EVOLUTION OF POLICY
 

It will be seen that the Constitution of independent India made new demands on the education system of the country. Broadly speaking, the first and the foremost educational demand was that of universal elementary education.Another important demand was to provide equal opportunity to all the people emanating from India's decision to become a democratic republic.

Thus a major task before the country was to reorient the system of education so as to adjust it to the changing needs and aspirations of the people. Consequently the post-independence period was marked by the examination of our education system by several commissions and committees.

The most notable among them were three: (i) the University Education Commission (1948-49) appointed 'to report on Indian University Education and suggest improvements and changes'- to suit present and future requirements of the country 1, (ii) the Secondary Education Commission (1952) was set up to examine the prevailing system of secondary education in the country and suggest measures for its reorganisation and improvement 2, and (iii) the Education Commission of 1964-66.

1. The University Education Commission

- wanted Indian higher education to be built on the foundations of Indian history and

- philosophy and so commended the right balance between the life material and the life

- spiritual in its content; emphasised the need for quality teachers and new methods such

- ast utorial system;

- made recommendations in respect of examinations reforms;

- advocated the mother tongue as medium of instruction;

- emphasised the need for oral and religious education;

- expressed concern over the deteriorating standards and recommended raising of the college age, implying and eleven year schooling followed by a three year degree course;

- pleaded for better admission procedures and recruitment of teachers based on merit.

2. The Secondary Education Commission

- defined the scope of secondary education and recommended to make it a terminal stage, as well as a preparation for higher education;

- recommended the addition of a practical bias to the study of theorctical courses;

- argued for the mother tongue as the medium of instruction in the entire school stage;

- recommended dynamic methods of teaching;

- advocate for the introduction of moral and religious education with a view to character building;

- emphasised the need for guidance services in education;

- suggested measures to reform system of examination.

4

The question of evolving a national policy on education in its various aspects had come up before the Parliament time and again and the Members had evinced keen interest in the subject. Moving a resolution in Lok Sabha on May 1, 1964 on 'National Policy on Education', a private member Shri Siddheshwar Prasad charged that it deserved.

He said that education policy of the Government lacked clarity, a definite philosophy and uniformity. He desired a Committee comprising members of Parliament be set up to go into the question of a national policy on education in all its aspect. The idea for formulating a national policy on education was also supported by other members.

Intervening in the debate, the then Minister of Education (Shri M.C. Chagla) agreed that there should be a national and coordinated policy on education. He announced that the Government had decided to appoint a National Commission comprising outstanding educationists to go into all the aspects of education in the country. As such, in his view, a Committee of members of Parliament would serve no purpose. He requested the member to withdraw the resolution which was, by leave of the House, withdrawn.4