Kothari Commission i.e The Education Commission (1964-66)

The Education Commission (1964-66)

Drawing on Nehru’s Mission and articulating most of his key themes, the Kothari

Commission (1964-66) was set up under the Chairmanship of Dr. D. S. Kothari

to formulate a coherent education policy for India. The Commission was most

comprehensive in nature, it reviewed almost all aspects of the education system

without limiting itself to any one particular aspect, unlike the Commissions that

came before and after it.

Two of the unique features of the Report are:

i) Its comprehensive approach to educational reconstruction; and

ii) Its attempt to project a blueprint of a national system of education for India.

According to the Commission, education was intended to increase productivity,

develop social and national unity, consolidate democracy, modernise the country

and develop social, moral and spiritual values. The crucial role of education in

national development appears in all its vividness throughout in the report,

appropriately titled “Education and National Development”.

The Commission identified the three important facets that would bring about the

desired educational resolution, they are:

· internal transformation so as to relate it to the life needs and aspirations of

the Nation;

· qualitative improvement so that the standards achieved are adequate and

become internationally comparable; and

· expansion of educational facilities broadly on the basis of manpower needs

with emphasis on equalisation of education opportunities.

It suggested the restructuring of education into a uniform pattern of 10+2+3. It

adopted a “manpower approach” to the enrolment issue and declared that the

principal purpose of higher education was to cater to the needs of industrial and

other sectors, even as it acknowledged its role in promoting social transformation.

The Commission sought to reorient educational system to the masses to help

people come into their own. It sought to end the dichotomy between work and

education to make the products good workers as well as educated individuals.

It recommended a minimum of 10 years of common curriculum for building

citizenship in a democracy and for linking the “work of knowledge” with the

“world of work”. In this concept, diversifies courses would be introduced only at

the +2 stage.

Major recommendations of the Commission included emphasis on Science and

Mathematics, introduction of work experience as an integral part of school

curriculum, introduction of common school system, educational structure with 12

years of schooling, free text-books at primary stage, provision of mid-day-meals,

promotion of education of handicapped and special measures for ensuring equality

of educational opportunities (regional, tribal and gender imbalances to be

addressed), establishment of school complexes, neighborhood school, three

language formula etc.

The Commission emphasized the need of alternative channels of education to

eradicate illiteracy and provide adult education. By laying more focus on

Mathematics and Science rather than Social Science or Arts, the Commission

reinforced the notion that India’s development needs are better met by scientists

than social scientists.

For improving the quality of education, the Commission focused on institutional

planning for improving standards nationwide, promotion of new work ethic,

improved teaching and learning materials and methods of teaching and evaluation,

and selective development of schools.

Teacher Status

The Commission emphasized that the most urgent need was to upgrade the

remuneration of teachers substantially, particularly at the school stages. It

recommended that the government should lay down minimum scales of pay for

teachers and assist States and Union territories to adopt equivalent or higher

scales.

Teacher Education

The Commission urged that professional preparation of teachers was the key for

qualitative improvement of education and recommended measures like:

· qualitative improvement in teacher education programmes;

· introduction of new courses for headmasters/teacher educators and

educational administrators; and

· expansion of teacher education institutions and recommendations of the training

facilities.

NEW POLICY ON EDUCATION

National Policy on Education

National Policy on Education 1968, 1986, and also Revised Programme of Action,

1992, was established for preparing the detail roadmap for implementation of the

schemes of education.

National Policy on Education (1968):

Arising out of the recommendations of the Kothari Commission, the National

Policy of 1968 marked a significant step in the history of Independent India. It

aimed to promote national progress, a sense of common citizenship and culture,

and to strengthen national Integration. It laid stress on the need for a radical

reconstruction of the education system to improve its quality at all stages and gave

much greater attention to Science and Technology, the cultivation of moral values

and a closer relation between education and the life of the people.

The NPE-1968 very briefly indicated that strenuous efforts should be made for

the early fulfillment of the Directive Principle under Article 45 of the Constitution

seeking to provide free and compulsory education for all children up to the age

of 14. It suggested that suitable programmes should be developed to reduce the

prevailing ‘wastage’ and ‘stagnation’ in schools and to ensure that every child who

is enrolled in school successfully completes the prescribed course.

The Policy also emphasized enrichment of curricula and improvement of text

books and teaching methods. It advocated the strengthening of Science education

at the school level and stepping up of scholarship schemes for backward sections

of the society.

Though NPE-1968 was a good effort in suggesting ways forward, it could not

be implemented successfully in the absence of a detailed implementation strategy,

assignment of specified responsibility and lack of financial and organisational support.

National Policy on Education (1986):

The Government of India reviewed the prevailing education system in 1985 and

the policy was articulated in the document “Challenge of Education: A Policy

Perspective”. The new education policy was intended to prepare India for the

21st century. The policy emphasized the need for change in the following words

- “Education in India stands at crossroads today, neither normal linear

expansion nor the existing pace and nature of improvement can meet the

needs of the situation.”

The 1986 policy acknowledged the achievement of policy goals set by the 1968

policy, like setting up of a school within a kilometer and adoption of a common

education structure, it, however, stated that increased financial and organisational

support was necessary to address problems of access and quality.

The policy was intended to raise educational standards and increase access to

education. At the same time it would safeguard the values of secularism, socialism

and equality, being promoted since Independence. The government also proposed

to seek financial support from the private sector to complement government

funds. The Central Government also declared that it would accept a wider

responsibility to enforce the national and integrative character of education to

maintain quality and standards. The States, however, retained a significant role

particularly in relation to the curriculum.

NPE 1986 proposed a national system of education based on the accepted

structure of 10+2+3. Regarding the further break-up of the first 10 years, it

suggested an elementary system comprising 5 years of primary and 3 years of

upper primary education followed by 2 years of high school. It suggested that

+2 stage be accepted as part of school education throughout the country. The

national system implied that upto a given level, all students irrespective of caste,

creed, location or sex have access to education of a comparable quality. The

Policy reiterated the need to take effective measures for implementation of common school system recommended in the 1968 Policy.

Setting up of Navodaya Vidyalayas was another landmark in the history of

education in general and elementary education in particular.

There is an emphasis on opportunities of elementary education

for girls and removing the problems in this regard. It has also been suggested that

primary schools be opened in remote areas including ashram or residential schools

in tribal regions. The policy emphasized on inclusion of motor handicapped children in normal schools and arrangement of special schools at district headquarters.

 An issues related to elementary education was proposed that:

Ø Access, Enrollment and Retention of all children upto the age of 14 years in the schools.

Ø Quality improvement of education by improving the school environment, child centered and activity-centered teaching methodology, continuous evaluation through out the year, removal of all kinds of physical punishment, continuing the practice of not failing the students in any class at elementary level and arranging the essential facilities in primary schools.

Ø Arranging non-formal education for children, who left the schools, in between, or are residing at places not having schools.

Ø Regarding teachers and teacher education, the policy suggested that District Institutes of Education and Training (DIET) need to be established with the capability to organise pre-service and in-service courses for elementary school teachers and for non-formal and adult education. It recommended that when DIETs get established, sub-standard institutions should be phased out, selected Secondary Teacher Education Institutes should be upgraded to compliment the work of the State Councils of Educational Research and Training (SCERT). The National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) should be provided the necessary resources and capability to accredit institutions of teacher-education and to provide guidance regarding curricula and methods. Networking arrangements should be created between institutions of teacher education and university departments of education.

Ø The NPE and POA elaborately discussed about the concept of language development and emphasised the adoption of regional languages as the medium of instruction at the university stage. Mother tongue should be the medium of instruction at the school stage.

Recommendations relating to language practice were as follows:

·        three language formula, improvements in the linguistic competencies of students at different stages of education;

·        provision of facilities for the study of English and other foreign languages; and

·        development of Hindi language as a link language etc.

The Programme of Action (PoA) in this Policy proposed Operation Blackboard

to improve the human and physical resources available in primary schools.

The key legacies of the 1986 policy were the promotion of privatisation and the

continued emphasis on secularism and Science. The NPE, 1986 also advocated

developing consciousness about environment. The Policy had some important

features like common school curriculum, minimum levels of learning, value education, role of media and education technology, work experience, emphasis on teaching of Mathematics and Science, Sports and Physical Education and education for international understanding.

The Government constituted a review committee under the chairmanship of

Acharya Rammurthy in 1989 to review the progress and effectiveness of NPE

1986. The Report of Rammurthy Committee put up in 1990 was named  “Towards

an Enlightened and Humane Society”. The Committee recommended

that even the private schools should be converted into common schools to

remove social, economic, regional and gender disparities. It suggested that there

must be some concrete programmes for SCs, Tribes, Women and educationally

backward minorities. It further suggested that there should be adequate funds

to improve the basic structure and quality of primary education. Primary

education must be in mother tongue and the aid to schools providing education

in other medium should be stopped. The recommendation of the Committee

provided a base to develop a new programme of action, the revised Programme

of Action, 1992.

 Revised Programme of Action (1992):

Before considering the suggestions of the Ramamurthy Committee, the Government appointed another committee under the chairmanship of Janardan Reddy in 1992. The report of the Committee provided a base for the modified National Policy on Education and a concrete programme emerged as Programme of Action, 1992 (POA 1992).

The revised programme of action proposed education for equality. It recommended

a more comprehensive Operation Blackboard to enhance its coverage area up to

upper primary level, aim at a minimum of 50 percent female teachers in future

appointments at elementary level, informal education programme for the

educationally deprived and working boys and girls, and computer education to as

many schools as possible. It was also proposed that elementary schools should

be open through out the year.

Policy by running Government in 2018:

Since then several changes have taken place that calls for a revision of the Policy. The Government of India would like to bring out a National Education Policy to meet the changing dynamics of the population’s requirement with regards to quality education, innovation and research, aiming to make India a knowledge superpower by equipping its students with the necessary skills and knowledge and to eliminate the shortage of manpower in science, technology, academics and industry.For the first time, the Government of India is embarking on a time-bound grassroots consultative process, which will enable the Ministry of HRD to reach out to individuals across the country through over 2.75 lakh direct consultations while also taking input from citizens online.

Real situation of Seminar

Whenever I attended seminar found that presenter read their papers and come back to seat. Most of them preapare the paper by the help of internet and apply cut and  paste methods. We should think that really is it good? All of us try to create our innovative ideas and present. We should take help of Internet not only copy. Think beyond Cut and paste.
Most of resource person says that you should become good listener but when their chance to come listen the ideas of presenter they didn't follow. I am sorry to say they wanted to speak a lot but when presenter  wanted to speak they stop. I found Time ratio between resource person and presnter 9:1 for Same paper. Most dangerous thing is that Scholar is not wanted to digest of new ideas of presenter. This Ego should go.
We should think maintain Equality.