cation in India canot be over-stated." Yet in 1941, the
comment in the Census Report is '"Even now. how-
ever, the percentage of literacy among women is only
20 per cent." Importance is stressed; costly diagnosis
is made; the cure remains as far away as possible.
Technical education is particularly backward. A
very small percentage of technically qualified people
come from the Universities.
There are now only 17 schools of art. 2%
medical schools, about 19 engineering institutions
and less than 20 agricultural schools in this vast
country.
For a population of 300 million, serving an area
of about 1.5 million sq, miles, there are in India 18
Universities (3 of them being in Indian States), with
an enrolment of about 120,000. The number of colleges
is about 300 including 80 professional colleges. There
are only about 3,500 high schools with a total enrol-
ment of 1.2 million students including 1.5 lakhs of girls.
187,000 primary schools cater to the needs of primary
education, while there are 678,000 villages in India.
Out of over 40 million children of primary school-
going age, hardly 11 million attend school. Of every
100 that so attend, less than 8 reach the eighth stand-
ard. In fact, only 5.5 per cent of the entire population
is receiving instruction today.
Attention and money are being wasted in learning
English, the language of foreign rulers, stifling thought
and expression and the indigenous village institutions
have faded out of existence in most places.
Number of literates in English per 1000 aged 5 and
over All India
Males. Females. All persons.
212 27 123