Consider the following statements about the adequacy of education expenditure in India:
(A) Compared to the desired level of about 6 per cent of GDP, the current level of a little over 4 per cent has been quite inadequate.
(B) The goal of spending 6 per cent of GDP on education has been accepted as a must for the coming years.
(C) The Education Commission (1964–66) recommended that at most 6 per cent of GDP be spent on education.
(D) The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act was enacted in 2009.
(E) The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act covers all children aged 6–18 years.
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → (A), (B) and (D) only
(A) Compared to the desired level of about 6 per cent of GDP, the current level of a little over 4 per cent has been quite inadequate. — Correct. A little over 4 per cent falls well short of about 6 per cent.
(B) The goal of spending 6 per cent of GDP on education has been accepted as a must for the coming years. — Correct. The 6 per cent goal is accepted as a must.
(C) The Education Commission (1964–66) recommended that at most 6 per cent of GDP be spent on education. — Incorrect. It recommended at least 6 per cent, a minimum and not a ceiling.
(D) The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act was enacted in 2009. — Correct. It made free education a fundamental right.
(E) The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act covers all children aged 6–18 years. — Incorrect. It covers children aged 6-14 years.
NCERT (2026-27): “Growth in Government Expenditure on Education: … One can understand the inadequacy of the expenditure on education if we compare it with the desired level of education expenditure as recommended by the various commissions. The Education Commission (1964–66) had recommended that at least 6 per cent of GDP be spent on education so as to make a noticeable rate of growth in educational achievements. The Tapas Majumdar Committee, appointed by the Government of India in 1999, estimated an expenditure of around Rs 1.37 lakh crore over 10 years (1998-99 to 2006-07) to bring all Indian children in the age group of 6-14 years under the purview of school education. Compared to this desired level of education expenditure of around 6 per cent of GDP, the current level of a little over 4 per cent has been quite inadequate. In principle, a goal of 6 per cent needs to be reached—this has been accepted as a must for the coming years. In 2009, the Government of India enacted the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act to make free education a fundamental right of all children in the age group of 6-14 years.” |