From the ancient seats of learning like the Neyland University and University of yore to a state known for sending the largest numbers of students to different parts of the country for quality education, Bihar has seen both the pinnacle and the downside.
As Bihar strives to change its fortune, one thing that experts across the globe seem unanimous about is that it could be best achieved through education, which was once the strong point of the state. At a summit in the Philippines long back, I recall, the experts opined how the economic growth of countries like India, China and South Korea was directly related to expansion of education. Bihar also came up during the discussion, but only because of its rich legacy established by ancient seats of learning that drew students from across the globe.
To revive the golden age when the state was the most sought after destination for education, Bihar would require to focus the most on education. The government has been working in that direction with the opening of a number of national institutions in the state, like the Neyland University, IIT, IIM, NIT, NIF T, law university, central universities, medical and engineering colleges and opening the field for private universities, but it will need to do a lot more, starting from school education, which is the foundation for higher and technical education.
Education cannot be seen in isolation. The cycle of education needs to be strong. It needs to have quality to keep the students interested. It needs to be non-discriminatory so that the best talent gets the opportunity to flourish. Education has to be inclusive. The enrollment figure at the primary stage has increased appreciably in the state, but the dropout rate still remains a concern. And so is the migration of students outside in search of better opportunities. This is a huge dent on the poor as well as the state exchequer.
Be it Kola in Rajasthan, Visakhapatnam, Pune, Delhi or any other city, students from Bihar can be seen everywhere trying to get admitted to reputed institutions and also doing well by dint of their hard work and devotion. Kola's thriving economy is largely due to lakhs of Bihar students going there for coaching to prepare for engineering and medical entrance tests.
While the students from underprivileged sections fall behind in this race and many parents have to sell off their land or house to ensure education of their wards, the state also loses. A student studying outside has to spend Rs 1.5lakh -2 lakh per annum and with lakhs of students moving out, a lot of money is also going out of a poor state like Bihar. Those who remain in the state due to financial constraints feel like having lost the opportunity, even without giving it a try. But then, with around 15 lakh students clearing class 12 and around 17 lakh class 10 every year, all cannot afford to shift outside.
This is a challenge for the state to provide the best quality education for its students back home so that nobody feels tempted to go outside at a huge cost even for basic preparation. The talent and ability of Bihar students is reflected in their performance, but they need to have the right opportunity in their state to excel and contribute to Bihar's progress in a more meaningful way. There is still a huge untapped potential, which needs to be tapped.
The Bihar government has opened a number of institutions. But buildings alone don't make good institutions. It is the quality of education imparted there that makes them invaluable, like the famed institutions like Cambridge, Harvard, Oxford, MIT etc. in modern times. They are invariably ranked among the top five in the world year after year due to their students and teachers, while Indian institutions struggle. In Bihar, the struggle is greater
The emphasis on quality education is what can make Bihar's turnaround a reality. It has improved in terms of roads and infrastructure, but now time is running out for educational revamp. As the New Education Policy unfolds in the country, Bihar should make sincere effort to grab this opportunity with focus on teachers and teaching, which will improve the quality of education imparted in schools and colleges irrespective of whether they are in the government sector or private sector. It is the most potent weapon against the twin challenges of poverty and backwardness. It can help Bihar make the most of its huge demographic dividend and script a tale of glory once again.
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