Co-education is a common word; it means the education of boys and girls both in the same school and college. This is obviously an advantage from the economic point of view since separate institutions and separate staff for those institutions contains twice the expenditure that would be required for running co-educational institutions.
Co-education is not a new thing for us Indians. Firstly, the system leads to economy. Secondly, it gives place to exchange of free ideas between boys and girls and removes inhibitions from which Indian boys and girls suffer. Thirdly, it enlarges the scope of and enthusiasm for competition and gives better results. Besides, the presence of girls among boys in the same schools, colleges, and libraries will result in healthy thinking and any unwanted emphasis by boys or girls on the sexual side of their relationship would give place to a sense of comradeship.
Co-education is a useful system. But the Coeducation is not without its serious drawbacks. Those who oppose co-education, according to them, though the system leads to ‘economy yet the benefits as such are ultimately false. Moreover, giving the same type of education to both boys and girls is equal to going against Nature. Thus, the very idea of co-education is wrong.
Now if we weigh the arguments of both sides we will find truth in both. In India co-education starts at the college level when free mixing between boys and girls is not possible because at this grown up stage they are very much sex-conscious and shyness stands in their way. The result is that boys generally show in the presence of girls artificial manners. Co-education, therefore, if starts right from the primary stage so that by the time students enter college their sole aim comes to be to concentrate on studies rather than on any unwanted interest in sex. Co-education in India in the present circumstance and mental make-up may do more harm than good.