3Cs Crisis in Indian Education Introduction 

• India’s education system is at a critical juncture. Education is not just a service; it is a public good, a constitutional right (Article 21A), and the bedrock of India’s demographic dividend. 
• However, in recent years, the Indian education system has been increasingly threatened by three intertwined challenges: Centralization, Commercialization, and Communalization. 
• These “3Cs” are undermining the core values of “Education for All” that India has long upheld, threatening to erode the transformative potential of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

What are The ‘3Cs’ Crisis in Indian Education? 

• • The ‘3Cs Crisis’ refers to the growing trends of centralization, privatization, and the ideological communalization of India’s education system. Each of these crises diminishes the vision of an inclusive, equitable, and holistic educational framework as envisioned in NEP 2020.

• Centralization: The Erosion of Federalism in Education:  Centralization has led to the marginalization of state control in India’s education system. Key decisions regarding syllabus, exams, funding, and governance are increasingly controlled by the Central Government, which undermines the federal character of the country’s education system.

• • • Financial Coercion: The Parliamentary Standing Committee’s 363rd Report highlights the PM-SHRI Schools scheme, which forces states to comply with central mandates by withholding funds such as those allocated for Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) (₹38,000 crore pending).
    • Takeover of State Universities: The UGC 2025 draft guidelines give governors (acting as Chancellors) the power to control Vice-Chancellor appointments, bypassing state governments, as seen in the ongoing Kerala-Governor feud.
    • Curriculum Control: The introduction of the National Curriculum Framework (2023) centralizes curriculum design, ignoring regional needs and local innovations, such as Kerala’s curriculum for tribal students.
    • Marginalization of States: According to the ASER 2024 report, while only 6% of schools are directly under the Central Government, the centralization of power continues to grow, especially in syllabus formulation, exam design, and funding distribution.
    • Ignoring the Concurrent List: NEP 2020, despite education being a Concurrent List subject, was implemented with limited consultation with states. This centralization threatens to sideline state boards by introducing PARAKH central boards, which contradicts the principle of cooperative federalism.
    • Violation of Federal Principles: This growing trend of centralization contradicts recommendations from the Sarkaria Commission and National Knowledge Commission, which emphasized the importance of cooperative federalism in education governance.

• Commercialization: The Rise of Privatization and Fee Hikes: Commercialization has contributed to the privatization of education, making access to quality education increasingly difficult, especially for economically marginalized sections of society.

• • • Dilution of RTE: NEP’s push for ‘school complexes’ replaces neighborhood schools, pushing economically weaker students into private institutions, diluting the vision of inclusive education under RTE.
    • Loan-Based Education: The Higher Education Financing Agency (HEFA) has replaced UGC grants with market-rate loans, leading to massive fee hikes (78-100%). Students are required to repay these loans, further increasing the financial burden on families.
    • Corruption in Accreditation: The recent NAAC bribery scandal and the NEET-UG 2024 paper leaks expose systemic fraud and profiteering within the education system, underscoring the commercialization of education.
    • Exclusion Due to High Costs: According to UDISE+ 2022, there is a 25% dropout rate in secondary education due to unaffordability. The NSSO 2022 data shows that only 12% of poor rural children have access to private schools, highlighting the growing economic divide.
    • Decline of Public Schools: ASER 2023 reveals that 89,441 government schools were shut down between 2014 and 2024, forcing students into expensive private schools that are out of reach for many families.
    • Rising Private Expenditure: According to NSSO 2017-18, households spend ₹8,331 per child annually in private schools, compared to ₹2,231 in government schools. The Economic Survey 2022-23 notes that private education expenditure exceeds ₹2.5 lakh crore, which far exceeds public spending on education.
    • Coaching and EdTech Boom: The ₹38,000 crore EdTech industry promotes exam-centric learning, intensifying the focus on rote memorization. For instance, coaching hubs in Kota charge up to ₹5 lakh/year, further exacerbating the financial barriers to education.

• Communalization: The Ideological Shift in Education: Communalization in India’s education system involves rewriting history and inculcating ideological narratives that undermine the secular and inclusive nature of India’s educational philosophy.

• • Erasing Pluralism: Textbook revisions have included the erasure of Mughal history and attempts to rationalize communal riots, promoting majoritarian narratives and eroding secularism as mandated by Article 28.
  • Hate Indoctrination: Some states, including Uttarakhand and Gujarat, have been accused of using curricula to demonize minorities. This trend risks polarizing young minds and deepening communal divisions.
  • Whitewashing History: The erasure of Dalit movements and the lack of representation for marginalized communities in textbooks reflect an ongoing effort to whitewash history and ignore important social movements.
  • Court Rulings: In the Aruna Roy v. Union of India (2002) case, the Supreme Court ruled that education must be secular and free from religious propaganda. The rewriting of history and ideological control in education violates the principles upheld in the National Curriculum Framework (2005), which promoted inclusivity, rationality, and adherence to constitutional values.

The Significance of Decentralized and Secular Education as a Public Good

• • The idea of decentralized, secularized education as a public good holds immense value for India’s social and economic fabric. A decentralized approach ensures that local communities are actively involved in decision-making, which helps in addressing their unique educational challenges. Meanwhile, a secularized curriculum safeguards pluralism and promotes unity in diversity. Here’s a closer look at the key benefits:

• Protects Constitutional Values: A secularized curriculum fosters the principles of constitutional morality, tolerance, and a scientific temper, as mandated in Article 51A of the Constitution. The Supreme Court ruling in Aruna Roy v. Union of India (2002) emphasized that value education must remain secular and must not promote any religious ideology. Furthermore, in the Bandhua Mukti Morcha v. Union of India (1984) case, the Court linked education to the right to life under Article 21, reinforcing education’s role in empowering individuals and promoting social justice.

• Improves Governance and Responsiveness: A decentralized education system enables local governance to address challenges in a context-specific manner, ensuring real-time solutions for educational issues. Rajasthan’s Shiksha Mitra Scheme, which empowers local school management committees to manage schools and tackle dropout rates and infrastructure gaps, is a great example of how decentralization leads to effective education management and greater accountability.

• Promotes Equity and Inclusion: Decentralization empowers local authorities, such as Panchayats, to design educational frameworks that are culturally sensitive and linguistically relevant. The Right to Education Act (RTE) 2009 mandates that local authorities ensure neighborhood schooling, fostering equity by ensuring that children from economically and socially marginalized communities have access to education. A prime example of this is Kerala’s Panchayat-led school reforms, which have improved education access for tribal and coastal communities, enabling them to overcome educational barriers.

• Encourages Pluralism and Social Harmony: A secular education system plays a critical role in preventing communalism and promoting unity in diversity. A curriculum grounded in secular values helps instill a sense of national integration by focusing on shared history and common goals. The NCERT textbooks of earlier decades, for instance, emphasized secularism, composite culture, and the importance of pluralism, which promoted harmony and a broader understanding of India’s diverse society.

• Strengthens Educational Outcomes: Involving Gram Sabhas, PTAs, and School Management Committees (SMCs) enhances school governance and learning outcomes. A study by the Accountability Initiative (Centre for Policy Research) highlighted that community-led monitoring in Madhya Pradesh significantly improved learning outcomes by increasing accountability and ensuring better management of schools.

• Enables Data-Driven Local Planning: Decentralized education allows local bodies to leverage District Information System for Education (DISE) data, helping them tailor educational strategies according to regional needs. The PRATHAM think tank’s ASER reports reveal significant district-level disparities in education, further emphasizing the need for localized interventions to bridge gaps in the system.

• Democratizes Knowledge and Curriculum: Decentralized curriculum design enables the inclusion of local histories, indigenous knowledge, and regional heroes. This ensures that students’ engagement with their education is personalized and culturally relevant, breaking away from the biases of a centralized curriculum. For example, textbooks in North-East India now feature local folklore and tribal movements, increasing student engagement and fostering cultural pride.

• Drives Economic Growth: A skilled and educated workforce is essential for economic growth and innovation. The World Bank notes that a 1% increase in education spending boosts GDP by 0.5%. Kerala’s educational model, with a 94% literacy rate (Census 2011) and a high Human Development Index (HDI) of 0.784, serves as a clear example of how investment in education translates to higher economic outcomes.

• Enhances Social Equity: Education is a powerful tool for social mobility and empowerment, particularly for marginalized communities. The RTE Act aims to ensure equitable access to quality education for all children aged 6-14 years. The Sachar Committee Report highlighted the educational backwardness of Muslim communities, emphasizing the need for inclusive education policies that ensure all communities have access to quality education.

Major Challenges and Systemic Issues in Indian Education

• Learning Poverty: Over 53% of Indian children in Class V cannot read a Class II level text (ASER 2023).
• Teacher Vacancies: There are over 1 million teacher vacancies in government schools (MoE, 2023 Annual Report).
• Skewed Budget Priorities: India spends only 2.9% of GDP on education, far below the 6% target set by the Kothari Commission.
• Digital Divide: Only 29% of rural households have access to the internet (NSO 2023).
• Unregulated EdTech: There is a lack of data privacy and exploitative pricing in the EdTech sector (UDISE+ 2024).
• Ineffective Regulation: Rampant fake degree rackets and unchecked proliferation of substandard private colleges.

Way Forward

• Strengthen Federalism in Education: Empower states with true autonomy over educational decision-making, particularly in areas like curriculum design and teacher training. The NEP 2020’s School Complex Clusters proposal should be implemented effectively, giving more control to state education regulators.

• Halt Privatization and Regulate Fees: Cap fees in private schools, similar to Kerala’s Fee Regulation Act, and increase public investment in education to meet the 6% of GDP target set by the Kothari Commission.

• Revise the Curriculum for Secularism and Diversity: Form multi-stakeholder bodies to revise textbooks, involving historians, educators, and constitutional experts to restore plural, inclusive content. The NCERT’s Textbook Review Panel should focus on fact-based history and secular values, much like Finland’s National Board of Education approach.

• Revive Public Education with Accountability: Social audits should be integrated into school governance to improve transparency. Public-private partnerships must be pursued only under strong regulatory frameworks, not as unchecked privatization.

• Regulate the EdTech and Coaching Industry: A National EdTech Policy should be implemented to focus on affordability, data safety, and improved learning outcomes. Regulatory measures should address coaching fee structures, especially for minors, ensuring psychological safety.

• Invest in Teacher Training and Infrastructure: India should implement the National Professional Standards for Teachers (NPST) and significantly increase the education budget to 6% of GDP, as recommended by the Kothari Commission and NEP 2020.

• Democratize Educational Governance: Strengthen Panchayati Raj Institutions to ensure that education delivery is more community-driven and participatory, similar to successful models like Lok Jumbish in Rajasthan.