India: An education scandal years in the making

The Inside India newsletter by CNBC reports on an ongoing education scandal in India, particularly in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, involving government irregularities, paper leaks, and a surge in perfect scores. The system of cram schools in India has intensified the social gap between those who can afford private education and those reliant on inadequate public schooling. The competitive nature of exams in India has led to widespread cheating, prompting the government to cancel medical school entrance tests due to integrity concerns. Despite efforts to combat cheating, such as imposing prison sentences, the root issue may lie in the country's education quality, as highlighted by India's poor performance in international assessments. The newsletter also touches on the potential of technology, exemplified by Byju's, to revolutionize education in India, although it also poses risks of enabling further cheating. Additionally, the newsletter provides updates on India's power sector investments, a tragic stampede incident, and developments in the stock market.