ABSTRACT
The situation in the region of India, where more than 500 million people live, is not encouraging. Most states in this area have secured their independence since the Second World War, and they are anxious to consolidate their national existence and to reconstruct their national life. In the process of regeneration the role of education is vitally important. But the magnitude of the problem is enormous. The birthrate is extremely high. At present, the ratio between the child and adult population of the region is much higher than in most of the advanced countries. The number of children between the age of 6 and 12 in England represents little more than 8 per cent of the total population, whereas the corresponding figure for South Asia is at least 17 per cent. Indeed, in countries like Malaya and Philippines this age-group amounts to as much as 20 per cent of the total population. The percentage is still much higher in the Indian sub-continent.
