Scientific Education in India
Education in the country of India is mostly provided by the government. Funding comes from the federal sector as well as state and local. Education is a very important aspect of the Indian culture and the government focuses a lot in the technology and scientific areas. Education is viewed as a fundamental right. Efforts to educate the entire population are made, despite the many challenges, and lack of faculty and schools in certain areas. Eradicating illiteracy is a main goal. Primary education is from 6-14 years and is free. The government has prohibited child labor so children can obtain their primary education. Private education is available and private schools need to obtain 14 licenses to operate. Homeschooling is another method that is legal in India.
Secondary education is from ages 14-18. It focuses on science and technology, environmental awareness, and traditional elements. A vocational emphasis is also encouraged to help the sector of the population that is in disadvantage; vocational training is offered.
India has the third largest highest education system in the world (after China and the US). The focus is in science and technology. India has many universities and institutes of higher education. Distance learning is also a feature of Indian higher education. Indian Institutes of Technology are some of the finest and acclaim educational institutions in the country. Students coming from ITT's are highly sought by European and American universities. Technical education is highly encouraged and supported.
Science education in India is very important. Students enroll in scientific fields such as photonics, molecular biology, plant pathology, physical sciences, geology, horticulture, forestry, earth sciences, biostatistics, biochemistry, agriculture, aqua science, oceanography, astronomy, bioinformatics, and many other scientific fields. Top science universities in India include St Stephen College in Delhi, Loyola College in Chennai, St. Xavier College in Kolkata and Mumbai, and Presidency College in Kolkata, among many others. Many of these colleges have a tough level of acceptance and sometimes, it is very hard to get in.
Many Nobel Prize winners have come from India. However, there is a controversy that there is a decrease in science encouragement, and the focus is being diverted to technological, engineering, and medicine areas. The software area is growing fast in India. Institutes of national importance include the Indian Institutes of Technology, the Indian Institutes of Management, the Indian Institutes of Science, and some medical universities including one of the top - the All Indian Institute for Medical Science.
The government is prioritizing the field of technical-scientific research, renewable energy, maritime technology, and materials technology. Other important fields are agriculture and rural development, electronic design, automation and control systems, communication electronics, energy, heat power, chemistry, high voltage systems, physics, mathematics, biochemistry, and aeronautics.
Science and Technology education in India is very close to cultural and historical tradition. India has made many advances and developments in the areas of space science, nuclear science, defense, and electronics. These two venues are used as part of the growth and change of the country, and as part of socio-economic development. India is one of the most recognized advanced countries in the field of nuclear technology. However, it focuses in atomic energy for generating power, and industry, medicine, agriculture, and research applications - peace applications. For more information on the topic visit kitesindia.org.