Education in Jharkhand – An Introduction
Jharkhand – “The land of forests” was carved out from the state of Bihar on 15th November 2000 as the 28th State of India. With Ranchi as its capital, Jharkhand is the leading mineral wealth producer of the country only next to Chhattisgarh. The State of Jharkhand is endowed with immense bio-diversity, moderate climate, rich cultural and historic heritage, religious places of worship and ethnic aspects. . As per 2011 census the population of Jharkhand was 32.99 million, of which the male population was 16.93 million and female population was 16.06 million. The literacy rate of Jharkhand was 66.41%, of which the male literacy is 76.84% and female literacy is 52.04%. The sex ratio of Jharkhand was 948 females per 1000 males, which is much above the national average of 940.
School Education in Jharkhand
Read about Education in Jharkhand
Jharkhand has made tremendous progress in primary education as 95% of children between the ages of 6 to 11 years are studying in primary schools of the state, which in the earlier years was just 56%. Education in Jharkhand starts on the child’s attaining 5 years of age. Education of the girl child especially those belonging to the minorities including schedule castes and schedule tribes is one of the main focuses of the Sarva Siksha Abhiyan in Jharkhand due to the low female literacy rate. The Kasturba Gandhi Valika Vidyalayas which are residential schools for girls have greatly helped to overcome the gender disparities of enrolment and retention rates at elementary level in rural areas. The schools in Jharkhand are affiliated to C.B.S.E., I.C.S.E., or the State Board. The medium of instruction is English for C.B.S.E., and I.C.S.E., and in Hindi for the State Board. The 10 + 2 education system is followed in Jharkhand. There are 21,386 government and private schools in Jharkhand. Insurgency has also had a negative effect on the efforts of the state in attaining rapid literacy.
Higher Education in Jharkhand
There are 11 Universities, 98 degree colleges, 5 medical colleges, 36 degree and diploma engineering colleges and a host of technical and research institutions. The colleges in Jharkhand are affiliated to the state’s universities; prominent among them are the Ranchi University, Vinoba Bhave University and Birsa Agricultural University. Some of the prestigious institutions like the Indian School of Mines, Birla Institute of Technology, Xavier School of Management, Xavier Institute of Social Service, National Institute of Technology, and National Institute of Foundry and Forge Technology, etc, are located within the state. The Jharkhand Combined Entrance Competitive Examination Board conducts entrance examinations for aspiring students to gain admission to the various colleges within the state. Students aspiring to have a career in the mining sector will find due openings in the state due to the presence of both the related education and infrastructure. Due to the presence of many old, established and upcoming industries the prospects of employment and industry interface for aspirants are very favorable.
Education in Jharkhand – Future
The political instability and turmoil in the state have rather taken a toll on the education of the state despites the prevalence of the infrastructure and the moral courage of the populace. No sooner it is resolved the education scenario of the state will receive a tremendous resurgence and growth.