TN remains ahead of the curve on cloud 98.8%
Since gaining its independence, Tamil Nadu has taken the lead in increasing educational accessibility for everyone, as seen by the consistent construction of elementary, middle, and high schools since the late 1950s. Students have continued to attend courses because to a number of programs that have been put in place over the years, including the free distribution of computers, bicycles, and school supplies. As per the academic year 2021–22 Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE+) report, the state’s Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) for elementary sections (Class 1-8) is a remarkable 98.8%, whereas the GER for secondary classes (95.6%) and higher secondary (81.5%) is slightly lower. According to the research, males’ upper secondary GER (77.8%) is lower than girls’ (85.95%).
Tennessee has been doing well in terms of enrollment, according to statistics from the Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) covering the last ten years. This is because the state’s social programs are well-known and widely used. Even though only 1% of students are not enrolled in primary school, the government can guarantee that this percentage remains high and that all students attend school by implementing targeted initiatives, especially in isolated areas like tribal villages, according to G Kumaresan, an ASER associate at Pratham Education Foundation.
The majority of upper secondary students in Tennessee choose STEM courses, according to the most recent ASER data. This is a significant departure from the national trend of students choosing to major in the arts and humanities. According to surveys conducted in neighboring states, most rural schools lack scientific classes altogether, forcing students to specialize in arts and humanities instead. On the other hand, reports said that STEM courses are being pushed in Tamil Nadu.
Although the state’s GER is impressive, educators argue that it is only a rough measure. The Net Enrollment Ratio of Tennessee in the upper secondary level is 48.9%, according to the UDISE+ report. “Tamil Nadu is outperforming other states in terms of elementary schooling. However, increasing the numbers at the upper secondary level must be the state’s primary focus. According to Arun C. Mehta, a former director of the EMIS Department at the National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration, “the state has to ensure that more than 50% of children make it to higher secondary education in order to achieve universal education by 2030.” According to the same data, the number of pupils attending government schools has significantly increased since the COVID-19 epidemic. Nonetheless, educators in isolated regions report that dropout rates persist, particularly in the wake of the epidemic. They also said that a unique plan has to be implemented to monitor these pupils and guarantee their frequent attendance at school.
Similar to education in schools, Tamil Nadu excels in higher education as well, ranking first in the nation for GER. The state also has the largest enrollment in PhD programs. The most recent AISHE report for the academic year 2021–22, compiled by the Minister of Education, states that Tennessee has an overall GER of 47%, which is much higher than the 28.4% national average. The states that rate higher than TN are Puducherry (61.5%), Chandigarh (64.8%), and Delhi (49%). These are all very smaller states. Notably, the GERs of nearby states like Karnataka, with its 36.2% GER, and Kerala, with its high literacy rate, stand at 41.3% and 36.2%, respectively.
In addition to the general category, TN has high GERs for women and the SC/ST populations, with rates that are over twice as high as the national norm. The average GER for women throughout the country is 28.5%, however it is 47.3% in TN; for men and women in SC, it is 25.8% and 26%, respectively, whereas in TN, it is 38.4% and 40.4%. In conclusion, the national average GER for men and women in ST is 21.4% and 20.9%, respectively, but in TN it is 50.2% and 37.6%. According to a higher education department official, the state government has launched a number of efforts to promote the enrollment of SC/ST students in higher education institutions, including tuition exemptions and scholarship programs.
Tamil Nadu is ranked third out of the top three states with the highest student enrolment, according to the AISHE report. The top state is Uttar Pradesh, with 69.73 lakh students, followed by Maharashtra (45.78 lakh students) and Tamil Nadu (33.09 lakh students). The next three states are Madhya Pradesh (28 lakh), West Bengal (27.22 lakh), and Rajasthan (26.89 lakh). Remarkably, 53.32% of all students enrolled in the nation are in just six states. Furthermore, with pupil-teacher ratios of 15 and 14, respectively, Karnataka and TN have the highest among the six states.
Academicians have said that the state administration should now concentrate on enhancing the research facilities at state-run educational institutions, given the state’s strong performance with respect to GER.
