A Proposal to Improve the Educational Climate in Telangana 

Introduction

For years, Kerala has been a progressive state that consistently posts significantly higher literacy rates when compared to the rest of the Indian states. Telangana, on the flip side, is the newest state in India. It is where my family originates from, and unfortunately, this state routinely posts below average (and sometimes abysmal) literacy rates when compared to the Indian national average. To analyze this, I am putting forth a research proposal to first comprehend the educational context for these two states, and then take action in India to raise the standards in Telangana to potentially match those that are held in Kerala. The possible grant given would be used towards 1. Partnering with research teams in Kerala and Hyderabad to conduct in-person research and generate our own data to directly compare the two systems and 2. Conducting more policy-based research to see how governmental and policy-based change can be enacted in Telangana based on Kerala's model. For further clarity, the two states will be broken up in sections to lay out their differences, which will then return into a merging statement for why this project is important.

Kerala

Background

The total literacy in Kerala is 93.91%, while the national literacy rate of India is 74.04%.[1] There is also a minimal gap in gender and region with literacy rates, with both rural and urban areas posting only a 4% difference in the literacy rates between men and women.[2] What is the reason for this massive difference for Kerala when compared to the rest of the nation? Well, analysis must take into account the historical context of the sense in order to give structured reasoning for its seemed progressiveness. Currently, left-wing governmental policy governs Kerala's system, and they place a high focus on education for the entirety of the state. Starting in the 19th century, royalty called for the state to cover education costs. While still a colony, Kerala implemented social reform in the early 20th century that allowed access to education for lower castes and women.[3] Even under British rule, Kerala was making progress that was unforeseen in other Indian states. Presently, the government supports the Kerala State Literacy Mission Authority, which operates autonomously, pushes for a 100% literacy rate and enhances the basic literacy of those that especially reside in urban slum, regional/coastal regions, and even prisons.[4] While this will be touched upon later, it is important to note that other Indian states do not generally provide mass funding for educational organization like this one in Kerala.

Policies + Funding + Historical Context

P.K. Ravindran, a Keralite and the former president of an organization that used to and still does propagate literacy programs, states, "Literacy is a prerequisite for social development -- without literacy you cannot go forward".[5] The state is different in such that its budget, 37% of it, goes towards nearly 13,000 state sponsored schools, some of which exist within two miles of the other.[6] Even as far back as 1817, The Queen of Trivandrum issued a royal decree, stating, "The state should defray the entire cost of the education of its people in order that there might be no backwardness in the spread of enlightenment".[7] This mindset of educational progress being fully tied into social reform and progress has stayed strong to this day. In the context of religion, Kerala, being a popular target for Christian missionaries, was also a site for setting up Christian schools for people of all backgrounds, "which bypass[ed] traditions that only allowed high-caste Indians to attend school".[8]

The history of Kerala (including all of its external influences) has situated a mindset with Keralites that is built upon educational prowess. Building a community for a progressive state in tandem with a left-wing government has become fundamental to the high literacy rates of the southwestern most state in India. Interestingly enough, the way in which Kerala participates in self-regulation has been dubbed the "Kerala Model", which is not only limited to an emphasis on education but also happiness and overall quality of life for a region's constituents. [9]

Telangana

Background

The literacy rate for the state of Telangana is posted around ~66%, with the male literacy rate being ~75% and ~57 for women.[10] In urban areas, such Hyderabad, the number is at ~83%, while the rural areas such as the Mahbubnagar district posts an abysmal ~55%.[11] These numbers should invoke serious concern, especially when compared against the number Kerala posts, in terms of overall literacy rates as well the gender and regional discrepancies in education. Telangana is India's newest state, being founded in 2014. Improper development of rural contributes heavily to Telangana literacy data, and a college student in Dubai figured out specific reasons for this information. Vemuri states, "More than 90% of all parents in the rural setting worked in farms…the parents are forcing their children to work in their fields which not only ruins their education as gaps occur, but rather inspires them to work continuously within the farms to earn quick money.[12] Additionally, the new government has mandated that schools use English alongside Telugu, the primary language of Telangana's residents; this has further disadvantaged poorer students that had no history with English or even basic education.[13]

Funding + Historical Context

In terms of funding, even with a suggested 30% of the state government to be set for education, the most recent fiscal year has seen Telangana only set aside ~6% for education.[14] For clarity, the national average for each state is at ~15%.[15] Clearly, this is an issue that later be targeted and improved upon for the betterment of the state and the people. Additionally, since the founding of the state, there has been an unfortunate drop in state spending on education by over 4%, even millions more students being added to the system over the past decade. Clearly, this is all puzzling to see as Telangana is still reporting below average literacy rates.[16]

Can Telangana base future development off of the "Kerala Model"?

Telangana and Kerala are polar opposites at the moment, but I believe that does not have to be the case forever. Telangana has not had the liberty of organically developing its government and collective mindset of its people. In due time, that will happen with correct guidance. In order to prepare Telangana for proper change, a research project with more people and resources focused on the intricacies of both systems from a political and financial perspective will help in realizing the full potential of the state. Potentially, partnering with a team in Telangana, such as an NGO or even a research group, may help to kickstart a few basic literacy programs in rural areas that need it the most and propose changes directly to the state government via in-person research and potentially anecdotal excerpts. As a Loyola student, I will use the money as part of this grant in order to begin a more in-depth analysis of all the moving parts that make up Kerala and Telangana, hoping to eventually find a way to holistically compare/contrast the two for the higher purpose of overall improvement in India.

[1] Alexander, Lynsey. "Understanding the Total Literacy in Kerala." The Borgen Project, March 24, 2020. https://borgenproject.org/total-literacy-in-kerala/.

[2] Rathore, Manya. "India - Rural and Urban Kerala Literacy Rate 2011." Statista, July 10, 2023. https://www.statista.com/statistics/614498/literacy-rate-rural-and-urban-kerala-india/.

[3] Alexander, Lynsey. "Understanding the Total Literacy in Kerala." The Borgen Project, March 24, 2020. https://borgenproject.org/total-literacy-in-kerala/.

[4] Ibid.

[5] "How Almost Everyone in Kerala Learned to Read." The Christian Science Monitor, May 17, 2005. https://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0517/p12s01-legn.html.

[6] Ibid.

[7] Ibid.

[8] Ibid.

[9] Azeez, EP Abdul, and G Anbuselvi. "Is the Kerala Model of Community-Based Palliative Care Operations Sustainable? Evidence from the Field." Indian Journal of Palliative Care 27, no. 1 (2021): 18. https://doi.org/10.4103/ijpc.ijpc_45_20.

[10] Rathore, Manya. "India - Rural and Urban Kerala Literacy Rate 2011." Statista, July 10, 2023. https://www.statista.com/statistics/614498/literacy-rate-rural-and-urban-kerala-india/.

[11] Ibid.

[12] Deccan Chronicle. "Dubai College Student Finds Reason for the Lowest Literacy Rate in Telangana." Deccan Chronicle, August 24, 2022. https://www.deccanchronicle.com/in-focus/240822/dubai-college-student-finds-reason-for-the-lowest-literacy-rate-in-tel.html.

[13] Ibid.

[14] "Education in Telangana Is in a Disarray, but Sector's Budget Slashed yet Again." The Wire, 2023. https://thewire.in/education/telangana-education-sector-2023-budget.

[15] Ibid.

[16] Ibid.