1. Universalization of primary education has been a goal since independence but it remains unfulfilled due to many challenges. 2. The constitution mandates free and compulsory education for all children until age 14 but problems like poverty, large population, gender disparities, and lack of infrastructure have made progress difficult. 3. While government schemes have aimed to boost enrollment, retention, and quality, issues persist including teacher shortages, inadequate schooling in rural areas, and curricula not suited to local needs. Achieving universal elementary education remains a work in progress.

1. UNIVERSALISATION OFPRIMARYEDUCATION.
At the time of Independence,Indiainheritedasystemof educationwhichwasnotonly
quantitativelysmallbutalsocharacterizedbystructural imbalances.Aseducationisvitallylinked
withthe totalityof the developmentprocess,the reformandrestructuringof the educational
systemwasrecognizedasan importantareaof state intervention.
Primaryeducationdeservesthe highestpriorityforarisingthe competenceof the average worker
and forincreasingNational productivity.The provisionforUniversal ElementaryEducation
representsanindispensablefirststeptowardsthe provisionsof equalityof opportunitytoall
citizens.
Article 45 of the IndianConstitutiondirectedthat"The state shall endeavourtoprovide withina
periodof tenyearsfrom - the commencementof thisconstitutionforfree andcompulsory
educationforall childrenuntil theycompletethe age of fourteenyears."
Universalisationof educationimpliesfivethingsnamely,universalisationof provision,
universalisationof enrolment,universalisationof retentionuniversalisationof participationand
universalisationof achievement.
Since independence manystepshave beentakenanddifferentcommissionsandcommitteeshave
givensuggestionstoachieve universalizationof PrimaryEducation.Butitisstill farfrom the hope
and the national target.
Background:
Compulsoryprovisionof Universal PrimaryEducationisanextremelymodernconcept.Nosolid
effortswere made till the beginningof the 20th century.The earliestattemptduringBritishRulefor
enforcingcompulsoryprimaryeducationwasundertakenbyWilliamAdamin1838.
In 1852, CaptainWingate,the Revenue SurveyCommissionerinBombayproposedtoimpart
compulsoryeducationtothe childrenof agriculturistsafterrealizingalessof 5 percent forit.Later
on a similarproposal wasalsofollowedinGujarat.
CompulsoryEducationActin1870 inEngland
A strongconsciousnessforthe needof compulsoryPrimaryEducationinIndiawaseffectedby
enactmentof the CompulsoryEducationActin1870 inEngland.A numberof Indianleadersbeganto
stressthe needforprimaryeducation.In1906 a Committee wasappointedinBombayProvince and
it arrivedata conclusionthatCompulsoryEducation wasnotproperandpeople were notprepared
for it.
The great son of IndiaGopalaKrishnaGokhale wasthe ablestadvocate of compulsoryprimary
education.He movedaResolutionin1910 inthe Central Legislature andagainintroducedanon-
official Bill in1919. The Bill had wide andpopularsupport,butitwas defeated.

2. BombayPrimaryEducationAct
Vithal Bhai Patel beinginspiredbyGokhale’seffortsbroughtabill inthe Provincial Legislature of
Bombayand it became BombayPrimaryEducationAct.1918. IndiaAct of 1919 (Mont-FortReforms)
introduceddiarchyandEducationbecame aTransferredsubjectundercontrol of a Minister
responsible tothe Legislature.
WithProvincial Autonomyin1937 CongressMinistrieswere formedinsix outof elevenprovinces-.
These Governmentsexpandedcompulsoryprimaryeducationintheirprovinces.PrimarySchools
were establishedinSchoolsvillage/habitations,whichhadnofacilitiestosendtheirchildrento
nearbyschoolsat an easywalkingdistance of one mile (now 1km.).
Withthe adventof complete independence in1947, the advocate of Universal PrimaryEducation
had to speaktotheirIndianadministratorsandofficers.The educationof the school goingchildren
of the countrynowbecame the responsibilityof the people
.
Article 45 of the Constitutionof India
In 1950 the provisionof Universal PrimaryEducationwasincorporatedinthe Article 45of the
Constitutionof India
The provisionof Universalizationof Primaryeducationwasscheduledtobe achievedby1960. But a
viewof the immense difficultiessuchaslack of adequate resources,tremendousincreasesin
population,resistance tothe educationof girls,large numberof childrenof the of the backward
classesinverylowliteracyregions,general povertyof the people,apathyof illiterateParentsetc.it
was notpossible tomake adequate progressandassuch,the constitutional Directive hasremained
unfulfilled.
An insistentdemandwasmade thatGovernmentshouldfix anearlydeadline foritsfulfilmentand
shouldprepare aconcrete programme of action forthe purpose.Governmentdecidedtoachieve
the goal of universalizationof all childrenonatime-boundprogrammeasrecommendedbythe
Conference of State EducationMinistersin1977.
WorkingGroup onUniversalizationof ElementaryEducation
Accordingly,aWorkingGroup onUniversalizationof ElementaryEducationwassetupbythe
Ministryof Educationin collaborationwiththe PlanningCommissiontoprepare atime-bound
programme duringthe mediumtermplan(1978-83).
Despite seriousattemptsthe primaryeducationwasnotuniversalized.Sothe national government
wantedtolauncha massive campaigntouniversalizeitbefore 1995 whichhas beenassuredinthe
NPE,1986. Later on achievementof VEEthroughEducationforAll (EFA) by2000 AD has beenfixed.
CentrallysponsoredschemesforUniversalisationof primaryeducation
The parliamenthaspassedthe constitution86thamendmentAct,2002 to make elementary
educationaFundamental Rightforchildreninthe age groupof 6-14 years.Thiswasfollowedbya

3. frameworkof partnershipbetweenthe centre andthe state governmentsonamassive scale
througha numberof centrallysponsoredschemessuchasDistrictPrimaryEducationProgramme,
Lok JumbishProject,MidDay Meal Scheme SSA,RMSA,RUSA,EducationGuarantee Scheme,
AlternativeandInnovativeEducation,ShikshaKarmi Project,JanshalaProgramme etc.
Problemsof elementaryeducation
There are some problemsof elementaryeducationsuchasout of school children, workingchildren,
or childlabourers,parentsignorance family’spoorfinancialconditions,attitude of parentstowards
girl’seducation,distanceof the school fromthe place of residence,lackof provisionof basic
infrastructure andlackof womenteachersinthe school isanotherproblem.
ChallengesinachievingUniversalElementaryEducation:
Eventhoughthere are variousapproachesof the Governmentinmakinguniversalizationof
elementaryeducationsuccessful,letusalsoknow the hurdlesinmakingthe universalizationof
elementaryeducationinIndia.
The constitutional directive isthatStatesshall endeavortoprovide free andcompulsory
educationtoall childrenuntil theycomplete the age of 14 years.But it isa matter of regretthat the
prescribedgoal hasnotbeenreachedas yet.The maincause for thisisthat the policyof
Governmentwasbasedonidealism.
Basic educationwasacceptedasthe formof national education.Beinginspiredwiththisaim,
workstartedto convertthe existingprimaryschoolsintobasicschools.Indiaisavast countrywitha
verylarge population.Moneywastoomuchinshortage for implementationof soexpensive a
scheme of conversionof alarge numberof elementaryschools.
rationof Education:
In mostof the States,the responsibilityof universal primaryeducationisonthe authoritiesof
Blocks,MunicipalitiesandEducational Districts.The progressof expansionof primaryeducationgets
slowbecause of the indifference andincapabilityof theseinstitutions.Itisthe responsibilityof the
nationto educate itscitizens.Itisnecessarythatthe Governmentof Indiashouldtake uponitself the
sacredwork of universal enrolmentanduniversal retentionatthe elementary stage.
Moneyis a seriousproblemthatconfrontsprimaryschools.Income of the local institutions
responsible forprimaryeducationissomuchlimitedthattheyare totallyincapableof meetingthe
expenditure of compulsoryeducation.

4. There isshortage of trainedteacherstomake ‘ElementaryEducationUniversal andCompulsory’.
Nowadays,the youngteachersdonotwishto workinrural areas.But the factremainsthat majority
of primaryschoolsare inrural areas.The chief reasonof non-availabilityof suitableteachersisthe
lowsalaryof primaryteachers.
Eventhe Third andFourth All IndiaEducational Surveysindicatethatevennow there are lakhsof
villagesand habitationswithoutschools.There are nearly4lakhsschoolslessvillagesinIndia.Itis
not that easyto provide necessaryfundsforsettingupsucha large numberof schoolswithbuildings
and otherequipments.
The curriculumfor primaryschoolsisnarrow and unsuitable tothe local needs.The curriculum
shouldbe interestingforthe childrenforitscontinuance.Learningbyworkshouldreplace the
emphasisonmonotonousbookishknowledge.Educationof craftshouldbe giveninthe primary
schoolsinaccordance withthe local needsandrequirements.Butthe schemesof crafteducationin
the primaryschoolsshouldnotof highlyexpensive ones.
It isanothermajor problemandgreatobstacle for Universalizationof ElementaryEducation,due
to the lack of educational atmosphere,undesirableenvironment,lackof devotedteachers,poor
economicconditionof parents,andabsence of properequipments.Inordertochecksuch massive
wastage andstagnationat the primarystage,existingeducational systemandcurriculumshouldbe
reformed,teachingmethodshouldbe interesting,school buildingsshouldbe adequate andneat.
These membersmayhelptosolve the problemof wastage andstagnationatelementarylevel.