Back to: Sociological Foundations of Education B.ed Notes, M.A Notes, IGNOU Notes

Social Equity and Equality of Educational Opportunity

India is a socialist and democratic nation. The idea of equality is also enshrined in our Constitution. Democracy has also become an intrinsic component of our social and political lives.

According to Dr. S. Radhakrishanan, “Democracy only provides that all men should have equal opportunities for the development of their unequal talents.”

Education is one of the most effective ways for every civilization to achieve its goals, social equality, or at the very least try to make a concerted attempt to decrease social inequities among its constituents. That’s because education encourages social mobility among its participants. It will only be achieved if equitable educational facilities are available to all members of society, regardless of background, sect, gender, location, creed, language, socioeconomic position, or other factors.

What is the concept of equity and equality?

In sectors such as education, health, athletics, and opportunity, there is a prevalent misunderstanding regarding the distinctions between equity and equality. We often confuse the two phrases, supposing that equity and equality are synonymous, but the fact is that they are not.

According to certain sociologists, the terms are defined in several ways:

Martin Bronfenbrenner (1973): “Despite their phonetic similarity and philological connections, they are quite distinct.” The equality of a distribution of income or wealth is basically a matter of fact and is, therefore, basically objective. The equity of the same distribution is basically a matter of ethical judgment and is, therefore, basically subjective.

D. Corson (2001): “The term ‘equality’ basically means the absence of special privileges to any section of society and the provision of adequate opportunities for all individuals without any discrimination.” “The ‘equity’ concept is associated with fairness or justice in the provision of education or other benefits and takes individual circumstances into consideration.”

W. J. Jacob & D. B. Holbenefits singer (2009): “Equality as the state of being equal in terms of quantity, rank, status, value, or degree.” “Equity refers to a strategic approach to ensure the distribution of resources or opportunities, in order to compensate for the uneven distribution of opportunities and resources amongst differently situated groups and individuals in a given context.”

A comprehensive examination of the meanings above reveals that the concept of equity relates to a judicial process and impartiality in which individual needs, objectives, and demands are considered and addressed appropriately. As a result, people are treated equally yet significantly differently depending on their conditions.

How can the terms “equity” and “equality” be defined?

Equity is primarily concerned with achieving equality or reducing the incidence of inequity in society. The term “equity” implies the reasonable and equitable distribution of resources to all people, whereas the term “equality” refers to the distribution of the same resources to everyone.

What is the difference between equity and equality?

Equity refers to a subjective and ethical assessment, whereas equality refers to a more objective assessment.

Equity is a means to an end, whereas equality is the goal.
Equity is a method, and equality is the result of that method. As a result, equity is a criterion that must be met in order to attain equality.
When it comes to equity, disparities are acknowledged, and attempts are made to treat individuals accordingly. Equality, on the other hand, acknowledges similarity and strives to treat everyone equally.

Equity refers to how people are treated in a just and fair manner. Equality is a state or circumstance in which all people are on equal footing.

What is the meaning of “Equality of Educational Opportunity”?

While the idea of “equality” overall and ‘equality of opportunity’ in education, in particular, has a long history, the notion of educational equity is relatively modern. The term “equality” is widely attributed to the French Revolution of 1789, when the motto “liberty, equality, and fraternity” was adopted.

The ideas of democratization and socialism gave the concept of equality a fresh lease on life in the nineteenth century. Socialism emphasizes providing and distributing sufficient opportunities for everyone to continue to develop in accordance with their talents, propensities, and aspirations.

Some of the few explanations of educational opportunity provided by famous educators to obtain an understanding of its meaning are:

C. Seshadri (1976): “Equality of educational opportunity implies provision of differential treatment (in the form of incentives) in favor of the handicapped and underprivileged classes.”
J. P. Naik (1979): “Equality of educational opportunity has several aspects.” “The most important of these is the recognition of the right to education as a human right or as the birthright of every individual irrespective of religion, caste, race, language, color, class or socioeconomic status.”

S. K. Kochhar (1982): “By the concept of equality of opportunity is meant giving an equal chance to every citizen for the development of his or her capacity or ability; and Nothing should be allowed to obstruct one’s path of development. In education, it will mean that special attention is to be given to the underprivileged, the disadvantaged, the scheduled castes, tribal areas, women, and the students from backward classes. ”
V. R. Taneja (2003): “The absence of discrimination and the absence of inequality constitute “equality of educational opportunity.” The concept of equality, however, does not assume that all individuals are basically equal. It is, therefore, desired that each individual should get opportunities according to his innate capabilities. No one should be stopped from “going up the ladder” except if he himself lacks the ability to go up. ”

Using the definitions mentioned, we can now state that equal educational opportunities refer to the provision of education to all citizens based on their abilities, skills, interests, and propensities. Equalization of educational possibilities does not imply that all students receive the same educational program, but rather that they receive varied educational programs based on their skills and abilities, hobbies, and requirements. It does not imply equal opportunity, but rather a method best suited to each student’s talents and ability.

Equality of educational possibilities means that every citizen has an equal opportunity to develop his or her ability or aptitude, and nothing should be permitted to stand in the way of such growth. The impoverished, handicapped, disabled, mothers and other children from weaker sections will receive special attention.