Education in Uttar Pradesh – An Introduction
Uttar Pradesh – literally means “Northern Province” is the heartland of the nation. It is the land of Rama, Krishna, Buddha and Mahavira. It is the melting pot of all cultures and diverse religions. Uttar Pradesh has the oldest living and holy city Varanasi, countless shrines and pilgrimages which hold a special significance in the lives of the Indian people. Uttar Pradesh also possesses several most respected pilgrimages of Muslims such as Dargahs, Mosque and Tombs while it is the heart of Buddhism and origin of Jainism. As per 2011 census the population of Uttar Pradesh was 199.81 million, of which the male population was 104.48 million and female population was 95.33 million. The literacy rate of Uttar Pradesh was 67.68%, of which the male literacy is 77.28% and female literacy is 51.36%. The sex ratio of Uttar Pradesh was 912 females per 1000 males, which is much below the national average of 940.
School Education in Uttar Pradesh
Read about Education in Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh (UP), the most populous state of India, has made impressive gains in primary education in the last half decade. The Annual Status of Education Report reveals that with 57 per cent literacy rate and 34 million school-going children, the state has turned its hurdles into benchmarks, ensuring that 93 per cent of children are enrolled in school. Today the state has 122,000 schools, 300,000 teachers and 100,000 para-teachers to take care of the needs of the students at primary and upper primary levels. The Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) - Universal Elementary Education scheme - has been the main catalyst in recent years in spearheading this metamorphosis in education in the state. The schools in the state are affiliated to U.P. Board, Central Board of Secondary Education and the Indian School Certificate Examination / Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE). The medium of education in the state board schools are Hindi and English for the private schools. The Uttar Pradesh Board has 9,121 affiliated schools.
Higher Education in Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh has 4 central universities, 23 state universities, 16 private universities and 10 deemed universities. Technical education in Uttar Pradesh is conducted and affiliated to the Uttar Pradesh Technical University. The jurisdiction of UPTU spans the entire state of U.P. in affiliating B.Tech., M.B.A., M.C.A., B.Arch., B. Pharma., B.H.M.C.T., M.Tech. and Ph.D. programmes in 1037 colleges/institutions imparting graduate, postgraduate and doctoral level training in all government and private institutions located all over U.P. in engineering, technology, architecture, pharmacy, hotel management and catering technology as well as M.B.A. and M.C.A. programmes. Uttar Pradesh is also a prominent seat of learning for Islamic studies and many renowned institutions of international repute are located in the state which attracts students both from India and abroad. The prestigious Banaras Hindu University is located in the state. There are 11 national level research institutions and 6 autonomous institutions in Uttar Pradesh. Industries are in abundance due to which scope for employment and industry interface is not a constraint. Noida located within the state and adjacent Delhi offer ample opportunities for growth and employment of aspirants.
Education in Uttar Pradesh – Future
Uttar Pradesh has ample scope and infrastructure for education for the aspiring students. However literacy in the state has a long way to go to catch up with the national standards.