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THE DRIVING QUESTIONS

1) What are the main problems faced by the education system in India?
2) How do reservations in the education system affect the overall
quality and accessibility of education in India?
3) How does the reservation system in India contribute to or exacerbate
existing inequalities in the education system?
4) What impact do the education system's problems have on the success
and opportunities of students from different socio-economic
backgrounds?
5) What solutions have been proposed to address the problems in the
education system, particularly with regard to reservations?
6) How effective have these solutions been in addressing the challenges
faced by the education system in India?
7) How do the issues surrounding the education system in India
compare to those in other countries, and what can be learned from
these comparisons?
8) What role do various stakeholders, such as government, education
providers, and civil society organizations, play in addressing the
problems in the education system in India, and how can their efforts
be coordinated and strengthened?
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PLANNING SHEET
Name/Team/Group: The Future of Education Team: Uncovering the Challenges,
Exploring Solutions

Goal: To highlight the problems in the educational system of India, with a special focus
on reservations, and suggest solutions that are feasible and helpful

Who? Researchers, educators,

policymakers, students and
other stakeholders in the
education system

What? A research project studying

Objectives: problems in the education
system of India, with a focus
on reservation
When? Depending on the scope and
scale of the study that we
identify as it progresses
Where? Mostly via the internet

To bring to attention the

prevailing problems of the
Why? educational system in India,
and try to bring about
changes to fix them
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How? Literature review, field

research, data analysis, and
stakeholder interviews to
gather and analyze
information. The findings
will be used to develop
recommendations for
addressing the identified
problems

Tasks: Time:
Define the scope and focus of the research
project, including specific research 1 Hour
questions and objectives.
Conduct a literature review to gather
information about existing research on the
1 Day
education system in India and identify key
issues and challenges.
Gather data through field research, including
interviews, surveys, and observations in 3 Days
educational settings.
Analyze the data collected to identify trends,
2 Hours
patterns, and areas of concern.
Write a research report summarizing the
findings of the study and making
1 Hour
recommendations for addressing the
identified problems.

Team Members: Anirudh M, Laaksh Mahesh Chikodi, Mukta, Siddhanth Patil

TOOLS:

Equipment: Laptops, Recording Devices, Survey

Software, Statistical Analysis Software
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Materials: Notebooks, Reference Materials, Maps

Information: 1) Data on the current Education System
in India including enrollment figures,
graduation rates and test scores.
2) Reports or Studies on the education
system in India including govt
reports, academic research and NGO
reports.
3) Demographic data on the population
of India includes social, economical
and geographical factors that may
impact access to education.
Resources: Funding, Support from the School
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PROJECT REPORT
"Unlocking the Potential of Indian Education: Addressing the Challenges of
Reservations and Other Issues"

Introduction
The Indian education system is considered one of the largest in the world, with
over 260 million students enrolled in schools across the country. Despite its size
and potential, the Indian education system has faced several challenges and
problems that have hindered its ability to provide quality education to all
students.

The objective of this CBSE English ALS project is to examine the problems with
the Indian education system, with a special focus on the issue of reservations.
This report aims to provide an overview of the current state of the education
system in India, including its challenges and successes, and to examine the
impact of reservations on the system, both positive and negative. The report also
aims to provide recommendations for addressing the issues facing the education
system and improving access to quality education for all students.

To gather information for this report, we conducted a thorough review of existing

research and literature on the Indian education system and the issue of
reservations. We also interviewed several experts and stakeholders, including
educators, students and heads of relevant NGOs, to gather insights and
perspectives on these issues.

Problems Found
Our review of literature and interviews with experts and stakeholders revealed
several problems facing the Indian education system, including inadequate
funding, poor infrastructure, and a lack of quality teaching. These issues
disproportionately affect disadvantaged communities and contribute to high
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dropout rates and low enrollment rates, particularly in rural and remote areas

One of the major problems facing the education system in India is inadequate
funding. Despite being one of the largest economies in the world, India has one
of the lowest levels of education spending as a percentage of GDP. This lack of
funding has led to poor infrastructure, such as inadequate schools and libraries,
as well as a shortage of qualified teachers. This can make it difficult for
students to access the resources they need to succeed, particularly those from
marginalized communities.

Another problem facing the education system in India is the quality of

education. Despite making progress in increasing enrollment in schools, the
quality of education remains poor. This is due to a lack of trained teachers, poor
infrastructure, and a lack of resources. Furthermore, the high student-teacher
ratio in Indian schools makes it difficult for teachers to give individual attention
to each student. This can lead to a lack of understanding of the material and a
lack of critical thinking skills among students.

It should be noted that these problems are interconnected and often exacerbate
the issues related to reservations and other forms of discrimination. Therefore,
it is crucial to address these issues in a comprehensive manner, in order to ensure
that all students have access to high-quality education and an equal opportunity
to succeed.
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Reservations
The issue of reservations has also been a source of controversy and debate, with
arguments for and against the policy. Some argue that reservations are necessary
to address historical inequalities and discrimination, while others argue that they
create a sense of entitlement and undermine merit-based systems. Our research
suggests that reservations have had some positive impacts, such as increasing
enrollment and representation of disadvantaged groups in higher education but
have also had some negative impacts, such as creating tensions and resentment
among different groups.

One of the main problems with the reservation system is that it has led to a lack
of meritocracy in the education system. Many students who are academically
talented and deserving are unable to secure admission to top institutions due to
the quotas reserved for reserved categories. This has led to a feeling of frustration
and unfairness among students who feel that they have been unfairly denied
opportunities based on their caste or social status.

1
Full Survey Results can be found here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1WwG7wZx-
l3gGAb77HJCs18lRbYzDJokQMXU4brvAQcs/edit?usp=share_link
 Page |9

It has also led to a divide between the reserved and

unreserved categories, with some arguing that it
has created a "caste-based" education system.
This has led to resentment among students who
feel that they are being denied opportunities
because of their socioeconomic status. In addition,
the implementation of reservations has often been
marred by corruption and nepotism, with people
using their connections to secure reserved seats for
their children, even if they do not belong to
designated groups.

Another problem with the reservation system is that it has led to a shortage of
seats in top institutions, as a significant proportion of seats are reserved for
reserved categories. This has made it difficult for students who are not part of the
reserved categories to secure admission to top institutions, even if they are
academically qualified

Interviews
Here is what some of the people we talked to had to say about this
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"Reservation in education is necessary to ensure that marginalized communities

are allowed to access quality education and break the cycle of poverty and
discrimination." - Student from a disadvantaged community

Ms Leena, the coordinator of NPS RNR, said that while the current system might
be flawed, it is far better than any alternatives proposed so far. Even now, the
government is constantly working on making it even better.

Ananya M, the Head of the NGO Equal Souls, said “I think the government
needs to revisit the rules of reservations and modify them according to today’s
world. These rules were made decades ago and to think that we can go ahead
without making necessary changes is rather impossible in my opinion.”

Solutions
The education system in India faces many challenges, with reservations being
one of the most significant. While the reservation system has played an important
role in addressing historical inequalities and providing marginalized communities
with access to quality education, it has also led to certain problems. These
include the potential for resentment and discrimination, as well as concerns about
the potential impact on merit.

To address these challenges, it has been proposed to:

● Increase the budget allocation for education to ensure that students have
access to the resources they need to succeed.
● Improve teacher training and recruitment to ensure that students have
access to qualified and effective teachers.
● Invest in infrastructure such as building more schools and libraries to
improve access to education.
● Implement a system of merit-based scholarships for students from
marginalized communities to ensure that they are not disadvantaged by the
reservation system.
● Monitor the implementation of the reservation system to prevent misuse
or abuse of the system
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● Encourage private-public partnerships in education to supplement the

government's efforts.
● Create a new committee, named "Equal Opportunity in Education
Committee'' (EOEC) to address reservations.
○ The members of the committee are representatives from marginalized
communities, education experts, and government officials.
○ The budget for the EOEC should be allocated from the education
budget.
○ The timeline for the EOEC should be set for one year with the
possibility of an extension based on the progress made.
○ The EOEC will be responsible for reviewing the current reservation
system, identifying areas of improvement and making
recommendations to the government on how to address the issues
related to reservations.
○ The committee will also work on creating a more holistic approach to
addressing inequality in education and promoting equal opportunities
for all students.

Conclusion
In light of the above, the government and other stakeholders must take a
comprehensive approach to address the problems facing the education system in
India. This includes not only continuing to support the reservation system but
also implementing the above-mentioned solutions to invest in infrastructure,
training and recruiting more teachers, and improving funding for education.
Only by addressing these issues holistically and with the help of the EOEC can
we ensure that all students in India have access to a high-quality education,
regardless of their background.