Development of primary education in Karbi Anglong district, Assam, India

Karbi Anglong is a tribal dominated area of Assam. It is an autonomous district under the Sixth Schedule of Indian Constitution. Area wise it is the largest district in Assam inhabiting by various people like Karbi, Bodo, Dimasa, Kuki, Assamese, Nepali, Adivasi, Bengali and other Hindi speaking people. The people of the district earn their livelihood chiefly by agriculture. The district is abundant with natural resource but unfortunately it was quite backward in the field of education. Formal education was started in the district only after arrival of the Christian Missionaries. The investigator intended to study the development and expansion of primary education in the district. The explored information says that prior to Independence education was totally at zero level in Karbi Anglong. After Independence, some initiatives have been taken by both the state government and the District Council for providing education to the local tribal people. At present, a number of primaries, M.E., high and higher secondary schools were established in the district. Provision of higher education is also here. According to 2011 census, the literacy rate of Karbi Anglong is 73.52, which is low in comparison to other districts of Assam. Presently, Sarva Shiksha Abhijan (SSA) has been trying to cover all children of 6–14 years in the field of education which has been a great initiative for the development of elementary education.