Top > World > 2006 > February > 2006-02-14

Untouchables Eligible for Indian Private Schools

Private education in India has always been the preserve of the country`s middle and upper classes, but not for much longer. Under a new constitutional amendment, private schools, colleges, and professional training institutes operating without government funding must set aside more than one-quarter of their seats for students from the "untouchable" lower castes, or Dalits, of India as well as other socially and economically disadvantaged groups.

In addition to the Dalits, who currenly make up one-quarter of the population, there are millions of Indians from poor tribes and disadvantaged groups collectively known as other backward castes, or OBCs. According to one estimate, approximately 113 million children between the ages of 6 and 14 are now eligible for reserved seats in private schools.

Thus, the amendment, which will apply to admissions for the 2006 academic year, will by adding to this number directly affect the lives and futures of at least 70 percent of India`s more than 1.2 billion people. Government schools in India are in a sorry state, often with woefully inadequate infrastructure, rampant teacher absenteeism, and high dropout rates. Private schools, in both rural and urban areas, are often in much better shape because they have more resources and pay better salaries to teachers.