VOUCHER SCHEME IN EDUCATION: EXPLORING THE DEBATE

ABSTRACT The present paper explores the concept and policy of vouchers in education in detail and the debates pertaining to the implementation of the voucher scheme in general and in the Indian context in particular. The paper is divided into 2 sections. The first discusses the voucher scheme in education in general reflecting upon the aspects like its rationale, guiding principles, the kinds of the voucher schemes that exist or have been proposed etc. The second section looks at the arguments in favor and against that have been put forth in general by the opponents and proponents of the same. This somewhere helps us to capture the debate around the issues. At the same time a reflection on the debate around the issue in India has also been made. This is followed by the conclusion.