India marked its 75th year of independence on 15th August 2022 under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and celebrated it as “Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav”. India a jewel in the crown of the British empire became independent in 1947, after two centuries of colonial occupation and exploitation. India has achieved a significant milestone in making its economy more robust and prosperous apart from changing the face of its education and health sector.
Education Sector
Whether it was the increase of schools and colleges, the literacy rate, or other metrics, India has made great strides in the area of education since it gained independence in 1947.
Gross Enrollment Ratio And Gender Parity
Female education was not given significant weight when the country gained its freedom. The majority of people in the nation were adamantly opposed to sending their daughters to school. The circumstance, though, has changed. The Press Information Bureau reports that girls currently exceed boys in school enrollment.
For children in classes I to VIII, the substantial gender gap in the field has been closed down. There are now 1.03 girls for every boy in elementary school (classes I to V), a considerable increase from 0.42 girls in 1950–1951. Class VI to VIII in upper primary have 1.02 girls for every guy.
Rate Of Literacy
From 19 per cent in 1950 to 73.4 per cent in 2018, India’s literacy rate increased. The greatest improvement in female literacy occurred during this time, rising from 8.7 per cent to 66 per cent within the same interval.
Colleges And Universities
The goal of every government since India gained independence has been to increase public access to educational resources. In 2020–21, there will be 16 lakh schools, up from 1.5 lakh in 1946–49, when India gained its independence. A significant increase in colleges has also been noted. From 1950–1951, India had 579 colleges; today, there are 42,344 institutions. From 28 to 1,044 universities were established throughout the same period.
Medical education is one prominent industry that has experienced growth. Over 22 times as many medical schools have opened in the past six decades. In 1952, there were 29 medical colleges; today, there are more than 613.
The National Education Policy 2020, released by the present Union government, is another pillar of India’s educational system.
The policy seeks to transform education in India, particularly through the use of regional languages as a mode of instruction in classrooms.
The strategy will also open the door for international universities to play a bigger part in India.
Health Sector
From starting large-scale, aspirational national efforts to reducing and managing some of the deadliest diseases, India has achieved huge progress.
An average Indian citizen’s life expectancy was 37 years old in 1948; by 2022, it would be 72 years. Over a hundred per cent more people are expected to live longer now than they were 75 years ago. According to numerous studies, India’s average lifespan has improved as a result of better access to medical care, medications, and developing technologies.
Reduced Rates Of Maternal And Child Mortality
India’s infant mortality rate is now projected by the United Nations to be 29 deaths per 1000 live births in 2022, a 4.66 per cent decrease from 2021.
Prevention Of Contagious Illnesses
India has started several governmental programmes since achieving independence to combat the threat of communicable diseases like AIDS, TB, and malaria, amongst many others.
India has made strides in the fight to eradicate polio, and the world has praised this.
The nation declared itself smallpox free in 1978 after years of ranking among the nations with the greatest number of cases. Similar to this, India has achieved major strides in the fight against diseases including Aids, Kala Azar, cholera, and TB.
Government Programmes And Healthcare Policies
The Indian government has implemented several policies and programmes to enhance the nation’s healthcare infrastructure since the country gained its independence in 1947. To enhance maternal and infant health over the years, the government has implemented programmes including the National Health Mission (NHM) and National Rural Health Mission (NRHM).
The Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matrutva Abhiyan (PMSMA) aims to identify and manage high-risk pregnant women and provide appropriate prenatal care.
The PM-JAY, meanwhile, intends to give each family a yearly digital health insurance policy worth Rs. Five lakh, which will cover 1,299 ailments. The coverage includes all treatment-related expenditures at accredited private and public hospitals, including hospitalization fees, costs for up to three before admission, and costs for Fifteen days following admission.
Fight Against Pandemic
The world had witnessed India’s resilience and technical know-how in winning the fight against the Covid19 pandemic while keeping 120 crore country’s population united and motivated despite all odds. India also served more than 100 countries by supplying essential vaccines and established itself as a major player in the world in the pharmaceutical industry.
