Lok Sabha Question No. 3630 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2015-12-21
Subject: Private Participation in Education Sector
Ministry: HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: BHARATENDRA SINGH

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3630 TO BE ANSWERED ON 21.12.2015

## Private Participation in Education Sector

## 3630.   KUNWAR BHARATENDRA:

Will the Minister of HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government has noticed that the private sector participation in the education sector has been increasing in the country;

(b) if so, the details thereof; and

(c) the extent to which this would be benefited to the common people and the steps taken by the Government to ensure the same?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT ( SMT. SMRITI  ZUBIN  IRANI )

(a) & (b):  As per Unified District Information System for Education (UDISE), percentage of enrolment  of  students  in  government  management  elementary  schools  in  the  country  has marginally  decreased  from  65.01%  in  2011-12  to  61.32%  in  2013-14  whereas  in  private management  elementary  schools,  it has increased  from  32.59%  to  35.81%  during  the corresponding  period.  Similarly,  at  higher  education  level,  in  government  sector  it  has marginally  decreased  from  49.4%  in  2011-12  to  45.5%  in  2013-14,  where  as  in  the  case  of private  sector  it  has  increased  from  50.6%  in  2011-12  to  54.5%  in  2013-14,  based  on  the response of universities and colleges under All India Survey on Higher Education during the corresponding periods.

(c): The government endeavour has been to make affordable and quality education available to eligible  population  in  the  country  by  expanding  education  facilities  both  in  government  and private  sector  in  a  coexistent  manner.  The  Central  Government  is  implementing  several schemes  in  collaboration  with  State  Governments  to  ensure  educational  development  in  the education  sector.    The  Sarva  Shiksha  Abhiyan  is  being  implemented  in  accordance  with  the norms  and  standards  of  the  RTE  Act  to  enhance  enrolment  and  retention  of  children,  with context- specific interventions for SC/ ST students and a multi-pronged approach for reducing dropout  rates.  This  includes  inter-alia  strengthening  of  school  infrastructure  and  facilities, residential hostel buildings for children in habitations not covered  by  regular  schools, provisioning for additional teachers, regular training of teachers, provision for free text books and uniforms to children. The Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya Scheme provides for setting up of residential upper primary schools for girls from SC, ST, OBC and Minority communities. The Mid Day Meal Scheme is also being implemented with a view to enhance enrolment and retention of children in schools.

To attract students to higher education, the government has taken several initiatives such as opening of new institutions, scholarship and interest subsidy on educational loans availed by the  students.  Extensive  use  of  ICT  applications  is  also  being  made  in  furtherance  of  higher education  in  the  country.  In  order  to  expand  educational  opportunities  in  374  Educationally Backward  Districts  (EBDs),  the  Central  Government  had,  in  2009,  launched  the  scheme  of setting up of 374 Model Degree Colleges (MDCs) in districts having Gross Enrolment Ratio for higher education less than the national average. The scheme of setting up MDCs has since been subsumed in the Twelfth Five Year Plan under a new scheme called the Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) which aims to achieve equity, access and excellence in state higher education system. The scheme supports components such as upgrading autonomous colleges to universities, clustering colleges to establish a university, setting up of new professional colleges in un-served and underserved areas as well as providing infrastructure grants to universities and colleges to scale up capacity.

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