The country produces many first-class degree holders, yet only a few of them possess the soft skills necessary to thrive in an increasingly competitive global economy. Education has been reduced to a ritual of performance, where curiosity is sacrificed at the altar of grades. The book not only critiques the prevailing education system in India but also serves as a mirror held up to society. It shows how a system meant to empower students has, instead, constrained their potential.
In recent months, conversations around the Indian education system have once again taken centre stage, from debates about the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 to concerns about declining learning outcomes in government schools, as highlighted by ASER (Annual Status of Education Report). The country that prides itself on producing some of the world’s finest engineers and doctors, ironically, continues to grapple with deep-rooted and structural challenges. From overcrowded classrooms to an obsession with rote learning and marks, the Indian education system still prioritizes conformity over curiosity.
It is this irony that Dr. Rakesh Kumar, an educationist and social reformer, along with Dr. Upadhyay and Mr. Brijesh Kumar, explore in their academic work: The Faulty Education System-Prevailing in India. Written with a clear motive: to understand where the country’s education system is failing and to propose immediate reforms to revitalize the learning process, the book urges readers to reimagine education as a journey of discovery rather than a race for grades.
At the heart of the book lies the story of Rahul Tyagi and his NGO called Nayi Drishti. Mr. Tyagi interviewed nearly a hundred people but chose only seven to form the NGO’s core team. Each of them comes from a different background and has unique stories, but they are united in one goal: to make a lasting difference in the education system of India. These eight members, including Mr. Rahul Tyagi, divided themselves into groups of two and studied the four top and bottom-most literate states of India. During the course of their fieldwork and interactions with teachers, parents, and students, they discovered stark contrasts in both the quality and accessibility of education. Taking these eight states as a benchmark, the members highlight core issues that demand urgent attention.
Jharkhand, despite its rich biodiversity and cultural heritage, records a literacy rate of just 66.41%. Comprising 24 districts grouped into five divisions, this state was studied by Mr. Raju Khade, who found out that inadequate government spending, merely three percent of the total GDP in 2018-2019, has led to a decline in school enrolment. The COVID-19 pandemic further worsened these inequalities by creating a digital divide where only 27.5% of students had access to digital devices. This issue is particularly acute among the tribal population, where a lack of government intervention is jeopardizing the educational future of an entire generation. Other challenges include high dropout rates, where children are either pushed into child labour or, in the case of girls, early marriage. Alarmingly, 7 percent of schools have a student-teacher ratio equal to or greater than 100:1, making it nearly impossible to ensure quality education.
Further, Bihar, which was once home to ancient universities of Nalanda (500 A.D) and Vikramshila (800-900 A.D), has witnessed a steady decline in its education standards. As per Sahil Goenka’s field visit, this deterioration stemmed from the government’s growing reliance on private schools to fill the gaps in public education rather than strengthening the state-run system itself. Over the years, successive governments encouraged the mushrooming of private institutions, often without adequate regulation or oversight.
However, since the government simultaneously failed to increase funding for public education, this shift has deepened inequalities. While private schools catered to those who could afford them, government schools, which were already burdened with poor infrastructure and teacher shortages, were left neglected. Further, challenges such as the persistent rural–urban divide, sweeping gender disparities, and administrative corruption have collectively contributed to the state’s low literacy levels.
However, the cracks in the Indian education system run deeper than poor infrastructure or gender disparity; the “faulty” education system has prevailed due to a multitude of reasons, some of which can be traced back to colonial rule.
The British may have left India, but their colonisation endures: in our minds, our language, and our education system, which is still dominated by the English language and rote learning. It was in 1835, after the East India Company had consolidated its rule, that Lord Macaulay introduced his “Minute on Education,” aimed to create a group of Indians who were “English in their taste, opinions, morals and intellect.” This not only entrenched social inequalities that persist to this day but also entrenched a culture of mechanical learning, stifling creativity and originality.
Many schools and colleges continue to measure success by an individual’s ability to reproduce textbook content rather than by fostering scientific thinking and logical reasoning. This culture has alienated students from the joy of acquiring knowledge. The country produces many first-class degree holders, yet only a few of them possess the soft skills necessary to thrive in an increasingly competitive global economy. Kumar highlights how education has been reduced to a ritual of performance, where curiosity is sacrificed at the altar of grades. Without a shift towards skill-oriented and experiential learning, India’s demographic dividend could soon turn into a demographic burden.
The book not only critiques the prevailing education system in India but also serves as a mirror held up to society. It shows how a system meant to empower students has, instead, constrained their potential. Kumar cites examples of successful states such as Kerala, Tripura, Goa, and Mizoram, where thoughtful policies, substantial budgetary allocations, and a focus on a learning-intensive environment have contributed to impressive literacy rates.
At the same time, the book weaves together the viewpoints of teachers, parents, and students. This human-centric approach makes the crises of education deeply relatable and urgent, prompting readers to reflect seriously.
The comparative analysis between Indian states and between India and other countries like the United States of America, the U.K., and Australia adds depth and perspective, highlighting not only what India lacks but also what it can learn.
While the book diagnoses the problems accurately, it falls short on prescribing detailed and actionable reforms. Some sections reiterate familiar issues of rote learning and poor infrastructure without analysing why previous reforms failed or how they could be reimagined. Moreover, the comparison with the Western education systems could have been expanded to include Asian countries like Singapore and South Korea, which might offer more culturally relevant lessons. At times, chapters veer into repetition and would benefit from a tighter editorial structure.
Nevertheless, the book offers a detailed description of the National Education Policy (2020) and reminds readers that reforms must not remain confined to mere policies or documents, but reach the grassroots. Learning, it argues, needs to be both holistic and skill-based. The book’s discussion on the ongoing issues of inequality, curriculum irrelevance, and employability resonates with the contemporary debates on unemployment, brain drain, and youth empowerment.
In essence, the book The Faulty Education System-Prevailing in India serves as a wake-up call. It doesn’t end with answers but with an unease — the kind that lingers long after the last page. Because somewhere between our marksheets and milestones, the true purpose of learning seems to have slipped away.
(Edited by Sneha Yadav)
(Lavanya Garg is an intern with TheRise.co.in)