INTRODUCTION
 

Education is a crucial input in the socio-economic transformation of traditional economies. The fact had long been realised by the, educational and economic planners in the country; yet education could not be steered to desired direction due to many causes. One of them being the absence of long-term educational policy. Based on Education Commission's (1964-66) recommendations, the existing policy was formulated which enlists 17 areas of thrust as policy parameters. The linkages of education with other socioeconomic sectors had not been spelt out elaborately, nor effective strategy had been worked out in consonance with the stipulated objectives. In the policy formulation, public participation or ensured wider consultations/ debates had not been Invited. But now a strong need has been felt to evolve a suitable education policy that may be responsive to societal needs and aspirations on, the one hand and on the other prepare the available vast human resource for meeting, adequately the challenges of the twenty-first century.

Ever since the assumption of power the new government has demonstrated its concern and commitment for the development of education in the country that may contribute and supplement the total development effort of the society. The new government has initiated various schemes/programmes for making, education as relevant vehicle of mass participation in onward march of the Nation. Social, the most important task it has accomplished is the initiation of a process, through nation-wide debate and consultations, for finalising Education Policy of the country keeping in view existing and emergent national needs for the next 15 years or so. Status report on education titled, "Challenge of Education - Policy Perspective" prepared by the Ministry of Human Resource Development has been widely circulated among professional organisations/individuals and other enlightened members of the society who would like to express themselves on this subject of great importance. The public response has been overwhelming and welcome. The task to analyse all those responses received by the Prime Minister's Office as well as by the Ministry has been enormous. In order to facilitate and expedite content analysis of such responses, NIEPA an apex national institute is lending a helping hand to the Ministry.

This is one of the series of exercises done. by NIEPA to undertake the content analysis attempted of such communications. It contains results of the content analysis attempted in respect of the memoranda

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received from 138 organisations/Professional Bodies, etc. These are give in the following four sections:

i) Aims and objectives of Education

ii) Content and Curriculum

iii) Educational Planning and Management

iv) Resources for Education

It has not been an easy task to summarize views expressed by organisations professing different ideologies and operating in different spheres of social activity. Sometimes, the views expressed by an organisation on a particular subject were quite opposed to the one held by some other organisations. Thus, it was not possible to give a detailed account of each view expressed. Though the extreme views have been mentioned in the text, yet the main thrust has been on the views expressed by majority of respondents. The point may be substantiated by giving the break-up of organisations whose recommendations/views have been the subject of study in hand*.

 
                                                             Number
        
        1.   Communication for Education Organisation          56
        
        2.   Communication from Social/Voluntary Agencies      57
        
        3.   Educational  Professional Bodies (Other than      12
        
        4.   Communication from others                         13
        
                                                              138
        
                                          

Level-wise break-up is as under:

        
        Level Represented by an Organisation                 Number
        
             National                                          34
        
             State                                             42
                                          

        
        *    Complete list of organisation/Associations has been given at
             Annexure to this booklet.
        
             District                                          17
        
             Local                                             22
        
             Not specific                                      23
        
                                                              138
        
                                          

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Contribution of Group Members

The four sections of the document have been contributed by Dr. (Mrs.) Sushma Bhagia, K. Sudha Rao, Shri Chiranjiv Mehta, and Mrs. Nalini Juneja. Shri Chiranjiv Mehta has also written the introduction.