Social Economics of India

Understanding the social institutions of a country that houses 1.2 billion people is important when performing an analysis of the culture. The social institutions influence majority of the culture although each region of India may have a different twist. In India, understanding the family, political system, legal system, education system and business practices are important when learning about the culture of the country.

Most Indian families live traditionally as joint families. Within the joint family a bloodline of brothers live together with their wives and children. It is also common for the brothers and their families to be accompanied by their parents. This grouping environment allows everyone to engage in daily activities together such as prayer, dinning, cleaning and socializing. The close kinship of Indian families is not always shared under the same roof. Another common form of joint families exists in the same plot of land or neighborhood but remains in close proximity. When a family extends or a brother gets married it is common for them to split up the joint family and create another one right next door. Although it is not popular, nuclear families do exist that consist for the parents accompanied by their children. This close kinship shows the devotion and loyalty Indians have to their families. It is embedded in their culture that the family is the most important because they are the people whom you live with and socialize with everyday in a close knit environment.

The 2009 Right to Education act granted free public school education to every child ages 6-14. The education system in India is set up very similar to a lot of western nations. The preschool, private, and kindergarten levels are optional for parents to provide and encourage in the household. Primary education is the equivalent of first to fifth grade and provided free of charge from the state. The next tiers in the Indian Education system are middle school, secondary school and ending with pre-university. There are many private English schools in India that have a competitive admission process. Indian schools are heavily centered on academics and stray away from creative thinking, individualism, and independence. There are many types of schools available to send children too. Most schools are funded by the state, these public schools have various problems due to lack of findings that create more problems. Private and international schools are among the most popular and competitive to attend. National open schools are also available to provide education to students who have been unable to complete the traditional education system. There are also schools available for special needs students. According to the Indian Census website, the literacy rate or 2011 for male and female respectively are 82.14% and 65.46%. The overall national literacy rate was at 74.04. According to the statistics and emphasis on education it is safe to conclude that the men in