Indian education system has made great strides since independence. Its scenario is far different than what it used to be decades back. India has come a long way in terms of literacy rates with an augmenting number of institutions and universities. Indian education system now meets global standards.
|| Vivek K Singh
In the year 1951, the literacy rate was only 18%. It rose to 64.8% in 2001 and has been rising since then. Presently India’s higher education system is the largest in the world, educating more than 70 million students in less than 2 decades.
Earlier, education in India was exclusive to the elites but now it is easily accessible to a large segment of the society. Several education committees were set up by the government in order to address the challenges in the education system and draft policies to bring out the changes.
I am listing down the two education system committees that were setup by the Central Advisory Board of India to improve the education system :
The University Education Committee (1948)
The University Education Committee was the first most important education committee of independent India. It was formed in 1948 under the chairmanship of Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan. The goal was to establish universities that provide knowledge and wisdom that will help in the overall development of a student.
The Committee of the Midget (1952-53)
In the development of secondary education in independent India, the recommendations of the Mudaliar Committee occupy a very prominent place. This committee was also known as the secondary education commission. It was under the leadership of Dr. A Laxman Swami Mudaliar. The goal of this committee was to scrutinize the existing secondary education system and advocate measures to improve it.
Kothari Committee (1964-66)
The Mudaliar Committee followed the assignation of the education commission of India headed by D. Kothari, famously known as the Kothari Committee. This committee used to deal with all aspects of education and advise the government on the development of the education system in India.
Education policies in India
National Education Policy- I (1968)
This policy was one of the most important developments in the improvement of the Indian education sector. It was released on the basis of recommendations of the Kothari Commission. It also had a National School System, in which all the students irrespective of their caste, creed and sex got an access to education.
Further, it contemplated a common education structure (10+2+3) which was accepted throughout the nation. It also focussed on national harmony and integration. Regional languages in secondary schools were encouraged in order to establish an effective relationship between pupils and teachers.
However, NEP- I was not very successful. There were several reasons behind this including: improper implementation, shortage of funds, little power to centre, etc.
National Education Policy (1986)
This policy was issued under the tenure of Rajiv Gandhi as PM of India and it was updated in 1992 under the tenure of PV Narsimha Rao. It focussed on modernisation and implementation of IT in education. More attention was paid to reconstruction of teacher’s education, early childhood care, adult literacy and women empowerment.
NEP 1986 performed better than NEP 1968. There were many reasons behind its success : firstly, this policy came soon after the 42nd amendment of 1976. As per this amendment, five subjects including Education were transferred from state to concurrent list. Secondly, the centre got the power to introduce and implement a number of programmes in line with this policy. Most of the classic government schemes were started under NEP 1986, such as the Mid Day Meal Scheme, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, Kendriya Vidyalaya, Navodaya Vidyalaya and the use of IT in education.
New Education Policy 2020
The new education policy 2020 is a significant shift from the 1986 policy. It was approved under the chairmanship of Mr. Narendra Modi on 29 July, 2020. It is the very first education policy of the 21st century that replaces thirty-four year NPE. It pitches for a “5+3+3+4” structure corresponding to the age groups 3-8 years (foundational stage), 8-11 (preparatory stage), 11-14 (middle stage) and 14-18 (secondary stage). It brings early childhood education under the scope of formal schooling. Also, the students should be taught in regional language/mother tongue till class 5.
This policy aims to universalize education from pre-school to secondary level with 100% Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) in school education. Several initiatives have been launched under the NEP 2020, including first year engineering programmes in regional languages, academic bank of credit (providing multiple entry and exits for students pursuing higher education), and guidelines for internationalization of higher education.
Increased Literacy Rate
With the successful implementation of NEPs, India achieved the highest literacy rate of 15.5% in 1991. The number of student enrollments in colleges and universities increased significantly to nearly 4 million in 1990-1991 and the number continued to grow steadily.
After the creation of a series of committees and commissions, India’s education sector has transformed to a great extent.
Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (2001) was launched to provide education for children aged 6-14 years. The government of India allocated a great amount of money to train youngsters for jobs and strengthen skills in India. In the year 2017-2018, more than 4,000 postgraduate medical courses were added to medical colleges.
Right to Education Act (RTE)
The Right to Early Childhood Education Act and the Right to Education Act (RTE) are the two rules that describe the importance of free and compulsory education under Article 21 of the Constitution of India. India is among one of the 135 countries in the world to make education a basic right of every child.
Many other initiatives have been taken by the government to stimulate the growth of the education system in India. The education sector has experienced several series and reforms. Keeping in view the fact that human resource plays a prominent role in the overall development of a country, the educational reforms will do wonders for the betterment of the nation.
(Writer Vivek K Singh is Co-founder and CEO, of Careerera)
