Which K-12 education programs are underperforming?

Education and Training Minister Jitendra Singh is the only minister of state for education to make the cut.

He is the first minister to take the post after the cabinet on Tuesday unanimously approved his nomination for the role of education minister.

But Mr Singh’s portfolio includes a number of education-related issues, including the state’s flagship K-8 K-5 system.

Here are some of the issues the government has taken up since taking over on March 30.

1.

The state needs more teachers.

The government has been pushing for an increase in the number of K-6 teachers and a move to give more incentives for teaching at state-run schools.

But with only 5,000 seats in K-7, the number that are being filled has left many teachers frustrated.

Mr Singh has also pledged to expand the number and quality of teachers in K5 and K8.

The education minister’s tenure expires on June 30.

2.

A new generation is needed to replace the old.

The country has a large number of retirees, some of whom have had a difficult time adjusting to a new life.

Education is one of the key jobs for these seniors.

They are the ones who will be the new faces of the state.

Mr Modi has also promised to bring back people with disabilities and to make more opportunities available to them.

3.

State governments are too weak.

The BJP-led government in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar is struggling to implement its programmes.

But despite the party’s efforts, its education reforms are not as strong as they should be.

4.

The system is too complex for children.

According to the National Council for Applied Economic Research, India has the second highest number of children enrolled in primary schools in the world.

But as education and training minister, Mr Singh will have a tough job in tackling this issue.

5.

The current school-age enrolment is too low.

The average age of an enrollee is now just 16, and the number is expected to fall further.

6.

State and central governments need to increase investment.

As the national budget is due next year, a lot of money is needed in order to pay for the programme.

The budget is already being slashed.

The central government, in particular, needs to increase its investment in K10 and K12 education.

It also needs to ensure that state governments continue to be a part of the development of the country.

7.

The new education minister will have to get a lot more involved.

Mr Jitendraswamy, who will take up the post on April 5, will be a prime ministerial appointee, not a bureaucrat.

Mr Srinivasan is the minister for information technology.

He has a reputation for being a tough bureaucrat, but he has shown no hesitation in bringing in new talent.

The K-10 and the K-4 education departments, which will be headed by Mr Suryakant Acharya, a former minister in the previous BJP government, have already attracted the attention of many ministers and civil servants.

8.

The Modi government has a lot to learn from its predecessors.

Mr Prasad was the education minister in 2005-07, and Mr Pratap Yadav took over as education minister on July 6, 2012.

In both instances, they were not immune to the political winds.

9.

There is no clear way forward.

Mr Kailash Mansingh, who was the minister of health and family welfare from 2013 to 2017, has now been made the minister in education.

10.

Mr Chidambaram is not the right person to lead the government.

The Bharatiya Janata Party-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) has taken control of the Cabinet, and it has the largest number of ministers.

The UPA, however, is currently in the midst of a massive corruption probe and a slew of political scandals.

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