Delhi, 15 July (H.S.): Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas,

Hardeep Singh Puri emphasized the importance of education for India's development during a seminar on “School Education in India: Towards Equitable Access to Quality Education for All.” He asserted that India’s progression from a $4 trillion to a $35 trillion economy by 2047 depends on cultivating responsible citizens through high-quality, inclusive education. Puri marked significant educational reforms over the past 25 years, particularly the establishment of the Right to Education (RTE) in 2002 under the Vajpayee Government, which enshrined free and compulsory education for children aged 6-14 as a Fundamental Right. This led to the RTE Act of 2009 and further advancements under Prime Minister Modi's leadership since 2014.

Citing data from UDISE and ASER reports, Puri highlighted achievements such as a youth literacy rate nearing 97%, a reduced gender literacy gap bolstered by initiatives like Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, and significant growth in enrollment rates—primary enrollment increased from 84% to 96%, and upper primary from 62% to 90%. Improvements in infrastructure and resources are notable, with the teacher-pupil ratio decreasing from 42:1 to 24:1, and the percentage of schools with girls' toilets rising from 30% to 91%. The dropout rate has significantly fallen from 9.1% to 1.5%. Since independence, literacy has increased from 17% to approximately 80%, laying the groundwork for universal education.

Puri insisted that education must be prioritized above political differences to realize India’s developmental goals. While acknowledging his non-expertise in education policy, he stressed the necessity of educational reforms and inclusive learning for harnessing the demographic dividend. The seminar also honored the legacy of Prof. Muchkund Dubey, establishing the Muchkund Dubey Centre for Right to Education in his memory.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar