Perhaps the greatest historical blunder of Indian society — for which it is paying dearly — is its passive tolerance of major and minor acts of official corruption. Taking full advantage of the well-meaning but hopelessly utopian Nehruvian experiment in state socialism, post-independence India’s 20 million-plus strong politician-bureaucracy nexus has transformed a high-potential nation state which could have been the mirror from which third world nations of the post-colonial era could have fashioned themselves, into one of the five most corrupt countries worldwide, according to the corruption perception index of the Berlin-based Transparency International. Now with neta-babu conspiracy hooked on the easy ride afforded by the spoils of corruption and refusing to get off the collective back of the public, right-thinking people intent upon a just social order based upon impartial rule of law, have a big fight on their hands.

But even within a manifestly unjust social order in which the weight of official corruption bears down most heavily upon the marginalised poor and dispossessed, there is a hierarchy of corrupt practices. And perhaps no corrupt practice is as heinous as that which targets the most blameless and vulnerable members of a given society — its children. Measured by the yardsticks of total absence of rule of law and unchecked looting of the people, the late unlamented communist Soviet Union was arguably the most corrupt nation state of the 20th century. But even Stalin and his heirs stopped short of targeting children and ensured provision of universal elementary education for all Soviet citizens, an investment in human resources which has stood the former republics of the dismembered Soviet Union in good stead, as their people begin to build anew.

Alas, stoically accepted, all-embracing corruption Indian style lacks this saving grace. Indeed following the incremental delicensing and deregulation of industry since the historic liberalisation initiative of 1991, licence-permit-quota infected plague rats seem to have scurried into the education sector spreading bribery and corruption which has the serious consequence of disabling vulnerable children and depriving them of the right to decent livelihood.

But growing awareness of these most unkindest cuts being incrementally inflicted on the most blameless and innocent members of society has aroused unprecedented indignation. A never-before coalition of the righteous is crystallising to cleanse the rotting augean stables of Indian education. This is the subject matter of our first-of-its-type cover feature.

Our special report feature focuses upon a connected issue. EducationWorld’s Delhi-based assistant editor, Neeta Lal persistently chased slippery educrats for data and statements of intent to compile a mid-term appraisal of the belatedly ambitious Sarva Shiksha Abhiyaan (Education For All) programme which guarantees elementary education to all children between six-14 years of age by the year 2010.

Lead features apart, there is a smorgasbord of our usual and incrementally response-generating comment columns and news reports. We are always pleased to receive readers’ views on issues raised in EducationWorld. So please don’t hesitate to write.

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