India - Educational System—overview

India contains about 888,000 educational institutions with an enrollment of about 179 million students. The elementary education system in India is the second largest in the world, with 149.4 million children of 6-14 years enrolled (about 82 percent of the children in that age group) and 2.9 million teachers.

As a democracy, India is committed in principle to compulsory and free education for all its people with special provisions for its underprivileged and traditionally oppressed people. The reality, however, is far from the desired outcome. Poverty and cultural deprivation leave millions of young minds without education. On the contrary, a very sophisticated infrastructure of elitist education modeled after the British private schools exists for the children of rich and influential people who continue to dominate the society in different sectors. Among the residential boarding schools designed exclusively for the elite are The Lawrence School, Lovedale; Kodaikanal International School, Kodaikanal; Rishi Valley School, Chittor; Montford Anglo Indian Boys School, Yercaud; Chinmaya International Residential School, Coimbatore; United World College, Pune; Dow Hill School, Kurseong; St. Paul's School, Darjeeling; The Lawrence School, Sanawar; Mayo College, Ajmer; Welham Girls' High School, Dehradun; and Colvin Tallukedar School, Lucknow.