The phenomenon of private schools expanding at an annual rate of 35 per cent naturally raises one question: are they better than state-run ones? One might also ask if India needs more private schools than public (government) institutions. It’s about time to clear the air over available data-based evidence on whether private schools are worth their money.
The answers are linked to a simple truth: India has made schooling universal and compulsory. It’s not the same thing as making good-quality education universal. So, a general perception of abysmal state education quality—quite common in recent decades—means more and more highly priced private schools.