Homeschooling and alternative education in India
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The legality of homeschooling in India and a plethora of alternative education schools spread over different states has been debated by educators,
lawmaker A legislator (also known as a deputy or lawmaker) is a person who writes and passes laws, especially someone who is a member of a legislature. Legislators are often elected by the people of the state. Legislatures may be supra-national (for ex ...
s, and
parent A parent is a caregiver of the offspring in their own species. In humans, a parent is the caretaker of a child (where "child" refers to offspring, not necessarily age). A ''biological parent'' is a person whose gamete resulted in a child, a male t ...
s since the passing of the
Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act or Right to Education Act (RTE) is an Act of the Parliament of India enacted on 4 August 2009, which describes the modalities of the importance of free and compulsory education for c ...
(RTE) which makes formal education a fundamental right of every child between the ages of 6 to 14 and specifies minimum norms for schools. While the legality of homeschooling still remains a grey area, there have been petitions by parents and alternate schools in the past for granting relief. As per the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) is an international document adopted by the United Nations General Assembly that enshrines the rights and freedoms of all human beings. Drafted by a UN committee chaired by Eleanor Roosevelt, ...
to which India is a signatory, quote: "Parents have a prior right to choose the kind of education that shall be given to their children."


History of alternative schooling in India

In India, from the early 20th century, certain educational theorists have discussed and implemented radically different forms of education.
Rabindranath Tagore Rabindranath Tagore (; bn, রবীন্দ্রনাথ ঠাকুর; 7 May 1861 – 7 August 1941) was a Bengali polymath who worked as a poet, writer, playwright, composer, philosopher, social reformer and painter. He resh ...
's
Visva-Bharati University Visva-Bharati () is a public central university and an Institution of National Importance located in Shantiniketan, West Bengal, India. It was founded by Rabindranath Tagore who called it ''Visva-Bharati'', which means the communion of the ...
, Sri Aurobindo's Sri Aurobindo International Center of Education and
Mahatma Gandhi Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (; ; 2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948), popularly known as Mahatma Gandhi, was an Indian lawyer, anti-colonial nationalist Quote: "... marks Gandhi as a hybrid cosmopolitan figure who transformed ... anti- ...
's ideal of "basic education" are prime examples. In recent years, many new alternative schools have cropped up.


Methodology of homeschooling in India

Homeschoolers in India use a wide variety of methods and materials, at par with international norms, and often customized to fit individual learning styles. Though there is no actual data available, the most prevalent methods in India are
Montessori method The Montessori method of education involves children's natural interests and activities rather than formal teaching methods. A Montessori classroom places an emphasis on hands-on learning and developing real-world skills. It emphasizes indepen ...
,
Unschooling Unschooling is an informal learning that advocates learner-chosen activities as a primary means for learning. Unschoolers learn through their natural life experiences including play, household responsibilities, personal interests and curiosit ...
, Radical Unschooling,
Waldorf education Waldorf education, also known as Steiner education, is based on the educational philosophy of Rudolf Steiner, the founder of anthroposophy. Its educational style is holistic, intended to develop pupils' intellectual, artistic, and practical ski ...
and traditional School-at-home. Some of these approaches like Montessori and Waldorf are also available in school settings. Many homeschoolers follow formal education methods at home through CBSE, NIOS (formerly NOS) and
IGCSE The International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) is an English language based examination similar to GCSE and is recognised in the United Kingdom as being equivalent to the GCSE for the purposes of recognising prior attain ...
. Of these, IGCSE and NIOS are especially suited for homeschoolers. As the popularity of homeschooling increases, there are many online homeschooling providers entering the market, Notably 21K School the oldest being Wolsey Hall, Oxford which was established in 1894 To help students from Class 5 to Class 12 to benefit from homeschooling, the Maharashtra government on January 10, 2019, launched ‘Open SSC board’. Education Minister Vinod Tawde said in a Tweet that the Maharashtra Rajya Mukta Vidyalay Mandal is a platform for athletes, artists, disabled people, seniors and anyone who wishes to continue their academic journey while pursuing others interests and obligations surpassing all hurdles.


Support groups

There are many Internet-based support groups for Alternative schoolers or Homeschoolers in India, with most participants based in major urban Indian cities. However, there is a considerable presence of homeschoolers in small towns who either independently educate their children or who are associated with alternative schools. Some prominent Internet resources include * Alternative Education India, * Pune Homeschoolers * Swashikshan – Indian Association of Homeschoolers * Cascade Family Learning Society – A Society for Home Schooled Children in Chennai, India * Montessori Worldwide School * Homeschooling by Handholding * Playgic childhood freedom advicacy In addition, there are conferences, social meetups, apprenticeships and several other organized group activities that allow for knowledge-sharing on a regular basis.


Media reports about homeschooling

In recent years, quite a few homeschooled children in India have made a splash by being accepted into top higher education institutions such as the IIT and
MIT The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a private land-grant research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Established in 1861, MIT has played a key role in the development of modern technology and science, and is one of the m ...
. A number of them also choose to be integrated into mainstream education at some point. Some prominent homeschoolers include education entrepreneur, Satya Narayanan R., founder of the "Career Launcher" entrance coaching platform. Some estimates say as many as 15,000 Indian families have decided to keep their children from going to school, choosing instead to develop individual caliber holistically within the community machinery, specially as safety has become a prime concern for parents nowadays.


References


External links


Swashikshan – Indian Association of Homeschoolers

Alternative Education in India

NIOS Official Website
– Indian Government recognised board for Home education
Wolsey Hall Oxford
- the oldest established homeschooling course provider
21K School
- India's First Online School, providing homeschooling course.
IGCSE / CIE India contact details
{{Homeschooling
India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
Education in India