The urban areas of India have become the magnet migration all over the country. The main reason for this influx of population is the hope for better living conditions as well as opportunities for quality education. The rural areas of India have a severe lack of education institutions especially at the college level. The only option available to students is to move to cities to pursue courses which allow them social mobility and better living conditions. While many steps have been taken to make all areas of India education friendly, the project still remains incomplete.
Problems in terms of Institutional Capacity:
Ever since independence the department of education in India has shown immense growth. But this growth has still not caught up with the demands of the population which demands as well as requires education. Education is the key to civilization. When people receive favorable conditions to further their education they find constructive ways to earn their living and reach forward in life. India has come a long way in terms of education since independence but there are many steps that still need to be taken.
Ever since the privatization of education since the 1990s many good colleges have emerges all over the country. They offer quality education to the youth an open up doors which werenât even there before. However, with privatization also comes the matter of cost.
Education has become very expensive:
The cost of education is a matter of great worry all over the country, especially for families which live in rural areas. Most of the government colleges are situated in urban areas of the country. This becomes a problem for students from rural villages as they have to migrate to the cities. So, while the cost of their education may not be high, but they have still have to make arrangements to live away from their family which ends up being costly for them.
This is where distance education has made its mark in India. It gives the opportunity to rural families which cannot afford to send their kids to cities to pursue higher education or are unwilling about the idea. They can now have their kids apply for courses online and study from home. This way the kids get to learn as well as stay close to their families.
Distance Education still has a long way to go in terms of reputation and quality:
While distance education appeals to the needs of rural India, it is only a temporary solution. The students from rural areas should also have opportunities close to home. Government needs to establish more quality institutions all over the country so that development does not get restricted to only the urban areas. It should spread uniformly throughout the country.
Distance education is a good opportunity but it needs to improve in India in terms of its quality. Many reputable universities from the world are working on the project to help make education available to all. This project is being worked on in India but in terms of awareness there is still a long way to go. The rural villages of India have to be made technology friendly for Distance Education to work effectively.