Education is one of the key inputs for human development and economic growth. Education has tremendous power to enhance capabilities, and be a major source of empowerment of people – especially the socially and economically backward. Improving school education as well increasing the capabilities for job-seeking has been focus of the Government.

School Education
Rajasthan has attained impressive results in enhancing the reach and quality of education by focusing on improving the delivery and management of education services in the State. In the past few years, determined efforts have been made to provide access to schools for all children, to fill teacher vacancies and to raise the public expenditure on education, which places Rajasthan among the top ranking states at the national level.

The main focus areas of Rajasthan's educational objectives are:

• Access: 100% enrollment in primary education by 2010, 100% enrollment in secondary education by 2020
• Retention: increase numbers finishing primary school by 100% by 2010 and for secondary to considerable higher levels.
• Girls' Education: increase access and retention of girls in primary to near 100% levels and in secondary to levels that will enable them to lead productive lives, with focus on science and English.
• Learning: increase quality of learning, especially in areas of Math, Science and English.
• Empowering for Global Knowledge Economy: Expanding curriculum to provide ICT skills to secondary school students and to enable formation of human capital for the economy.
• Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, the flagship programme of the Government of India to attain the objective of universal elementary education in the country by 2010 was launched in Rajasthan in 2001-02. All 32 districts of the State have been covered.
• The Government has addressed the needs of girls, out-of-school/never-enrolled children, drop-outs, children with special needs and children from SC/ST and other disadvantaged sections of society, through different educational interventions – alternative schools, evening schools, bridge courses, Shiksha Mitra Kendras, mobile schools and other remedial centres.
  

Class five students at the Dwarikapuri Rajkiya Madhyamik Vidyalaya just love their math lessons. And even the ones for Hindi, English and General Awareness. They just love studying, thanks to latest PCs and specially developed software that they take the lessons on, while playing a computer game. IBM has set up a computer lab in the Government school for interactive learning to enhance comprehension. IBM has partnered with the Government under the Rajasthan Education Initiative (REI). It has also imparted computer training to teachers of the school. The REI is an umbrella under which innovative multi-stakeholder partnerships are catalyzed by engaging the global and local private, foundations and charitable organisations and other grass roots level NGOs in support of Rajasthan's education objectives. Besides IBM, the likes of Microsoft, Intel, CISCO and Azim Premji Foundation are working with the State in hundreds of Government schools. And it’s sure clicking well with the students.

Rajasthan Education Initiative
The Rajasthan Education Initiative (REI) is an umbrella under which innovative multi-stakeholder partnerships are catalyzed by engaging the global and local private, foundations and charitable organisations and other grass roots level NGOs in support of Rajasthan's education objectives. The REI focuses on improving the delivery of educational services, and in particular on promoting equitable access, enrolment and retention of children in schools, reducing gender disparities, promoting skill development and enhancing learning levels. Presently the likes of Microsoft, Intel, CISCO, Azim Premji Foundation, IBM, American Indian Foundation, ICICI Bank, Educate Girls Globally, Nandi Foundation & CII are working with the State on wide range of issues like deployment of e-content, capacity building, school health programme and gender related issues.



Higher & Technical Education

There has been a tremendous increase in intake capacity in all areas of higher and technical education throughout the State through private investment. This has been possible though the attractive policies of the State Government.
During the last 4 years, as many as 395 private Technical Institutions have been established and the number of seats has been increased by more than 38000 in private sector. An investment of Rs.930 crore has been made by the private sector. Besides, NOCs have been issued for establishment of 321 Private Colleges.

Rajasthan Technical University Act 2006 has been enacted. Rajasthan Technical University has been set up at Kota for coordinated expansion of technical education and to ensure quality technical education in the State.

Private Universities
Ordinances for setting up of 4 private universities have been issued. Amity University and Jaipur National University in Jaipur, Sir Padampad Singhania University in Udaipur and Singhania University in Jhunjhunu. Proposals for another 21 private universities are under consideration.

Anu (left) and Ritu (right) are pursuing their degree course in Biotech Engineering in the Jaipur Engineering College & Research Centre (JECRC). They moved to Jaipur for the course attracted by the quality of education; and by the infrastructure and culture of the city. Interestingly, they do not belong to a small town in Rajasthan, as one might expect. Both of them come from the leading centre of education in India, Delhi. JECRC is one of the first among 53 private engineering colleges now running in the State. Rajasthan now has a strong network of high quality technical institutions. These include a large number of private institutions, over 500 of them, running courses in engineering, business administration, computer applications, pharmacy and industrial training. These institutions attract students from distant parts of the country, including the metros.

Engineering Colleges
The State currently has a total of 62 engineering colleges (private & public), of which 34 engineering colleges have been established in the last 4 years. The Government has taken up, under Public Private Partnership, a scheme of setting up at least one engineering college and one polytechnic in districts where such facilities did not exist. 18 new engineering colleges and 12 new polytechnics have already been approved, where the Government is providing 10 acres of land free of cost to private investors. In case of proposals to set up women polytechnic college in such districts the State Government will also get the building constructed and make it available to the institutions.

Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs)
The State Government has decided to start second shift in all Government ITI's on self financing scheme in the session 2007-08. This has generated additional capacity of 6600 seats. Short term courses under self financing have also been started to enhance the capacity. Under the Udyog Sansthan Sahabhagita Yojana, the private sector may start second shift in the existing Government ITI's by using the existing infrastructure or expanding it.

Private ITIs
The State Government has issued a scheme under PPP Mode to provide land free of cost for establishing private ITIs in 113 Panchayat Samaties where there is no ITI. Under this scheme, proposal for 106 ITIs have been approved. All these institutions will be functional from the next session.

Centres of Excellence
10 Government ITIs have been upgraded to "Centre of Excellence" under the Government of India scheme. It is proposed that 15 ITIs will be upgraded into Centres of Excellence under PPP mode in 2007-08. Industry Associations will adopt the ITIs and a tripartite MOU will be signed between Government of India, Government of Rajasthan and Industry Associations.

Adoption by Private Sector
The State Government has formulated a scheme for adoption of Government ITIs by the private sector. Industrial houses and private engineering colleges will be eligible for adopting Government ITIs. An Institution Management Committee will be constituted under the Chairmanship of the representative of the industrial house/private engineering college. Administrative and academic autonomy will be given to the Management Committee so that they may start new trades as per the need of local industry.

Industry Linkages
2 MOUs have been signed by the State Government with "Construction Industry Development Council" to run 4-month training courses in 6 ITIs to make skilled manpower available for construction industry and for certifying the skill level of manpower working in this industry.

Government-aided engineering colleges, private engineering colleges and Rajasthan Technical University have signed MOUs with Infosys Technologies Ltd. under which students will be trained according to requirements of IT industry to enable them to get employment easily. Faculty members too have been trained by Infosys Technologies Ltd.
An MOU has been signed with M/s Cairn Energy Ltd. to develop facilities of training in trades relating to Oil & Refinery sector. The State Government will provide adequate space to Cairn Energy for this purpose in Government ITI, Barmer and Cairn Energy will invest Rs.8 crore to develop infrastructure and other facilities for conducting training programmes.

Medical Education
There are 8 Medical (6 Public and 2 Private) and 11 Dental (1 Public and 10 Private) colleges with intake capacity of 800 students in MBBS and 900 students in BDS courses. Two medical colleges (one private and one semi-government) will start functioning from July 2008. Super specialties like nephrology, neurology, neuro-surgery, cardiology, cardio-thoracic surgery, pulmonary medicine, oncology, gastroenterology, and urology are operational in the State Medical Colleges.

A separate University, Rajasthan University of Health Sciences, has been set up in order to provide focused attention to development of medical education and research facilities.