Enso Group’s Chairman Vinay Maloo reflects on how educational reforms in rural India can transform the nation

American Entrepreneur Michael S. Forbes once said- “Education’s purpose is to replace an empty mind with an open one.” Extending the statement, it can be understood that a mind is like an empty vessel that can be shaped as per the craftsmen that mold it in the future. These craftsmen can be parents, friends and most importantly teachers. An educational institution is child’s second home after all and it’s the place where he or she acquires the most. But sadly, this is a fact that most of the students still dropout from schools/colleges and many of them are just because of the economic crisis in the family. The 2020-21 report by UDISE+ (Unified District Information System for Education Plus) had revealed that around 14.6% students dropped out from secondary school education. Thus, there is a clear need for making education accessible and affordable to everyone. To shed a light on the importance of education and how important education reforms are, we were joined by Vinay Maloo, the Chairman and Founder of Enso Group.

While reflecting on the topic Maloo said that working on the core is most important and by the core he meant where the core India resides i.e. rural India. Maloo said that it is very important that education reaches where it is needed the most. The financial status becomes a roadblock for many especially in rural parts of the country as families are either struggling with economic crisis or aren’t aware of the educational programs run by the government. Though RTE (Right to Education) under Art 21A of the constitution ensures compulsory primary education, the secondary education and higher studies still remain only a dream for many as they are unable to access their dream colleges.

“Since the last census, the literacy rate has definitely increased but despite that, we still don’t see a high conversion rate in youngsters to obtain a college degree. The Gross Enrollment Ration (GER) in colleges in 2019 was 26.3% only. Thus, scholarships and incentive programs should be in focus so as to increase this conversion rate especially in rural areas of the country. The beneficiaries should be aware of the schemes running in their favor and shouldn’t be left out from getting their degree just because of financial crisis,” Maloo said.

Vinay Maloo then pointed out how the Indian government in this year’s budget has focused on the education sector. The education budget increased by a margin of 8.2% in comparison to last year’s budget. A an amount of Rs 1.12 lakh crore has been allocated to the sector which promises to bring in huge changes.

While proper focus has been given to both Primary and High school education with schemes like Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan, PM Poshan Yojna, Padhna Likhna Yojna and many more, a lot more focus has been given to skill training and digital literacy. As India advances becoming a global force, skills and technology are the two sectors that will need a massive boost. Also with government announcing E-Learning in regional languages, this will further decentralize the education system and help curriculum’s penetrate better into rural areas.