mint ECONOMY & POLITICS 11

TUESDAY, MAY 1, 2007 ° WWW.LIVEMINT.COM

users on the spot. The survey is not based on perception alone; it includes the
2 CORRUPTION CATALOGUE experience of people in paying bribes. The results, published the same year,
showed Indians pay around Rs21,068 crore as bribes while availing one of 11
public services. While some of the highlights of the survey were published,

SCHOOL SYSTEM many of the details were not. The study, however, remains the most recent and
the most comprehensive report on corruption in India. Apart from calculating
the extent of corruption, in Rs crore, it explains the mechanics of it.

One of the most frequently used words in India, corruption signifies a range of Over the week, Mint will present details of the CMS study. On Monday, we
things. In 2005, Transparency International and Delhi-based Centre for Media featured India's public distribution system. Today, we look at the education
Studies, a research firm, undertook the India Corruption Study. The survey covered system. Readers are welcome to send their comments to
14,405 respondents over 20 states and included interviews with service providers & [email protected].

Overcharging Suggested
/Bribing FA
ILUR
E
Solutions
1. Additional fee ITION 1. Entrepreneur-Teachers
FEES This isn't really a
bribe, but is more
TU
T
of coercion. Parents
are often charged
extra fees for
purportedly enhancing the quality
of an educational programme or
maintaining the school building.
Parents comply fearing retribution
(that is, that the school will take it
1 Substandard education 2 Forced tuition Schools that perform poorly
could be given to teacher-
out on their children otherwise). A common refrain among parents is that teachers do not teach Teachers have complete control on whether a student
committees to run. The fund
There is no accountability on how students adequately in class. Often, the syllabus to be covered fails an exam or passes it (except in examinations
allocation to each school by the
this money is spent. in a year isn't covered and students are left to complete it on conducted by a board). Teachers exploit this fact to their government should be linked to
2. For issuing certificates their own. In some schools, one student is made to read aloud advantage by forcing students to take tuition from outcomes such as: enrollment
Schools charge from the text book, while the teacher does nothing. them. A 1999 report said that as many as 70% of rate, attendance, drop-out rate,
students a lot of students in urban areas receive private tuition. and grades or marks of
money to issue graduating students.
certificates to
them. This isn't 2. Making schools accountable
just for school leaving certificates; ABSENT e
students even have to pay for
transfer certificates when they

Corruption in
leave the school mid-way through
their education to join another
school. Some schools even charge

the Classroom
for proficiency or extra-curricular
achievement certificates.
3. For admission Schools should be more
ADMISSION This isn't the The schooling system is rife with corruption. accountable to their customers
OPEN
FEE
tuition fee. Most Admissions are sometimes dependent on the (that is, students and their
XXXX schools charge a amount of money people are willing to pay, parents). Every school should
huge admission have a committee of parents.
fee, payment for and some schools try and charge students 3 Teacher absenteeism The staff should be answerable
the student being admitted into or their parents for everything they can In government schools, teachers frequently do to this committee, which can
the system. The admission fee charge them for and then some. not show up in class. The local administration look into things such as the
phenomenon isn't restricted to standard of education, utilisa-
has no way of ensuring that they do. Those
private schools. Although most
government-run or government- students who attend schools spend all their tion of funds, and other issues
aided schools aren't meant to time there doing other things. concerning the quality of
charge such a fee, most do. education.
4. For promotions 3. Facilitating the creation of
more private schools
This is a whole
new take on the

+
Rs
‘pay for perfor-
mance’ concept.
Some schools
blackmail parents into paying a +
bribe for promoting their child to
a higher class. When such a
=
demand is made, the fear of
retribution is so high that most Although it is the responsibility
parents just pay up without of the government to provide
asking any questions. education for all, the private
5. Deductions from scholarships sector has a role to play.
However, it isn't easy for a
The school simply
deducts a certain private firm or an individual to
start a school. The government
Deductions
percentage from
the scholarship
5 Lack of equipment 4 Poor quality midday meals should ease regulations and
awarded to Although students are charged fees related to The government provides free meals to school children requirements concerning the
students by various government equipment and supplies, there is little accountability. under a midday meal scheme. The quality of food served creation of schools. Only then
bodies or philanthropic Students (and teachers) have to make do with poor is usually very bad—the good grain is routed to the open can the current shortage in
organizations. quality equipment, or no equipment at all. markets and poor, cheaper grain is used in its stead. schools be met.

Number of households that Is there corruption How often do you Common irregularities The mechanics of
deal/have dealt with schools in schools? face corruption? faced by parents
bribes/overcharging
82 million Every time
8%
Substandard teaching
39% Charging more than the prescribed fee
33%
Dependence on government schools YES Sometimes Forced tuitions
48% 33% 34% Bribes for issuing certificates
URBAN RURAL OVERALL
Only a few times Teacher absenteeism 28%
25% 27% 29% 38%
Bribes for admission
56% Never Irregularities in meals*
77% 71% CAN’T SAY NO 30% 37% 26%
*The midday meal programmes
Bribes for promotions
Perception about quality of education 6%
Total value of corruption in education
Very Poor 6%
(up to 12th standard) Deducting money from scholarships
Poor 17%
3%

4,137
Average 24%
Good 46% Charging for free facilities
Very good 7% (Government-run institutions)
Rs crore/year 4%