Analysis of Government Education in Chandigarh: A Calculation of Per Capita Expenditure

Abstract

The Elementary education system in India is the second largest in the world. The 10+2 system is the system adopted by all the states/UT’s in the nation. Education in India is basically divided into four stages, although there still exist variations in the number of classes constituting the Primary, Upper Primary, High and Higher Secondary school stages, age for admission to class I, medium of instruction, public examinations, teaching of Hindi and English, number of working days in a year, academic session, vacation periods, fee structure, and compulsory education. With specific regard to the Union Territory of Chandigarh, primary education consists of standard I-V, middle education of standard VI-VIII, secondary education of standard IX-X and senior secondary education of standard XI-XII. Elementary education is from standard I-VIII, secondary from IX-X and senior secondary from XI-XII. The minimum age for admission into primary school is 6+. Teaching of Hindi and English is compulsory, and there is no minimum age prescribed for writing of secondary education (standard X) examinations. This is in contrast with most other states/UT’s where this varies between 14+ and 16+ years. Chandigarh has come a long way in the education scenario, with an overall literacy rate of 81.76% 1 , as covered by the 2001 census, which is considerably higher than the nation wide average of 65%. Its rural-urban literacy split is also suggestive of a relatively efficient education system, the figures being, again, considerably greater than the national average.