CHAPTER 8 - CHALLENGES TO DEMOCRACY (CIVICS SOCIAL SCIENCE CLASS 10)

Democracy cannot survive without education.

The Indian constitution has provisions to ensure that the state provides education to all its citizens. The Indian constitution in its original enactment defined education as state subject. 

The 86th Constitutional amendment making education a fundamental right was passed by Parliament in 2002. The government of India from 1st April 2010 implemented the law to provide free and compulsory education to all children in age group of 6-14 years.

In a democracy education is given primacy because education foster a democratic temper in the minds of people. Democratic values like liberty, equality, fraternity, justice, dignity of individuals, co-operation, sharing of responsibility etc. are applied to education to make it more effective meaningful relevant and useful.

If democracy has to be a way of life it has to be introduced from the very beginning of education and its values need to be practiced in educational institutions. The relationship between democracy and education is inalienable. 

In a political connotation democracy is a form of government in which the rule of the majority prevails. Economically it is a system where no one is exploited and every citizen is ensured a fair standard of living, where there is equal opportunity for work according to abilities and capacities. Socially it connotes absence of all discriminations based on class, caste, creed birth religion language or possession of money. Everyone is guaranteed fundamental rights and equality of opportunities is given for the fullest development of personality. 

India is a sovereign democratic republic and the largest democracy in the world. Democracy is not a form of government but a way of life. Education is very much essential for making the citizens alert and capable of discharging their duties and responsibilities efficiently and effectively. Therefore, it is said the “universal Education should precede universal enfranchisement” and let us educated citizens democracy cannot be successful and will fail to give its rich dividends.

In 1986-1992 the government led by the Rajiv Gandhi introduced a new national Policy on Education. The new policy called for ‘special emphasis on the removal of disparities and to equalize educational opportunity. The National policy of Education 1986 is the strong commitment and political will of the Government of India for its implementation. Democracy cannot take shape and spirit from grass root level unless education is accordingly reformed and reoriented.

Now let us look into the educational qualification of Indian politicians. Educational qualification should be mandatory for leaders in politics. Especially for those who are going to be in the cabinet a few of our Indian politicians are highly qualified. An analysis shows that 40% of all ministers are educated only up to school. The union cabinet with a strength of 56 has 14.2% ministers who have just completed their schooling while more than half have listed their highest level of education as graduate. Around 27% of the ministers are post graduate while 8% are doctorates. It is the collective responsibility of those who have received a good education to give back to the society and contribute to nation building. Well educated people have to come into politics to transform the nation.