Abstract
This book influences several policies on the quantity and quality aspects of Indian education with a particular emphasis in Punjab. However, it is required to understand the development in education in an inclusive context. There is a need to understand the progress made in education in a holistic context rather than measuring its progress in isolation without considering other socio-economic aspects of the economy. In order to remain relevant to any institution, there is a need to make regular changes in teaching methods, course materials, etc. to meet the expectations of all its stakeholders in an environment conducive to new technological changes. The aim is not just to impart knowledge, but to develop thinking abilities among the individual and enable them to meet day-to-day challenges and use them in accordance with their interest, skill set and market requirements helps in getting busy livelihood. It is in this context that by the year 2015, the United Nations 2015 agenda, and identification of 17 integrated goals for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to improve overall development is very relevant. The objective is to target the overall policy for higher development and education, teaching, training and development of industrial infrastructure. In fact, the main criticisms and reasons specified for repeated reduction of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) to eradicate poverty, hunger and illiteracy specified in the UN 2015 assessment report is its non-integrated approach based on narrow and specific focus areas.
The author is a distinguished scholar who has spent 28 years in the field of education, Indian economy, manufacturing sector, micro-, small-, medium- and large-scale sector and research development. The book is written in an engaging manner and shaped by a passionate commitment that can understand and develop this work. Jatinder S. Bedi has discussed in his book 'Policy Impacts on Qualitative and Quantitative Aspects of Indian Education Special Emphasis on Punjab', which emphasizes the disparity between the status of education in gender, thereby developing educational understanding in rural-urban and social groups. He introduces ways of thinking from existing literature on qualitative and quantitative aspects of education.
The book concludes that empirical findings based on the revised methodology are used to draw new conclusions. This method was developed to define the size of population eligible for enrolment and then employed to estimate gross enrolment rate (GER) and gross literacy rate (GLR) at different district education levels, population census and age-wise data from 2011 were used. This book is precious for those who are becoming scholars in this field. The book is divided into nine chapters with extensive references. The first chapter introduces the essential development of the book on the conceptual basis of the State Learning Achievement Survey (SLAS). A supporting account of ideas has been developed and they are designed in response to research methodology in research work on information processing and individual difference. The author focuses on literacy rate, gender inequality, rural and urban literacy in primary level education in India and other developing countries. The second chapter ‘Education-Related Policies and Review of Literature’ evaluates the performance of education in light of various policies in recent years and to understand the importance of such measures in different socio-economic circumstances. The book provides a comprehensive understanding of the impact of schools with different types of physical infrastructure, teachers with different skills, policy to provide free and compulsory education to states and a wide range of programmes. Universal Elementary Education (UEE) is achieving the target in that case and determines various socio-economic outcomes on education.
The third chapter ‘Evolution of Indian Education with Special Reference to Punjab’ emphasizes on Punjab which looks at changes in net enrolment rate (NER), GER, gross literacy rate (GLR) and net literacy rate (NLRs). They came with ‘Christian missionaries’, a major improvement in this initiative. W.W. Hunter Commission (1882) emphasized the need to promote education through the state, particularly focusing on providing equal importance to primary level and related schools. The fourth chapter is ‘Reworking the Estimates of Enrolment and Literacy Rates’. The author has described the enrolment and literacy rates of India and Punjab (for the period 1951–1971) in a previous chapter, which gives an idea of education. It is very clear that gender, rural and urban inequalities still persist, but the gap is closing. According to social classes literacy rates are compared among Scheduled Caste (SC) women of Punjab, all population of education at different levels much lower among SC women, it has been seen district-wise inequalities in Punjab. The situation was miserable for SC women living in rural areas with a literacy rate of only 2.5 per cent. This is clearly true among SC students; thus, low-strength schools are serving a useful purpose for extremely poor and Dalit families, because the family members are unable to help children in their studies.
The author has interpreted and analyzed the implementation of RTE Act resulting in improvement in enrolment and literacy rates, the fifth chapter is ‘State of Punjab Education: Analysis Based on District Information System for Education (DISE) Data’. The main objective of investigation (RTE Act, 2009) is to increase the enrolment rate. The elementary school should be within one kilometre which is responsible for better access. The sixth chapter is ‘Punjab State Education Profile: State Learning Achievement Survey (SLAS), 2015–16 Survey Design for 5th-Class’, the author has explored the information for survey and detailed information about infrastructure in schools, socio-economic background of 5th class teachers their qualifications and experience, qualifications of their parents and occupation socio-economic background. The State Council for Educational Research and Training (SCERT) introduced SLAS (2015–2016) in entire districts of Punjab. Examinations for language, environmental science and mathematics are conducted for class 5 students, who were selected for sample design. The seventh chapter is ‘Education in Punjab: Analysis Based on 5th-Class SLAS, 2015 Data’, the author analyses overview of students analyzed for students appearing for different tests, after removing data for discrepancies and missing values, analysis is possible for 2282 students in EVS, 2356 for Mathematics and 4837 for Punjabi subject. In the previous chapter, the author has conducted a detailed analysis of 5,072 students through surveys by conducting various tests. The percentage of girls appearing for the test is 48.3 per cent whereas percentage boys is 51.7 per cent. This ratio is 48.7:51.3 for the original sample design. In this case also, the deviation did not change the ratio significantly. The same is applicable for mathematics and Punjabi subjects as well.
The eighth chapter ‘Focused Group Discussion with Students, Parents and Teachers’ emphasised on focused group discussion. To fill the data gaps, the IDC team arranged a focused group discussion in some schools selected in the rural area as a representative sample in two districts of Punjab during the 2017–2018 season. Most students live near the school. Students studying in these schools are beneficiaries of the Mid-day Meal Scheme, free books, stationery and uniforms. The ninth chapter is ‘Main Findings and Conclusions’, which expands education, about the facilitation of education, the acquisition of knowledge, skills, values, beliefs, habits and the most important indicators of development.
Estimates of enrollment and literacy rates in India and Punjab since independence use methods commonly applied in the literature. Revised methods to re-raise the existing level of enrollment and literacy rate among attendees in educational institutions in a better way, taking care of limitations in existing methods. SLAS, 2015–16, data is cleaned, and outliers and missing values are excluded, and then processed for analysis. The data obtained from the IDC survey will give rise to data gaps.
A sequence of this study is then observed that is consistent with the results obtained in existing studies so that their relevance can be investigated if the cause is not detected. The analysis is then used to draw policy recommendations.
It is clear that during the study of the book, it has been found that improvement in enrolment and literacy rate has not resulted in uniform improvement in the quality of education. Indeed, the quality of education has deteriorated over the time. The study highlights that the minimum infrastructure of appropriate schools is required to improve the performance. Schools lack basic and most essential facilities. They lack basic facilities like drinking water, electricity, regular sanitation workers and separate toilets for girls. The result suggests that the student–teacher ratio should be kept at a level to improve the resources of the economy. Social and gender disparities still exist in urban–rural districts. The performance of the students depends on many factors such as student-teacher ratio (STR) is low compared to other students of weaker backgrounds, potentially affecting the performance of competent students. The author has presented India’s education system. In particular, he recommended increasing the budget on education and providing better facilities in all schools. If this is not possible, the expenditure should be done in a very prudent manner to ensure that if the schools are opened, they should be provided facilities as per the norms of the RTE Act. This can be done by maintaining a balance between the teacher’s salary and infrastructure expenses. This is necessary to improve the quality of the education system. Currently, the salaries of government teachers are very high and they are difficult to maintain. This is true for all government and public sector employees. The private sector has also been affected by this. The accountability of government schools should be improved. There is also a need to review the education system in general and the public sector has to take a lead in that. The main objective of education should be to enhance the rational, creative thinking abilities of individuals and to upgrade their knowledge and skills. Not only focusing on the syllabus, but students should also be taught about the importance of each subject and its practical relevance. There is a need to rejuvenate our entire education system by revising the admission process, course material, teaching method and assessment. Finally, education is the backbone of India, it should be very strong and even the poorest children should get the right to education. Because education increases your reasoning ability. If you are educated, you can achieve anything in your life.