Welfare Reforms -By Anubhav Teotia

1. Debates surrounding the educational sector and education for the underprivileged have been
one of the hottest topics for eons, and remains so till date, and not without reason. The
discussions range from whether there should be an increase in reservation of seats for
underprivileged children, what sort of education they should receive, the number of institutions
required, and even to what kind of teachers will be deemed suitable.
Several schemes have been instituted to ensure that underprivileged children receive a solid
educational base including 'Samagra Shiksha' and 'Strengthening for Providing Quality
Education in Madrassas' (SPQEM).
The Right to Education guarantees free and quality education to all children aged between 6
and 14, and additionally, incentives like Mid-Day Meal, scholarships and even reservations in
private schools are designed to encourage maximum enrolment of students from
underprivileged backgrounds.
According to the report of the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO), 32 million Indian children
of age up to 13 years have never attended any school, the majority of them belonging to the
socially disadvantaged class (2014).
And, when it comes to quality education, there is an extreme shortage of qualified and
dedicated teachers. Evidently, nothing extraordinary can be expected from students.
Besides, a significant number of government schools have a shortage of quality infrastructure,
including fans in classrooms and separate toilets for girls and boys.
There is a significant gap between policy and practice, and this can be filled by restructuring the
educational system.
The key to reforming education for the underprivileged lies in first going back to basics.
Understanding the term 'underprivileged' and comprehending the socio-economic background
of the underprivileged is an absolute necessity.
The umbrella term covers multiple categories of people across various spectrums. Each
category has different upbringings, views, ambitions and goals. It is necessary to segregate
these various sections and then provide customisable solutions that are both viable and
sustainable.
The journey is slow, but is more effective and has shown significant and verifiable results. It is
only by covering multiple verticals that the underprivileged can be aided.
There are many NGOs that are carrying out commendable work in the sphere of educating the
underprivileged, whether in the capacity of training teachers, creating infrastructure or initiating
informal models of education.
There are multiple entities at play, and it is of utmost importance to invest in the future of these
children. Education is the prime way through which the underprivileged can escape the vicious
cycle of poverty.