Demographic Dividend in India

 

Points to be known :-

• Demographic dividend occurs when the fertility and mortality rates decreases and thereby economic growth of the country increases. If fertility and mortality rates decreases, there will be fewer mouths to feed & the life expectancy will increase, so, education and skills should be imparted to fewer people, and as a result productive labour force increases. It automatically contributes to country's economy.
• First stage of demographic dividend - Labour force increases rapidly than the dependent population. Per capita income grows.
• Second stage of demographic dividend - No. of old people will increase as the life expectancy is improved. Less no. of children should support older generation, because of lower fertility rates.
• By 2020, Average age of Indian will be 29.
• Government has announced new policies as part of the 12^th five-year plan (2012-2017) that aim to create 100 million work opportunities by 2022, many in labor-intensive manufacturing sectors such as textiles, gems and footwear.
• The government is working to expand access to education and vocational training for workers in the countryside, including new rural broadband networks that will connect remote areas with educational opportunities like YES project, Himayat project etc.

As an asset :-

• No. of dependents decreases, and hence individuals can save more. This leads to the increase in the stock capital in developing countries.
• Low economic pressures at home because of less no. of children. It results in better health and education for children.
• GDP increases and dependency ratio decreases.
• Women will be healthier.
• Productive labour force will increase.
• If population reduces, Standard of living increases.
• According to the United Nations, the working-age population will increase by about 600 million globally in the next decade. While there will be a decline in the developing countries by almost 17 million, the global economy as a whole is expected to experience a skilled manpower shortage of 56 million by 2020. So, with the right skills and training, workers from India will prosper not only at home but also abroad.
• By 2020, the average Indian will be only 29 years of age, compared with 37 in China and the U.S., 45 in Western Europe, and 48 in Japan. This is a great opportunity for India to beat the other countries economically.

As a liability :-

• Failure to provide opportunities to the growing young population, will result in rising unemployment and anti-social activities.
• In the second stage of demographic dividend, the no. of retired & older people increases rapidly, thereby dependent population increases.
• Present Education system is not imparting practical knowledge and skills. It is a bigger obstacle to increase skilled workforce.
• According the report, titled "The National Employability Report, Engineering Graduates, Annual Report-2012," although India produces more than 500,000 engineers annually, only 2.68% meet the skill requirements of the IT products sector. The report estimated that nearly 92% of engineering graduates in India lack computer programming and algorithms skills and around 56% lack soft skills and cognitive skills. This is leading to unproductive labour.
• Increased life expectancy will be challenged by health care facilities & social security for old people.
• Burden of parents and grand parents have to shared by less no. of children.

What should be done :-

• Govt should invest more in education, skill upgradation and employability by imparting special training to underprivileged and poor in a society.
• Education system must be improved to focus on improving technical capabilities to match with the industry requirements. Quality of education should be improved.
• Govt should invest more on health, safety and related services, will results in affordable healthcare.
• Pension schemes can be reformed by introducing funded element, in which individual’s contribution increases and a capital sum is delivered at retirement.
• There is a need for encouraging saving behavior amongst the working age population, by giving various incentives like tax benefits, better returns etc.

Conclusion :-

                

                 Demographic dividend must be combined with good policies and skills impart programs. Reforms must be done in Education system, without which the fruits of demographic dividend cannot be enjoyed.

 

Mantra To Success

Education System in India

Drawbacks :-

• Present education system focuses more on scores rather than knowledge.
• It's having 90% theoretical subjects. Even remaining 10% practical subjects are of limited experiments and of expected output.
• There is no scope for students to do experiments on their own.
• Some colleges are not conducting practicals. Instead, they are giving full marks and allotting that time to mug up theoretical subjects.
• In the end, students are coming out of schools and colleges only having bookish knowledge in the mind as the method of learning doesn't connect to reality.
• There is so much meaningless pressure on students because of the too much competitive spirit in between private institutions.
• Children in school are not being guided well about careers. They hardly know about what the options available in career except doctors and engineers. Because of that they are taking courses of their parent's choice (mostly) after coming out of schools. They even don't know what career options available with that course.
• Many schools are not concentrating on extra curricular activities. This may lead to the false assumption in children that only education is important in life.
• Some teachers are giving marks based on the no. of papers rather than the content. Thereby students will try to fill papers instead of focusing on to write the actual answer. 
• There are some cases that students are giving up their lives as they are unable to cope up with too much pressure laid on them by private schools and colleges.

Solutions :-

• Teachers must say the purpose of education to the children of school level.
• Teachers must encourage the children to understand the concept and to write it in their own words in exam.
• Every theoretical subject must have practicals if possible.
• Communication skills and reasoning must be a subject from school level.
• There must be seminars and projects from schooling to make students understand the subjects rather than mugging up.
• Personality development classes and extra curricular activities must be compulsory.
• Jobs should be provided based on knowledge rather than percentages.
• In practical examinations, marks should be given for the process rather than output.
• The method of teaching and lessons in subjects must be modified. They must be in a way to understand real world.
• Career guidance must be there in schooling.

Conclusions :-
                  
                        Govt. must concentrate on modifying the education system to give wonderful life for students. There is a role of educational institutions too to improve the method of teaching. A good education system leads to a good society.

Mantra To Success