India's growth in the education sector has been dismal despite its accelerated economic growth, especially since 1980's. Even after sixty five years of independence, India's literacy rate (74%) is well below the world average (84%). Interestingly, India is also on the doorstep of a possible demographic dividend. Average age of India's population is decreasing in an aging world. However, this demographic dividend can well become a demographic disaster if we cannot focus on the needs of higher education in the context of growing economic activities.

Access to high quality education for everybody is extremely important for equity since it provides opportunities for the poor and socially disadvantaged to advance themselves. India has a very well developed higher education sector but its access remains severely constrained. The first problem with the efforts in expanding higher education is the abysmally low enrollment of students in higher secondary education in India (only 23%). Students often dropout from high schools as their families do not see any future in further education or they simply cannot afford the high costs of higher education or there are not enough local high schools. When it comes to undergraduate education, enrollment is even lower (8% among the relevant age group). 

Padakshep-UK is a dream shared by a group of like-minded people which believes that the responsibility to solve some of the grave problems of India's education sector lies with each and everyone of us who has had the good fortune to avail of higher education, and thus the various good opportunities in life. With these beliefs and lots of hope we have taken a small step - Padakshep, in UK, Padakshep-UK.