Quality and Determinants of Primary Education in Rural India

Abstract

Even though India's achievement in the elementary level of education in terms of enrollment is praiseworthy, this paper tries to examine whether or not India’s performance is equally impressive from the qualitative perspective. An overview of elementary education in rural India is presented in this context. The study is based on secondary cross-section state level data on the ability of the students to read (vernacular) and calculate. The study identifies the high and low performing states in India and analyses their performance over the years, especially after the introduction of right to education (RTE) Act, 2009. It also discusses the factors that have positive or negative impacts on the learning outcome. The analysis unveils retrogression of the quality parameter over the years. The policies have emphasized on steady expansion in enrollment without paying required attention to the learning outcome. As a result, the quality of primary education has been comprised in the process. This diminishes the splendor of India's achievement in education.