Article Title :
Effect of Existing Practices of Educational Decentralization on Marginalized Children of Bihar

Author Name :
Rashmi Sinha

Keyword :
Educational Decentralization, Marginalized Children and RTE Act, 2009

Publisher :
Politic India Publication

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Abstract :
The recent policy initiatives are focused on reducing the glaring inequity in educational development in the country. The NPE 1986 (modified in 1992) stated that the New Policy would lay special emphasis on the removal of disparities and to equalize educational opportunity by attending to the specific needs of those who have been denied equality so far. Decentralized governance of schools was emphasized by RTE 2009 to achieve free and compulsory schooling and education for all children between the age of six to fourteen. The educational status of Bihar shows a dismal condition with it ranking last by literacy rate with 63.82 percent according to 2011 Census data. The enrolment and retention of the marginalized children of the state was a grave matter of concern for the policymakers. In this regard, tremendous efforts were taken by the central government and the state government. The paper gives an insight into the recent initiatives in educational decentralization that have worked towards facilitating the education of marginalized children in Bihar. This paper also attempts to find out the effect of recent initiatives of decentralization on marginalized children after the implementation of the RTE Act, 2009. Twelve schools of four districts of Bihar namely Purnia, Patna, Gopalganj, and Munger were selected through a random sampling method for the study. The findings of the study indicate an overall improvement in the number of marginalized sections in all the schools after the formation of school management committees after 2010.