Archive · 30 Sep 2026
SBI Research Proposes Free Fair Education and Higher Education Reforms
SBI Research published suggestions for improving education in India.
It said the Constitution could possibly be changed to support free and fair educational opportunities.
This would mean protecting students from cheating, discrimination and unfair obstacles.
The report also said the National Testing Agency should become a formal statutory organization.
The agency had conducted more than 240 examinations for over 5.4 crore candidates by July 2024.
SBI Research suggested studying China’s Gaokao system for managing very large examinations.
It also said higher education needs more government money and teachers.
The report noted that many approved teaching jobs remain empty.
It said vocational training has become more common among young people.
SBI Research suggested considering an amendment to Article 21 to support a right to free and fair educational opportunity.
The proposed right would protect students from fraud, discrimination and unreasonable barriers to education.
The report recommended giving the National Testing Agency statutory status through an Act of Parliament.
It called for higher education spending to rise from about 1% to 1.5% of government expenditure and for vacant teaching posts to be filled.
The report cited a rise in vocational training among 15- to 29-year-olds from 7.1% in 2018 to 30.7% in 2025.
- Who
- SBI Research made recommendations concerning students, higher education institutions and the National Testing Agency.
- What
- The report proposed possible constitutional, examination, funding, staffing and vocational-training reforms.
- When
- The report’s publication date is not specified; it cites NTA data through July 2024 and vocational-training data for 2025.
- Where
- India, with China’s Gaokao mentioned as a possible model for examination management.
- Why
- The recommendations aim to protect educational access, improve examination administration and address funding and staffing gaps.
- Proposed constitutional change
- Consider amending Article 21 to support a right to free and fair educational opportunity.
- Meaning of “free” education
- Freedom from fraud, discrimination and unreasonable barriers.
- NTA examination scale
- More than 240 examinations for over 5.4 crore candidates by July 2024.
- NTA reform
- Replace its society status with a statutory body created through an Act of Parliament.
- Higher education spending
- The share of total government expenditure was around 1%, down from 1.6% in FY18; SBI Research suggested raising it to 1.5%.
- Teaching vacancies
- Thirty-four per cent of sanctioned teaching positions across centrally funded institutions were vacant.
- Vocational training
- Participation among Indians aged 15–29 rose from 7.1% in 2018 to 30.7% in 2025.