APPENDIX L :
ESTABLISHMENT OF A SEPARATE
 ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON BASIC
 EDUCATION AS A STANDING
 COMMITTEE OF THE CENTRAL
 ADVISORY BOARD OF EDUCATION.
 

In 1938, the Central Advisory Board of Education had recommended that the national system of mass education in India should be organised on the lines of Basic education. On their recommendation the Basic pattern has since been accepted both by the Government of India and the State Governments. But although the main lines laid down by the Zakir Hussain Committee were generally approved by the Board, the precise connotation of Basic education was difficult to define and there have been. some differences of opinion in regard to emphasis and details. As a result, the progress of Basic education in different States has been very unequal both qualitatively and quantatively.

It is, therefore, desirable to appoint a small standing committee on Basic education which can study the problems in the field in detail and help the Ministry as well as the State Governments to devise ways and means by which the spread of Basic education throughout India on sound lines may be facilitated. The Central Advisory Board of Education is no doubt there to give advice to the Governments on all. matters of educational policy and organisation, but it cannot do so very well, because of its size and the time at its disposal, examine in detail. the various technical issues connected with particular aspects or stages of education. The appointment

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of the above Committee, in the circumstances, would be helpful to all State Governments as well as to the Government of India.

The proposed committee may have members of the Central Advisory Board of Education as well as outsiders who are well experienced in Basic education. They may be nominated by the Chairman or coopted, by the Committee. The Committee would meet as frequently as may be necessary and not merely once a year before the Central Advisory Board of Education meeting. It will consist of the following members :

        
        (a) Chairman        (c) Five members of the Central Advisory
                             Board of Education.
        
        (b) Secretary       (d) Five members from outside, with special 
                             knowledge and experience in the field of 
                             Basic education.
        
                                          

The functions of the proposed Committee may be the following:

(a) To advise the Ministry in the planning of the policy for the development of Basic education.

(b) To examine the work done in this field by the Centre and State Governments and to suggest ways and means for promoting further development.

(c) To examine the problems of Basic education with special reference to the following points:

(i) Development of correlated techniques of teaching.

(ii) The productive aspect.

(iii) Preparation of suitable materials and aids.

(iv) Integration of Basic with Secondary and University education.

(v) Impact of Basic education on the life of the community.

(vi) Any other issue connected with Basic education.

So far as problems of Secondary education are concerned, they will be dealt with by a similar committee on Secondary education, consisting of five members of the Central Advisory Board of Education and five members from outside with special knowledge and experience in the field of Secondary education. This committee will be specially concerned with problems pertaining to the reorganisation of Secondary education. The Chairman has already appointed an Implementation Committee for the proposals of the Secondary Education Commission. It has some members of the

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Board and some outside members and it is proposed that this Committee with such changes as the Chairman of the Board may like to make, should serve as the Committee on Secondary education.

The net result of this proposal will be that instead of having one Standing Committee dealing with Basic, Social and Secondary education there will be two committees, one dealing with Basic and Social education, and the other with Secondary education.