Facts speak : Demographics & Social indicators : Tamil Nadu and Gross Enrollment in Education

Tamil Nadu inches closer towards 50 per cent GER in higher education.

We usually gets this reported each year and here we can look into what is it behind the GER and how Tamil nadu tops it.

Gross enrollment ratio (GER) Definition

Gross enrolment ratio (GER): Total enrolment in a specific level of education, regardless of age, expressed as a percentage of the eligible official school-age population corresponding to the same level of education in a given school-year. School-age Population: Population of the age group which officially corresponds to the relevant level of education.

Tamil Nadu is one of the most literate states in India. The state’s literacy rate is 80.33% in 2011, which is above the national average. A survey conducted by the Industry body Assocham ranks Tamil Nadu top among Indian states with about 100% Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) in primary and upper primary education.

Some of the schemes introduced by the Tamil Nadu government in school education are

Girls education

Mid-day Meal Scheme with Egg

Distribution of free textbooks

Distribution of free uniforms

Distribution of free bus pass

50K for a girl.child during the marriage if the girl completes 12th std.

Free Sanitary napkin for girls

Free Bicycle

Free Sandals

Nutrition Mix

School bag

Tamil nadu has more number of Govt schools providing free education.

Free education for first graduate in the family

GER to Higher education is 46.9 % during 2016–17 , with 1.7% increase to 48.6% in 2017–2018 and inching forwards 50% in 2018–2019. Twice the national average.

Tamil Nadu will become universal higher education provider once it crosses 50 per cent GER and the state could be compared to with other countries,” P.Duraisamy, Vice-Chancellor, University of Madras. The state could achieve the 50 per cent GER in the coming year. But the state has to travel some distance to be compared with the developed countries.

“The state government is continuously opening new colleges and polytechnics in the last few years. So, Tamil Nadu is doing extremely well in terms of expansion.

But, we need to improve the quality of higher education and employability of our graduates,” said E.Balagurusamy, former Vice-Chancellor, Anna University.

This all with the spending 3 times less than whats been spent in the state of Uttar Pradesh.

The higher education institutions in Tamil Nadu have admitted 24.91 lakh students in under graduation and 4.38 lakh in post graduation. The admission in PhD also increased from 7995 in 2010-11 to 29,778 in 2016-17.

Tamil Nadu has 37 universities,24 Govt medical colleges, 552 (in 2014) engineering colleges. and 1150 arts college, 2550 schools.

This is also due to enablement of Backward castes, Scheduled Castes and Tribes via Reservation which is also one of the highest in the country.

Female Youth illiterarcy also lowest in the country due to social welfare schemes in school education.

Overall literacy rate also high in the country (80–85%).

Access Computer and its Education in school is one of the highest as free laptops are provided

Students joining grade 1 are ensured they study until 9th with lot of schemes. Gap us null while comparing with whole india.

Higher GER actually helped women access to mensural hygiene as schools provide sanitary napkins at free of cost.

Just a comparison of GER with other states in 2015–2016

Women who’ve ever been to school also increased from 2006 to 2016 ,one of highest in India.

Education helped women to use hygienic methods of protection during menstrual period . Highest in the country.

Rate of crime committed against women also one of the lowest. Access to education & highest GER helped.

Tamilnadu is providing5 eggs highest in the country to make nutrition accessible.

Higher education to women made easy which helped to reduce fertility rate which in then reduce popualtion explosion.

Girls married before 18 years is lowest in country <10% achieved due to the welfare schemes listed above.

Current need of the hour in Education in Tamilnadu

Reforms required to improve the quality to compete against developed countries and employment of the students graduated. Otherwise GER merely stays as a number in the growth story.