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Oh Calcutta
Studying the City of Joy!
- Felix Raj, sj
It would not be
an exaggeration to say that Kolkata (Calcutta) is more heard of
and talked about in other countries than India. This is a “City
of Joy”, a city of great culture and of intellectuals. It is
rightly said that Kolkata is West Bengal and West Bengal is
Kolkata. It is not just a city. It is a phenomenon of people
belonging to every religion, culture, language, trade and so on.
It is a city with a spirit of harmony.
It is a
community with a human and an intellectual face represented by
such exemplary Kolkatans as Ramakrishna, Swami Vivekananda,
Guru Rabindranath Tagore, Mother Teresa, Satyajit Ray and
Amartya Sen. It is its human face, often expressed in deep
respect for human life and culture that distinguishes this from
other metropolitan cities. It is common experience that when you
live in Kolkata, you don’t like to leave it. And if you happen
to leave the city, you feel “Kolkata-sick” and want to return.
In spite of its glorious past, one of Kolkatta’s worst affected
areas is Education. The “City of Joy” has been neglected in this
respect.
There are 1343 Primary Schools, 574 High Schools, and 173 H.Sec.
Schools. There are three Universities: Calcutta University with
173 colleges and 20 Eng. & Tech. Colleges; Jadvapur University
with two Colleges, and Rabindrabarathi University. The literacy
rate in Kolkatta is around 76%, but the female literacy rate is
alarmingly low with only 38 per cent. For schooling facility
available per 1000 population in West Bengal, Kolkatta is the
lowest with 0.37. (e.g. Bankura – 1.16; Burdwan – 0.52).
In West Bengal,
the literacy rate in 1951 was 24.5 per cent (male-35% and
female 13%). Today, it is 66 per cent (male 75% and female 56%).
In 1951 there were 20,000 primary schools with 20 lakh students.
Today there are 51,021 primary schools with 1,23,50931 students.
In 1951 there were 2000 H. Schools, 1400 H. Sec. Schools with 11
lakh students. Today there are 8000 H. Schools and 1644 H .Sec.
Schools with 39 lakh students.
There were
three Universities with 109 colleges and one-lakh students in
1951. Today, according to the Annual Report of the Department of
Higher Education of West Bengal Government – 2000, there are 9
Universities with 402 colleges with 6.12 lakh students. Of the
402 colleges, 340 (86%) are General degree colleges, 20 (5%) are
Engineering and Technical Colleges, 30 (7.5%) are Teacher
Training colleges, 5(1.2%) are Medical Colleges, 4 (1%) are Law
colleges and 2 (O.5%) are Management Institutes.
Of the 402
colleges, 37 are Government colleges and the remaining 365 are
private colleges. The growth in this century has been as
follows: In 1900 – 29 colleges; 1951 – 109 colleges; 1990 – 341
colleges and 2000 – 402 colleges.
The total
allocation to education for the year 1999-2000 was only
19.99 per cent (Rs. 5003.64 crores) of the total budget estimate
of Rs. 25034.42 crores of the West Bengal Government. Of this,
10 per cent (Rs 500.80 crores) is meant for Higher education. In
the last five years, the pattern of budget estimate for
education and higher education shows that though there have been
increases every year in the actual amounts set aside;
proportionately less has been allocated for education in the
budget. For example, in 1994-95 it was 22.64 per cent (Rs.
2123.07 crores) of the total budget expenditure; in 1995-96 it
was 20.84 per cent (Rs 2293.24 cr). In 1996-97 it was 18.52 per
cent ( Rs 2373.45cr); in 1997-98 it was 17.75 (2647.65cr), and
in 1998-99, it was 17.67 per cent (Rs 2926.56 crores).
There is not an adequate number of schools, colleges and
professional institutions in the city. We see the frustration of
parents and guardians to admit their wards in particular
institutions during the time of admission so that they can gain
some social status. It has been the routine business of parents
and their wards to make a beeline for the offices of schools and
colleges for admission.
There is a
steady influx of students into the city from all directions,
from other districts of Bengal and from the neighbouring states
like Bihar, Orissa and the Northeast for admissions in
educational institutions and for employment. For lack of good
schools and colleges in the city, students are leaving Kolkatta
and going to other cities, even to other countries.
Existing schools, colleges and Universities
must improve the quality of their education. New initiatives in
this direction must be encouraged and supported. New schools and
colleges need to be opened. Government and private organisations
must come forward and join hands to build a better, harmonious
and educationally vibrant Kolkata.
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