Bhubaneswar, July 31 (IANS) Rural households in Odisha on an average spent Rs.52 per month each on education from 2004 to 2010, the lowest among all states in the country, a study revealed Wednesday.
Haryana has been ranked top with highest average rural household monthly expenditure on education at Rs.373 during the period, according to the study conducted by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham).
Gujarat also clocked a massive growth rate of about 126 percent in terms of rural household monthly expenditure on education during the period under review, said the study titled 'Evolution of Indian Rural Markets During 2004-05 to 2009-10'.
Punjab ranks second with rural households in the state spending on an average Rs.305 per month education. However, the state witnessed just about 10 percent growth rate during 2004-10, according to the Assocham study.
Jammu and Kashmir, Kerala and Himachal Pradesh are other states where the rural households on an average spent more on education, it pointed out.
In Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Karnataka and Assam, the average monthly household expenditure on education is low. "This portrays a wide inter-state variation in household expenditure on education," Assocham secretary general D.S. Rawat said.
Analysis of growth in household monthly expenditure on education shows that Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Kerala have registered high growth rate between 52-93 percent, Rawat added.
"Although we have made great strides in improving India's education scenario, much ground still needs to be covered as our education system is still plagued by low enrolment rates, lower attendance and retention rates, high teacher absenteeism, irregular classes, poor teaching standards and other related issues," he said.
"The government needs to shift its focus on increasing enrolment rates and also reducing school drop-outs in rural areas which is also a significant problem," Rawat added.
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