Poor Affordability and Low Access to Primary Education with Special Reference to Eastern Uttar Pradesh: Reflections from DISE Data

Overview & Synopsis

"Access to basic education" continues to be a matter of serious concern in India. While the quantitative expansion of the system appears to be very impressive, the achievement of the goal of universalisation of primary education has still remained elusive. This is because the government continues its celebration through reflecting on increased access to the basic facilities, based on apparent increase in enrolment-ratios, literacy rate and other infrastructural facilities; a deeper look reveals the progress to be grossly un-satisfactory. Availability of education facilities and attainment reflected in the form of increase in literacy rate, enrolment ratio, availability of educational infrastructure etc. cannot ensure access, as these facilities are beyond reach of the vulnerable section still fighting a grim battle to make their both ends meet. Although the government has provided free education to the children making the direct cost of education minimal, yet there are high indirect cost (i.e., cost on books, stationery, examination fee, transportation, uniform, bags, etc.) as well as opportunity cost (i.e., the loss of wages to parents when the child is sent for schooling), which have not been taken into consideration by the government while subsidizing education. Therefore, instead of relying on availability alone, the issue of affordability needs to be equally stressed upon. The present paper highlights the issue as to whether mere creating the facilities and providing free education ensures access in real sense. It attempts to measure affordability in access to primary education in Uttar Pradesh with the help of DISE data for the year 2013-14.