Privatisation move
Access to basic quality education is still a bigger challenge in India, especially in rural areas. With digitisation and innovation seeping in to bridge this gap, there is still room for financial and statutory incentives from the Government to motivate private organisations to invest their efforts and time into it, apart from money. Further standardisation of curriculum across states and boards will enable cheaper access to education, with large number of facilitators in the market. leveraging of technology is vital to gain access to progress of delivered education; hence developments and additional benefits around education technology will be a welcome step.
| Aakash Chaudhry, director, Aakash Educational Services Pvt ltd
Encourage charity
We are hopeful of an increase in allocation of funds in child welfare and educational sector — both primary and secondary. On income tax exemption for charitable activities, we hope that the exemptions already in effect will continue. Withdrawal of these exemptions is expected to discourage such donations, adversely impacting voluntary contributions.
| Madhu Pandit Dasa, chairman, The Akshaya Patra Foundation Digitise classrooms
We expect the Government to clarify more on the RTE payments which can ensure strict enforcement of rules at every level. We also anticipate the Government to form stringent reforms to improve the rural education system and work in tandem with the Digital India programme that is designed to provide broadband highways, universal access to mobile connectivity, public Internet access programme,
e-Governance, etc to overcome the hurdles for holistic development of every sector. Therefore, in the coming years, we hope the Government digitises every classroom and provides modern education to the youth. To fulfill this vision, we will go hand in hand in ushering a digital revolution in every classroom of the country.
Beas Dev Ralhan, CEO and co-founder, Next Education India Pvt ltd