School Libraries in India: Present-day Scenario

The education system in India is based on the British system of education. The Government of India lays stress on education for all. The directive principle contained in article 45 states that the state has to provide free and compulsory education for all until the age of 14 years. According to 2001 census, 65% Indians are literate and almost every child has an access to school with around 95% of our rural education having a primary school within one kilometer of their habitation. The school education in India is at three levels-Primary (classes 1 to 5), Middle (classes 6 to 8) and Higher/Secondary (classes 9 to 12). There are two categories of schools-government schools that are entirely funded by the government and others being the public (private) schools. There are about 888 thousands educational institutions in the country with an enrollment of about 179 millions. Elementary education system in India is the second largest in the world with 149.4 millions children enrolled in the age-group of 6 to 14 years. All the states and Union Territories of India have adopted a uniform structure of school education, i.e., the 10+2 system of education. Higher education is provided by 237 universities, which include 34 agricultural universities, 15 medical institutions, 39 deemed to be universities and 11 institutions of national importance and 8 open universities in addition to 10600 colleges. Education in India is primarily the responsibility of the state governments although the central government also plays an important role in higher education. Though education is in the concurrent list of the constitution, the state governments play a major role in the development of education particularly in the primary and secondary education. Para 11.4 of NPE 1986 states that the investment on education be gradually increased to reach a level of 6% of the national income as early as possible. In spite of the resource constraints, the budgetary allocation on education has increased over the years. As part of the mid-term Strategic Plan and the Millennium Development Goals priorities, UNICEF India is also committed to ensuring quality education for all children.