The real problem is the lack of an approach to connect academic subjects with the real-life or occupational contexts of students. The subjects that students study in their UG programme should contribute to their lives and occupations even if they do not pursue higher levels of education.

Barring Sri Lanka and Bhutan, other countries have not been very successful in extending school education to all through pro-active governmental efforts which re needed to overcome the constraining family circumstances of the children that prevent them from using school. This would mean that family and social conditions continue to play an important role in the educational achievements of children in the region.

Nepal is the only country where internal factors and forces of globalisation have not helped in substantially increasing the demand for and use of education on the one hand and the better and more opportunities for educated people on the other hand.

There are thousands of villages like Nagada and Guhiasal in India. Small villages face similar challenges of development. Based on the case study of Nagada and Guhiasal villages of Odisha, we can make some inferences for small villages. The road to economic development requires basic infrastructure, like all-weather roads and physical access to health, education and market.

The traditional community norms in these regions were also strengthened by the versions of Islam which got dominance there, overtime, strengthened the norms against modern education for girls. Instead of a religious issue, it is more of a cultural issue. It may be more correct to say that the traditional values in these localities may have found certain rigid versions of Islam acceptable over time.

Bangladesh is an example where the education-development linkage provided a positive feedback loop which strengthened both spaces even though the country is at a relatively lower level in terms of both education and development. This may have implications on poverty, reduction, economic and human development.

Bhutan is a one case where a desirable equilibrium or mutually beneficial interlinkages between education and development could be achieved. This is despite the fact that modern education started in a major way only about 50 years ago. The internal factors (the absence of caste segregation, and the fact that gender norms did not work against the school education of girls, etc.,) facilitated this process. There are challenges, but these are there in any society and one can hope that the mutually strengthening interlinkages between education and development would enable the country to address these challenges.

Though it is obvious, the possible positive contribution of education towards economic and human development can be seen from the experience of different countries in the South Asian region. A virtuous equilibrium can be seen in Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Bangladesh and the Maldives. On the other hand, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Nepal show a vicious equilibrium marked by social factors disabling education and this impacts and is impacted by economic underdevelopment. 

Historically, there were periods of suppression and exclusion of the Roma people. Even when their children were admitted to schools, they were not fully accepted. Their historical underachievements in education continue to impact the performance of children from these communities, even though government policies have become more enabling for their children.

The cases of Roma people and the Dalits show that specific social groups can remain less educated and underdeveloped for generations. An equilibrium of social discrimination combined with economic deprivation can sustain for a long time as evident not only from the study of these two sections of people but also from that of the Black community in the United States.