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CHAPTER 135

SOCIAL SERVICE

Introduction

Social Service has always held the pride of place in Kerala’s priorities and as a result, Kerala is a role
model among Indian States for achievement of high education, health and social welfare standards.
However there are new second generation challenges in this sector which require focussed attention.

Section 1
Education

The achievement in the field of Education by Kerala is comparable even to the most developed
countries of the world. It is the first state in the country to achieve universal literacy and elementary
education. The State has achieved all the Millennium Development Goals set for education, much
ahead of time. A number of historical social and political factors contributed to this. The progressive
outlook of the princely states during the pre-independence period and the involvement of the
missionaries created the basis of the educational development in the State. The committed efforts
of the social organisations and the farsightedness of the elected Governments in the State, after
independence, provided the impetus for the present day achievement. Though Kerala is in the
forefront in the coverage of education, it is striving for advancement in its quality.

4.2 The Twelfth Plan document states that the private sector will be encouraged to establish larger
and higher quality institutions in the Twelfth Plan. It also states that new models of Public–Private
Partnerships (PPP) in higher education will be encouraged in the Twelfth Plan, particularly in the
establishment of research and innovation institutions. With the successful implementation of SSA
and RMSA the Central Government is now introducing the scheme Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha
Abhiyan (RUSA), in order to achieve the objectives of equity, access and excellence in the Higher
Education sector.

4.3 In this context Kerala is re-orienting its approaches and the institutional arrangements. The State
Planning Board has constituted two expert committees. The first Committee, constituted under the
chairmanship of Prof. N.R. Madhva Menon, examined the Plan Programmes of the state with a view
to maximise access to central schemes and plan resources and prepare an action plan suggesting
steps to remove barriers in accessing resources and difficulties in implementation particularly in the
areas of higher and technical education. The committee has submitted two interim reports (may be
seen from www.spb.kerala.gov.in). The second Committee constituted under the chairmanship of

Economic Review 2014