Indian Education
Educational System
Indian education is very different from the American system. There are many more private schools than publicly funded government schools. Families must pay tuition if they want their children to go to a good school. There are four levels of schooling: preprimary, primary, middle, and high school. Primary and middle school are compulsory. Access to education varies greatly with geographic location. Children from poor rural areas have less opportunity for schooling, and many drop out before they reach middle school. In the larger villages and cities, education is much more widely available. Similar to the United States, high school has four grade levels. Children usually start attending school when they are around four years old. To enter high school, students must take an admission test. In many parts of India, students must study Hindi or English in addition to their native language. The grading system is similar to that in the United States. Upon graduation, most well-off students attend college. Students who did not go to top high schools might enter a vocational or technical program instead. School starts in June and ends in March.
School Day
Students can walk or take buses to school. However, the buses are not provided by the school district; instead, they are paid for by parents. A normal school day would last 7-8 hours. Students stay in one classroom while teachers move from class to class. Students go to school 6 days a week. They must wear uniforms Monday-Friday, but on Saturday they can dress more casually. Every single day, students pray in front of the school together. Unlike in the U.S., many schools do not offer after school help. In many schools, students have a specific identification number. Some boys go to boarding schools, where they live and study. Girls can also attend those schools, but they have to go home at the end of each day.
Student-Teacher Relationship
Corporal punishment is common in Indian schools. Teachers and principals are allowed to hit children. Teachers hit students with sticks or any objects that they have on hand. If students don’t finish their homework, the teachers may make them stand touching their toes for the whole period. In general, the teachers and students have a more formal and less friendly relationship. The students must say, “Good morning” to the teacher, and they cannot sit down until the teacher tells them to. Students do not make eye contact when talking to their teachers. In our opinion, Indian students are much more respectful to their teachers than their American counterparts.
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