Family expenditure on education has increased
Here’s a welcome development, one that indicates that families in India give importance to education. According to the National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO), the average household expenditure on education increased from 2.55 per cent in 2008 to 7.5 per cent in 2010 – that is, increased by almost thrice! This is quite significant and a positive sign, and will definitely a step closer to take education to all sections of society. Another significant figure is the total spending on education overall in the ten years from 1999 to 2009. It increased by 378 per cent in rural areas and 345 per cent in urban areas. It is notable that the increase is slightly higher in rural areas, which would indicate that families in the rural areas give great importance to educating their children. This is quite different from the general perception that education is not a priority in villages. The expenditure by a family on education ranks third on an average in terms of quantum – a typical Indian household spends higher amounts only on food and transportation.
