India has been ancient seat of learning and was often visited by travelers who came to India to study in the ancient Indian institutions. Education flourished at Nalanda, Takshashila University, Ujjain and Vikramshila Universities. Infact, the Gurukul system of education is one of the oldest educational institutions in the world. During the British rule in India in the 18th century, education was widespread. English happened to be the medium of instruction for the Western education introduced by the British in India.

A certain handful of the population benefited from this and this gave rise to the western educated middle class intelligentsia who organized the Indian masses in the struggle for freedom. The British established many colleges in India, the St. Xavier`s College, Sydenham College, Wilson College and Elphinstone College in India.

After independence, education became the responsibility of the states. The Indian Education System is generally marks based. There are broadly four stages of school education in India, namely primary, upper primary, secondary and higher secondary (or high schools). The government has taken up the responsibility for ensuring universal elementary education (primary and upper primary) education for all children between the age group of six to fourteen. From class one to five is the primary school from the age group of six to eleven. Upper Primary and Secondary school pupils are aged between eleven to fifteen years organized into classes six to ten. The higher secondary school student ages sixteen to seventeen enrolled in classes eleven and twelve.

Higher education or the university education in India has evolved in distinct and different streams. Most universities are administered by the states, however there are eighteen important universities called Central universities, which are maintained by the Union Government.

Private sector has also come up in the Indian higher education and this is creating greater opportunities for education in India.