Since independence, Tamil Nadu has been proactive in making schools more accessible across the board, with a steady number of primary, middle and high schools being established since the late 1950s. Various schemes such as the distribution of free school essentials, bicycles and even laptops, implemented over the years, have ensured that students continue to attend classes. According to the Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE+) report for the academic year 2021-22, the state’s Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) for elementary sections (Class 1-8) stands at an impressive 98.8%, and slightly lower for secondary classes (95.6%) and higher secondary (81.5%). The higher secondary GER for boys (77.8%) is less than that of girls (85.95%), as per the report.
“Going by the Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) data from the past 10 years, TN has been performing well when it comes to enrolment. This is due to welfare schemes and widespread awareness about these schemes, across the state. While only 1% of students are left out at the primary level, the government can ensure the number is retained and all of them enter the school education system, through targeted approaches particularly in remote locations such as tribal villages,” said G Kumaresan, ASER associate at Pratham Education Foundation.
The latest ASER report also revealed that a majority of higher secondary students in TN prefer STEM courses, which is a marked deviation from the national trend of students opting for arts and humanities. Surveys in other states revealed that a majority of schools in rural areas do not have science courses at all, due to which students are left with no choice but to take up arts and humanities. In contrast, in Tamil Nadu, STEM courses are being promoted, sources said.
While the state’s GER is commendable, it is only a crude indicator, say educationists. As per the UDISE+ report, the Net Enrolment Ratio of TN at the higher secondary level is 48.9%. “Tamil Nadu is doing much better than other states when it comes to primary education. But the state has to concentrate its efforts on improving the numbers at the higher secondary level. To achieve universal education by 2030, the state has to make sure more than 50% of children make it to higher secondary education,” said Arun C Mehta, former head of EMIS Department, National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration. The same report also states that there is a considerable increase in the number of government school students following the Covid-19 pandemic. Still, educationists working in remote areas state that dropouts still continue, especially after the pandemic. There should be special scheme to keep track of these students and ensure they attend school regularly, they added.
Akin to school education, Tamil Nadu is a top performer in terms of GER at the higher education level too, and also boasts the highest number of enrolments in PhD programmes in the country. According to the latest AISHE report, put together by the Minister of Education, for the academic year 2021-22, TN’s overall GER is 47%, a number that is much higher than the national average GER of 28.4%. Those that outdo TN in the rankings are all considerably smaller states such as Puducherry (61.5%), Chandigarh (64.8%) and Delhi (49%). Notably, the GERs of neighbouring states such as Kerala, with its high literacy rate, and Karnataka, stand at 41.3% and 36.2%, respectively.
Apart from the general category, TN has recorded high GERs for women and SC/ST communities as well, with the numbers being nearly twice the national average. The national average GER for women is 28.5%, while in TN it stands at 47.3%; National GERs for SC men and women are 25.8% and 26%, respectively, while in TN they stand at 38.4% and 40.4%, respectively. Finally, the national average GER for ST men and women is 21.4% and 20.9%, while in TN they are 50.2% and 37.6%, respectively. The state government has introduced numerous initiatives to encourage enrolment of SC/ST students in higher educational institutions, including scholarship schemes and fee waivers, noted an official from the higher education department.
As per the AISHE report, Tamil Nadu ranks third among the top three states with highest student enrolment; Uttar Pradesh with 69.73 lakh students takes the top spot, and with Maharashtra (45.78 lakh students) coming in second, Tamil Nadu occupies third position with 33.09 lakh students, followed by Madhya Pradesh (28 lakh), West Bengal (27.22 lakh), and Rajasthan (26.89 lakh). Notably, these six states account for 53.32% of the total student enrolment in the country. Moreover, of the six states, Karnataka and TN have the highest Pupil-Teacher Ratio of 15 and 14 respectively.
Given the state’s solid performance with regards to GER, academicians have opined that the state government must now turn its focus on improving the research facilities at state-run educational institutions.