culture and the intellectual leader on
civilization.
5. Making endeavor for the success of democracy.
6. Discovering the innate qualities of individuals and developing them through suitable training.
7. Creating the sentiments of National discipline, International awareness, intellectual
development, justice, freedom, equality and brotherhood.

The Kothari commission’ has expressed its view of the objective or ideal of higher
education in the following terms:

1. Seeking knowledge within the framework of truth, using tradition, knowledge, in new
circumstances.
2. Giving educated and train people to society in the sphere of art, sciences, agriculture,
medicines, and industries.
3. Developing leadership in every sphere of life.
4. Encouraging social justice.
5. Nourishing the right values among students and teachers.
6. Reducing social and cultural disparities.
7. Working for the development of national consciousness.
 8. Developing the program for adult education.

The Purpose of Higher education : 2

Barnett (1992)4 suggests the following as common perspectives on the purpose of

Higher Education (HE):

 Production of qualified human resources: Higher education can be considered as a process

in which the students are counted as “products” to be absorbed in the market. Thus higher
education becomes the crucial input to the growth and development of business and industry.
 Training for a research career: Higher education contributes to preparing qualified
scientists and researchers which would help in producing quality research publications.
 Building the right kind of teaching-learning environment: Institutions of HE focus on the
creation and sustenance of the right kind of teaching-learning environment by improving the
quality of teaching and thus enabling students to acquire global competencies in various fields
of study and application to successfully face the challenges in the changing global scenario.
 Higher education as a matter of extending life chances: Higher education is seen as an
opportunity to participate in the development process of an individual through a flexible,
continuing education mode.