Indians live longer than they once did, but not necessarily healthier lives. High levels of malnutrition and stunting diminish the prospects of tens of millions of children. More children attend school but learning outcomes in public schools remain disheartening. Children do not vote; teachers do, and hiring teachers is a lucrative source of rent and political patronage.
The middle class, let alone the wealthy, would rarely consider sending its children to public schools, depriving the system of an influential constituency for reform. In higher education, where the federal government plays a larger role, ideological control and partisan appointments often take precedence over preparing young people for work, leaving millions with degrees that confer neither skills nor opportunity.
A checkered development odyssey
India’s checkered development odyssey has much to do with the ailments of the Indian state. Contrary to its overbearing image, the Indian state is relatively small when measured by the number of public employees per capita. And these public employees are frequently moved through the “transfer raj,” which has become another a source of rent for bureaucrats and politicians. Training is usually reserved for elite civil servants. In a generalist civil service overseen by politicians who prize loyalty over competence, expertise becomes an orphan.
Source: time.com
