General
Synopsis
India’s education system faces deep structural issues, hindering its potential. A podcast episode highlights this crisis, proposing school vouchers. This means funding follows the child, not the school. Parents would gain more choice, and schools would need to offer real value. The state would allocate the same amount for each child’s education, regardless of school type.
AgenciesIndia’s education system could be strangling our dream of becoming a true knowledge powerhouse. The episode, A Deep Dive in Education, in the podcast series ‘Everything is Everything’ hosted by Amit Varma and Ajay Shah, tackles this crisis head-on – with remarkable clarity. It takes a sprawling, emotionally charged subject and packages it into a neat, thoughtful and highly digestible narrative.
Rather than clinging to the usual cliches about ‘more spending’, the hosts unpack deeper structural failures that make Indian education such a tragic waste of potential.
One of the sharpest recommendations is the call to fund schooling, not schools. The argument is for school vouchers – letting money follow the child instead of the system. Since parents spend heavily on education, this approach would make schools earn their living by offering real value. Whether a child attends private or government school, the state would spend the same amount on their education.
Across 12 crisp ‘chapters’, Varma and Shah highlight the importance of early childhood, and offer guidance for parents, young people, educators, policymakers and philanthropists. A must-listen for anyone who cares about India’s future.
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this column are that of the writer. The facts and opinions expressed here do not reflect the views of www.economictimes.com.)
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