Dr. Shobhit Chandra
Independent Scholar, Ph.D in Public Administration from Magadh University, Bodhgaya
E-mail: sshobhitchandra@gmail.com
Issue: Volume 2 No. 2 (June 2026) Anubodhan
Received: 13 May 2026 / Revised: 4 June 2026 / Accepted: 5 June 2026 / Published online: 12 June 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.65885/anubodhan.v2n2.2026.058
Abstract
Abstract
Education is one of the most significant pillars of human development and national progress. A nation’s economic growth, social harmony, and institutional strength largely depend upon the quality of education accessible to its population. India, currently standing at a crucial stage of demographic transition, possesses immense human resource potential that can either transform the nation into a global power or become a burden if not properly nurtured. Although India has made substantial progress in increasing school enrollment, expanding educational infrastructure, and implementing welfare schemes, the challenge of ensuring quality and affordable education still persists. The study uses a descriptive and analytical approach based on secondary data and policy analysis.
The paper critically examines the structural and social factors responsible for the declining quality of education in India, particularly in rural and marginalized sections of society. It analyzes issues such as inadequate teacher competency, caste discrimination, gender inequality, poor educational infrastructure, and lack of awareness among economically weaker communities. The article further evaluates the limitations of existing educational policies and highlights the necessity of qualitative assessment instead of mere statistical achievements.
The study argues that education should not merely focus on literacy or enrollment figures but must aim at skill development, critical thinking, equality, and human empowerment. The paper concludes by suggesting reforms related to accountability, teacher recruitment, awareness generation, and gender-sensitive educational infrastructure to strengthen India’s educational ecosystem and human development trajectory.
Keywords: Human development, quality education, rural education, gender inequality, educational infrastructure, skill development, social inequality
How to cite: Chandra, S. (2026). Quality and Affordable Education in India: Challenges, Structural Inequalities, and the Road Towards Human Development. Anubodhan, 2(2), 50–53. https://doi.org/10.65885/anubodhan.v2n2.2026.058