Quality, Equity, and Scale in the Indian School System: Large-Scale Policy Reforms.
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| Title: | Quality, Equity, and Scale in the Indian School System: Large-Scale Policy Reforms. |
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| Alternate Title: | Calidad, equidad y escala en el sistema educativo de la India: Reformas de políticas a gran escala. Qualidade, equidade e escala no sistema de educação da Índia: Reformas de políticas em larga escala. |
| Authors: | Ramchand, Mythili1 mythiliramchand@gmail.com, Chandran, Meera2 meera.chandran@tiss.edu |
| Source: | Education Policy Analysis Archives / Archivos Analíticos de Políticas Educativas / Arquivos Analíticos de Políticas Educativas. 1/13/2026, Vol. 34 Issue 1-6, p1-23. 23p. |
| Subject Terms: | *Right to education, *Inclusive education, *Educational equalization, *Education policy, *Educational quality, *National curriculum |
| Geographic Terms: | India |
| Abstract (English): | The Indian school system is the largest in the world, with 1.5 million schools and 9.4 million teachers catering to 260 million students. While reforms since the 1990s have successfully expanded schooling to historically marginalized groups, they have been far less successful in retaining them past the primary level. This paper analyses the conceptions of equity and quality that have informed a raft of policies and state reform efforts in India over the past two decades through the ambitious school curriculum reform efforts of the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (2005), the subsequent framework for Teacher Education (2009), Right to Education Act (2009) (RTE), the integrated scheme for school and teacher education, and the current National Education Policy (2020). We examine databases on school enrolment, sample-based national assessment surveys, and central teacher eligibility tests to interpret the RTE, using principles of inclusive education in terms of policies, practices, and support structures that enable the presence, participation, and achievement of all students, including from marginalized sections of society. The paper concludes with a reflection on where the country is poised concerning quality, equity, and inclusion in India and the future directions it could take. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Abstract (Spanish): | El sistema educativo de la India es el más grande del mundo, con 1.5 millones de escuelas y 9.4 millones de docentes que atienden a 260 millones de estudiantes. Aunque las reformas desde la década de 1990 han logrado ampliar el acceso a la educación para grupos históricamente marginados, han tenido mucho menos éxito en retener a estos estudiantes más allá del nivel primario. Este artículo analiza las concepciones de equidad y calidad que han orientado un conjunto de políticas y esfuerzos estatales de reforma en la India durante las últimas dos décadas, a través de las ambiciosas reformas curriculares del Marco Curricular Nacional para la Educación Escolar (2005), el subsiguiente Marco para la Formación Docente (2009), la Ley del Derecho a la Educación (2009), el esquema integrado para la educación escolar y docente, y la actual Política Nacional de Educación (2020). Examinamos bases de datos sobre matriculación escolar, encuestas nacionales de evaluación por muestreo y pruebas centrales de elegibilidad docente para interpretar la RTE, utilizando principios de educación inclusiva en cuanto a políticas, prácticas y estructuras de apoyo que posibiliten la presencia, participación y logro de todos los estudiantes, incluidos aquellos provenientes de sectores marginados de la sociedad. El artículo concluye con una reflexión sobre la situación del país respecto a la calidad, equidad e inclusión educativa, y las direcciones futuras que podría tomar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Abstract (Portuguese): | O sistema de educação da Índia é o maior do mundo, com 1,5 milhão de escolas e 9,4 milhões de professores atendendo a 260 milhões de estudantes. Embora as reformas iniciadas nos anos 1990 tenham conseguido expandir o acesso à educação para grupos historicamente marginalizados, elas foram muito menos eficazes em manter esses estudantes na escola após o nível primário. Este artigo analisa as concepções de equidade e qualidade que nortearam um conjunto de políticas e esforços de reforma estadual na Índia nas últimas duas décadas, por meio das ambiciosas reformas curriculares do Marco Curricular Nacional para a Educação Escolar (2005), do subsequente Marco para a Formação de Professores (2009), da Lei do Direito à Educação (2009), do esquema integrado para a educação escolar e formação docente, e da atual Política Nacional de Educação (2020). Examinamos bancos de dados sobre matrículas escolares, pesquisas nacionais amostrais de avaliação e testes centrais de elegibilidade docente para interpretar a RTE, utilizando princípios de educação inclusiva no que diz respeito a políticas, práticas e estruturas de apoio que possibilitem a presença, participação e sucesso de todos os estudantes, inclusive daqueles oriundos de segmentos marginalizados da sociedade. O artigo conclui com uma reflexão sobre a posição atual do país em termos de qualidade, equidade e inclusão, e os possíveis caminhos futuros. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| Database: | Education Research Complete |
| Abstract: | The Indian school system is the largest in the world, with 1.5 million schools and 9.4 million teachers catering to 260 million students. While reforms since the 1990s have successfully expanded schooling to historically marginalized groups, they have been far less successful in retaining them past the primary level. This paper analyses the conceptions of equity and quality that have informed a raft of policies and state reform efforts in India over the past two decades through the ambitious school curriculum reform efforts of the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (2005), the subsequent framework for Teacher Education (2009), Right to Education Act (2009) (RTE), the integrated scheme for school and teacher education, and the current National Education Policy (2020). We examine databases on school enrolment, sample-based national assessment surveys, and central teacher eligibility tests to interpret the RTE, using principles of inclusive education in terms of policies, practices, and support structures that enable the presence, participation, and achievement of all students, including from marginalized sections of society. The paper concludes with a reflection on where the country is poised concerning quality, equity, and inclusion in India and the future directions it could take. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| ISSN: | 10682341 |
| DOI: | 10.14507/epaa.34.9013 |
