KIT: Schools in India

Strategic tools for the practising manager

India has a population of 360 million in the 5-19 year age group. Out of this, only 230 million are enrolled in schools.

Only 53 per cent of these students study beyond class 8, the rest drop out at various stages.

India currently has 1.3 million schools out of which 78 per cent are owned and managed by the government.

School capacity in the country is heavily skewed towards primary and middle level education. Only 13 per cent schools provide secondary/higher secondary level education.

To provide universal school education in 2015, India will need another 250,000 schools. Most of these schools will have to be set up through private investment.

Setting up a conventional school with current prices of land is not feasible within most metropolitan city limits. Therefore, a careful assessment of financial feasibility and positioning of schools is required before considering such ventures.