Any society that aims to become a developed nation has hardly any chance without building high capacity human capital. This requires ensuring universal access to quality education. India has addressed the problem of access with roughly 97% students admitted to grade 1. India’s challenge today is the learning quality — millions of children complete primary school without mastering foundational skills. Evidence from ASER, NAS, and international benchmarks confirms a deep learning crisis. The situation has barely improved over a decade despite efforts made by the Governments and International agencies. 

Why? What are the reasons and how do we make sense of it? We have started the Education Unpacked video series for a deeper understanding of the education system. In short, one of the ways to understand the system is through the supply and demand matrix. The supply side of quality education is constrained by lack of accountability in govt operated schools and regulatory barriers for private schools. The demand side is constrained by the lack of quality indicators for parents and students to make the appropriate choices. 

So what can be done about it? Here are five big ideas that can radically transform the state of education in India to compete in the globalised world:

1. Fund students, not schools: Shifting from input-based funding of schools (infrastructure, teacher posts, etc.) to student-centred finance - i.e., enabling funds to follow individual students as direct benefits transfer (vouchers, credit card, cash etc) irrespective of provider type. This gives families choice and forces schools to compete on quality.

2. Reduce regulatory barriers for non‐state and budget private schools: Easing entry/exit norms, reducing facility and land-norm constraints, limiting regulatory burdens so that low-cost private (budget) schools can scale and serve underserved families. This increases supply and competition.

3. Separate the roles of the state as provider, regulator and assessor: Government acts simultaneously as school operator, regulator and evaluator - creating conflicts of interest and weak accountability. Separating these roles will make the system specialised, efficient and accountable.

4. Focus on learning outcomes rather than inputs: Rather than measuring schools by infrastructure, teacher counts, and seats, the focus should shift to evaluation based on student learning outcomes, test results, retention and transition rates, and making such data publicly available so parents can choose better schools. Transparency incentivises accountability and competition.

5. Promote parental choice and school autonomy: Give parents the right to choose among multiple providers (public, private, non-profit), and give schools greater autonomy in hiring, curriculum, operations - thereby enabling innovative responses to local demand and stronger competition. 

At the upcoming School Choice National Conference, we aim to deliberate on some of these ideas and seek your support if you find those relevant. Looking forward to your active participation, engagement and support to transform India’s human capital that will put the nation in the league of high income countries.

3-5 November 2025

iPolicy for Young leaders - Siliguri

For Selected Scholars Only

22 November 2025

12th School Choice 
National Conference

Register Now!

29-30 November 2025

Colloquium on Migration: Freedom To Move

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In India's education system, conflicts of interest block progress, leaving millions of children behind from access to quality education. At CCS, we’re challenging this status quo—pushing for governance that creates a level playing field for all schools. Imagine a future where schools are held accountable, policies are transparent, and every child has a fair chance to thrive.

Learn more about the conflict of interest in K-12 here. Donate now to build a brighter future for education in India.

Vikrant Pande 

Assistant Professor (ad-hoc), University of Mumbai

Vikrant Pande participated in the Austrian Economics Seminar and ePolicy Certificate Course in 2020, and the Advanced Liberty & Society Seminar in 2024. He has contributed essays to the Indian Liberals archive, narrating the present-day relevance of thinkers like N. Dandekar and members of the Swatantra Party. Since 2019, he was serving as an Assistant Professor of Political Science at Ramnarain Ruia College.

He now works as an Assistant Professor at Mumbai University and a Nani Palkhivala Fellow at CCS.

His academic interests include Indian Political Thought, Political History, and International Relations.

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