
Expert Questions India's Education Priorities Amid School Closures
What Happened?
Education entrepreneur Maheshwar Peri criticizes India's education system for school closures and teachers diverted to election duties, questioning the country's commitment to its youth.
Key points
- Maheshwar Peri highlights school closures and examination postponements due to election duties.
- He cites specific instances, including the postponement of the 2027 Madhyamik examinations in West Bengal.
- Teachers in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, were pulled from classrooms for a political rally.
- Peri notes a decline in education spending as a share of state budgets from 16.6% in 2010-11 to 14.5% in 2025-26.
- The Reserve Bank of India's report indicates a combined share of 13.1% for education in 2025-26.
Key insights
- Disruptions in education could hinder India's economic growth potential.
- The decline in education funding may affect the quality of education for the youth.
- Continued diversion of teachers from classrooms could lead to lower student performance.
Why it matters
The situation raises concerns about India's ability to harness its demographic dividend effectively.
Source
India Today


