How Free Resources and Scholarships Can Make Education Accessible for All

Education is an indispensable process by which people acquire knowledge and essential life skills. It is not merely about getting degrees and completing another course, it is beyond that. The purpose of education is broader: it navigates us towards becoming better individuals, provides us sense to perceive between right and wrong, and empowers us to be firm with our decisions. On the one hand, it teaches us social norms, while on the other hand, it gives us the strength to challenge societal issues when necessary. Overall, education prepares us for life by providing the skills to think critically and handle challenges more effectively.

Recognizing the numerous benefits of education, an average student spends 12 to 15 years in school, following 5 to 10  years to pursue graduation, postgraduate, and PhD degrees. In total 20 to 25 years are dedicated to education before starting their career. During this time, parents invest substantial amounts of money often in the lakhs hoping to provide their children with the best opportunities to achieve their goals and succeed in life. The cost of education is rising steadily, increasing the financial burden on parents and students. 

Education: a costly investment

Gone are the days when school or college fees were minimal. Over the last 50 years school fees in India have skyrocketed. In the 1970s and 1980s, the average annual cost of school fees for primary and secondary education in government schools was only a few hundred rupees. Similarly, government colleges and universities had very low tuition fees. 

However, during 1990-2000 the era of privatization in education began which led to private schools and colleges mushrooming all over the country. That in turn resulted in higher fees. Still, the government colleges and schools remained affordable but the cost of education in private medical and engineering colleges skyrocketed. The reservation policies in government colleges compelled many parents to knock on the door of private colleges for admissions, but these private colleges had already hung up a cost sign at their doors. Consequently, parents and students were caught in a dilemma between the limited options and high competition of government colleges and the high costs of private institutions. In the present scenario, the average fee structure of nursery school kids ranges between 2 lakh to 3 lakh in any so-called reputed school specifically in metropolitan areas. However, this is not the only expense related to school and college education. Additional costs that a student’s parents have to pay are transportation, books, uniforms, stationery items, and expenses of many co-curricular activities.

If we consider the total cost of a child’s complete education including both college and school fees it often consumes a huge portion of a family’s earnings and savings. Parents work hard for their children's dreams and bright futures, but due to the rising cost of education, they often feel that it has become very difficult to provide them with the education they need.

This is not only the scenario in India but also in many other countries around the world that have similar or higher school and college fees. Global trends in education costs vary widely across countries. According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), an international organization that helps governments improve the policies to promote economic and social well-being, the average yearly cost of tuition fees for tertiary education in government institutions can vary from $0 in countries as Germany and Norway to over $ 30,000 in the United States.

In the U.S. for the academic year 2023-24 the average tuition fee is approximately $10,560 for students who are living in-state, while for those who are out-of-state students, the cost is  $27,020 and $37,650 for private colleges. In the United Kingdom, tuition fees for undergraduate programs are £9,250 per year for native students, while international students have to spend between £10,000 and £38,000, depending on the course and institution. In Australia, the average annual tuition fee for international students is around AUD 30,000, with certain courses, such as medicine and veterinary science, costing significantly more.

Reasons behind the increasing cost of Education

The Right to Education is the fundamental right of every child, but today, the irony is that students have to pay a significant cost to access this right. These increasing financial burdens are undermining the broad purpose of RTE, specifically making it less accessible for lower-income families.

Let’s explore the factors contributing to the increasing cost of education, and understand how inadvertently we are creating barriers to making education inaccessible. 

1. Facility Provided: In recent times schools have invested heavily in modern infrastructure such as advanced classrooms, libraries, western and traditional music classrooms, and laboratories. These developments require a huge amount of money which is encashed from students in the name of fees.

    

2. Staff Payment: In private schools, the common pattern of offering a competitive salary for teachers has been observed. This is to attract highly qualified teachers to maintain the education standards. Some schools use their teacher’s qualifications as a promotional strategy to increase the number of admissions. Consequently, the complete financial burden of these higher salaries and the provision of housing facilities for teachers from other states is drawn from the student’s pocket through increased tuition fees.

    

3. Competition in Higher Education: In 1947 there were only 20 universities for higher education while in 2020 there were 1000 universities and nearly 60,000 colleges present showing the rapid increase of the higher education demand. Every year millions of students take competitive exams to qualify for higher education such as NEET, JEE, NET, and CLAT. Looking at this competition, the coaching institute businesses maintain a high-profile infrastructure and highly qualified teachers to attract students which ultimately increases the tuition fees for students.

    

4. Not Following Fee Regulation Structure: The Supreme Court of India has taken many steps to address the issue of fee regulation in various cases, for instance, the T.M.A. Pai Foundation case as well as P.A. Inamdar case where the Supreme Court mentioned the autonomy of private institutions in regulating their fee structure. But there hasn’t been any major step taken in that direction causing leniency. Consequently, the regulation of fee structure is still a matter of discussion. Although a few state governments recently took the initiative to control the fee structure by making a controlling body as well as working on a uniform examination system so students do not need to pay different fees for various exams, still a lot of work has to be done in this direction.

    

5. Foreign Studies Allurement: After completing their schooling most of the students aspire to move abroad for higher studies, College campuses, free lifestyle, expert faculties, the chance of research and exploration, top resources, and specifically job opportunities attract students towards this. More than 13.5 lakh students are pursuing their studies from abroad in 2024 as per the news sources. The top five countries in which Indian students opted to pursue their higher studies are Canada, the USA, the UK, Australia, and Germany. These countries cost a significant amount for living, university-related costs, traveling, visa and emigration charges, tuition fees, and other utility charges which increase the burden on students.

    

6. Inflation: Due to fluctuating inflation rates, operational costs in education have risen significantly, leading to higher tuition fees for students. Living expenses, including transportation, food, and essential materials, are also heavily impacted by inflation, further straining students' budgets. Additionally, the cost of educational loans has increased, making financing education more expensive and burdensome for students and their families. This combination of rising costs can create a daunting financial landscape, making it increasingly challenging for students to manage their educational expenses effectively.

The increasing cost of education, often a result of systemic negligence, has far-reaching consequences for students and their families. This rising cost effectively restricts access to education, making it affordable primarily for a select elite class. It raises the question of our legislative system and policymakers who designated education as a fundamental right.

Let’s explore the resources available for students that can help them pursue their educational dreams despite rising costs. The list is mentioned below:

Cost-Effective Educational Resources: 

Various online and offline resources are available that offer free courses and materials to students, helping to streamline their educational journeys. Let’s have a look at these resources:

1. Online Resources:

As we have made progress in the field of technology, a vast array of resources, in the form of digital content is available for students. These free online resources cover a wide range of subjects. Here are the top options by which students can get help in their desired subject:

1. Khan Academy: It is a non-profit educational organization that provides free online resources for students from all age groups. The platform includes various subjects such as Math, Science, History, Economics and others. All the available resources at Khan Academy are free, which makes high-quality education accessible to all.
2. Harvard University’s Computer Science Course: Students who want to learn computer science and programming can access this free course which covers a wide range of topics such as algorithms, data structure, software engineering, and web development. All the course materials, video lectures, assignments, and resources are freely available and students can get a verified certificate by paying a fee.
3. Improve Your Programming Skills: Students who want to improve their programming skills can use the Exercism.org platform which offers practice and mentorship in over 70 programming languages. The programme is free and community-funded which makes it accessible to everyone.

Resources for competitive Exams:

Students who want to prepare for competitive exams such as IIT, JEE, and Medical can access the online courses mentioned below:

1. SWAYAM: This is a national online education platform in India that offers a wide range of courses, from top-notch institutions like IITs and Central universities. Students can boost their exam preparation by using the course materials provided here.
2. NPTEL: This is a joint initiative by IITs and IISc which offers free online courses in engineering, sciences, management, and humanities. These courses specifically help students who want to prepare for the GATE exam.
3. Magnet Brains: The candidates preparing for competitive exams like IIT-JEE, NEET, UPSC, SSC, and bank-related exams will benefit from the online course and materials available here. As well, school students can access their subject-related course material provided by subject experts.
4. Skill India Digital Hub: To provide skill-based knowledge to students this platform has various courses related to IT, digital marketing, and AI which are the needs of today’s world. This platform also provides job and apprenticeship opportunities for the students.

2. Resources for School Students: There are several excellent free resources available for school students to get expert knowledge on their desired subject, few are mentioned below:

1. PBS Learning Media: Students who are facing difficulties in subjects such as Science, Math, Social studies, and English can access the resources from this platform, it provides free, curriculum-based videos, interactive lessons, and proper guidance to students.
2. National Digital Library of India: This digital library provides access to a vast amount of educational resources including textbooks, articles, videos, and much more. This digital content is beneficial for students from the primary level to the postgraduate level.  
3. Coursera: This website offers free courses from top universities which include professional certificate courses, and specialization courses in data science, machine learning, and digital marketing. It has partnered with various universities that offer full-time Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees. Students can access free courses from well-known universities such as Yale University, and Johns Hopkins University which help them to enrich their knowledge.
4. CK-12 Foundation: This provides free online, customized content that covers a wide range of topics specifically for K-12 students. Students can access free online textbooks, lecture videos, practice tests, and various learning tools and materials.

Scholarships For Higher Education: 

Government and private institutions provide various scholarship options to students who want to fulfill their dream of higher education. These scholarships help students to plan their future journey without worrying about finances.

1. National Scholarship Portal: This platform serves as a comprehensive resource for various scholarships which are offered by the government of India. It includes different options for pre-matric, post-matric, and merit-cum-means scholarships which are designed to help students to complete their education without any financial burden.

    

2. Central Sector Scheme of Scholarships for College and University Students: The meritorious students who have secured more than 80% marks in their Senior Secondary exams will be eligible to receive this scholarship. This will make their education journey easy and also make their college education affordable.

    

3. Tata Scholarship for Indian Students: For students who want to pursue their study abroad dream, Tata Group is providing students a wonderful opportunity to help students with different scholarships chances such as the Jamsetjee Nusserwanjee Tata Endowment Loan Scholarship (JNTE) is specially designed for those students who want to pursue Master’s, PhD and Postdoctoral from abroad, as this scholarship provide Rs. 10 lakh aid repayable in 7 years, based on merit in any educational stream. Another scholarship for Indian women graduates is the Lady Meherbai D Tata Education Trust Scholarship which supports higher education abroad in social work, social sciences, public health, and many other subjects. In this series next is Tata Scholarship for Cornell University, which provides financial aid to India Students for undergraduate studies at Cornell University U.S.A. 

    

4. Fulbright-Nehru Master’s Fellowship: U.S.A study is costlier as the living expenses and tuition fees are much higher than in other countries but with this Fellowship program students can complete their Master’s Degree in various disciplines.

    

5. Chevening Scholarships: Your UK study dream is achievable by this fully funded scholarship program. These scholarships are for students who have leadership qualities, this one-year Master’s degree program will excel your career and provide you a chance to get better job opportunities.

    

6. Rajasthan Yuva Vikas Prerak Internship Program: Students who want to finance their education and develop their practical skills to be job-ready, this an exciting opportunity for all young graduates and postgraduate students, Rajasthan Government has initiated this internship program to involve these students in various projects across Rajasthan. This one-year internship program will provide students the chance to work in education, healthcare, rural development, and various other sectors. This opportunity will guide students to make a firm decision about their career as it is committed to making them ready for skill-based industries.

In addition to the above-mentioned scholarships and free online resources various NGOs such as Pratham, Teach for India, Smile Foundation, Akanksha Foundation,  and Asha for Education help students to pursue quality education, other than these grants, low-interest loans and government aid are present which help students to pursue cost-effective education. Many institutions also offer work-study programs that allow students to earn money while studying. Community initiatives and non-profit organizations, often offer workshops and resources aimed at helping students navigate the financial aspects of education. By leveraging these resources, students can find ways to make higher education more accessible and attainable.

Conclusion: 

Education is an important weapon that can change the world. It not only provides us with values, stability, financial security, and self-dependency but also makes us a better person who can think critically, act generously, and take responsibility for society to make it a better place to live in.

However, the rising cost of education is creating significant barriers to accessing quality education for many students. In this article, we have discussed the various scholarships, free online courses, grants, and NGOs that make the students' education affordable and also help them to be ready for future endeavors. These grants and scholarships are not just financial help but they bridge the gap between the potential and opportunity. As a society, we should think about how we can create opportunities so that education becomes accessible for all. If we take an oath to finance the education of one child it will help to shape the future of countless young minds and ultimately the world. 

Governments should take proactive measures to regulate the fee structures of private institutions to ensure education remains accessible and affordable for all. Establishing strict laws and regulatory bodies can help prevent exorbitant fees and ensure transparency. Additionally, streamlining the competitive examination system would create a more equitable environment for students. A unified application process could reduce confusion and make it easier for students to apply to multiple colleges, fostering healthy competition and encouraging institutions to improve their standards. 

By addressing these issues and supporting students financially we can ensure that education remains a fundamental right for all, not a privilege for the selected people. It's the time to collectively work towards a future where no student is compelled to choose between their education and their financial stability.