Bihar Education Project

Abstract

From Chapt. 1: Bihar is the seat of one of the oldest civilisations in the world. Its tradition of learning and culture has made India a respected name among scholars, while the sacrifices of its people during the freedom movement have earned the state a respectable place in Indian history. Bihar has come to be regarded as a challenge, and it is believed that if you can achieve something in Bihar, you can do it anywhere else in India. Its social system is stratified into manifold layers on the basis of class, caste, gender, etc. Feudal and zamindari values persist, reinforcing social inequalities and the power structure. Gross discrimination is practised, and atrocities are committed on the “lower castes” and tribal communities. The position of women of poor families is among the lowest in India, with high maternal and infant mortality rates, very low level of literacy, and exclusion from public affairs. They lack access to skills and inputs and often suffer from an overpowering fear, release from which is essential for any economic or social change. The state also suffers, perhaps more than any other in the country, from an environmental crisis.