Milestones / History of Education Policy in India

1. History of Education Policy in India
- milestones

2. Kothari
Commission
(1964 -66)
Key objectives:
1. To conduct a detailed
study of the
education system
with a special
emphasis on quality
2. To emphasizes the
role of people in
national development
3. To recommend an
integrated approach
to educational
development leading
to a comprehensive
educational policy for
India
Goals of Education recommended by the
commission:
1. To increase productivity- include
science as a basic component
education & SUPW in curriculum;
vocational education, improve
research in science & technology
2. To accelerate modernization- adopt
new methods of teaching, build skills
& inculcate values, universalise
education, build universities of
excellence
3. To promote social & national
integration- introduce common
school system, develop modern
Indian languages, enrich Hindi,
promote community living of
students
4. To inculcate national values-
introduce moral, social & spiritual
values, religions of the world in
syllabus, promote group meditation
of students, present high ideas of
social justice & social service
Unique feature:
The 17 member
commission
included 5 foreign
national
educationists- one
each Untied
Kingdom, United
States, France,
Japan and Russia

3. The 42nd
Constitutional
Amendment (1976)
Amendment:
Education, which was
originally in the State List
of subjects of legislation,
was transferred to the
Concurrent List through
this amendment
Implications as interpreted in subsequent
policies:
Greater role for the union government in-
1. Reinforcing the national & integrative
character of education
2. Maintaining quality & standards
including those of teachers at all
levels
3. Promoting excellence at all levels of
the educational pyramid throughout
the country by catering to the needs
of manpower development research
& advanced study, international
aspects of education and cultural
development

4. National Policy on
Education (NPE)
(1986)
Salient features:
1. National system of education
2. Education for equality
3. Promotion of adult education
4. Elementary education and
operation black board
5. Pace setting (Navodaya
Vidyalayas)
6. Vocationalisation
7. Raising the status of the teacher
8. Accountability in education
Implications as interpreted in subsequent
policies:
Greater role for the union government in-
1. Reinforcing the national &
integrative character of education
2. Maintaining quality & standards
including those of teachers at all
levels
3. Promoting excellence at all levels of
the educational pyramid throughout
the country by catering to the needs
of manpower development research
& advanced study, international
aspects of education and cultural
developmentGo to NPE document

5. The 86th
Constitutional
Amendment (2002)
Amendment:
Right to education added
to Chapter 3 of the
Constitution (Article 21)
Implication of the amendment:
As a fundamental right, right to education
became enforceable.

6. Right To Education
Act (RTE) (2009)
Key features:
1. Free and compulsory
education (6 to 14 age
group)
2. No detention till
completion
of elementary
education
3. Limit on pupil teacher
ratio
4. Will apply to all of India
except Jammu and
Kashmir
Key features continued:
5. 25 percent reservation for
economically disadvantaged
communities in private schools
6. Professional qualification of all
Teachers in 5 years
7. Minimum infrastructure criteria for all
schools that require recognition
Go to RTE documents