Bharat Shiksha Kosh

 

NATIONAL POLICY ON EDUCATION

Educational policy and progress have been reviewed in the light of the goal of national development and priorities set from time to time. In its Resolution on the National Policy on Education in 1968, an emphasis on quality improvement and a planned, more equitable expansion of educational facilities and the need to focus on the education of girls was stressed.

About a decade ago and a half later, the National Policy on Education (NPE-1986) was formulated which was further updated in 1992. The NPE 1986 provides for a comprehensive policy framework for the development of education upto the end of the century and a Plan of Action (POA) 1992, assigning specific responsibilities for organizing, implementing and financing its proposals.

POLICY FRAMEWORK

India's commitment to the spread of knowledge and freedom of thought among its citizens is reflected in its Constitution. The Directive Principle contained in Article 45 enjoins that " the State shall endeavour to provide within a period of ten years from the commencement of this Constitution, for free and compulsory education for all children until they complete the age of fourteen years". Article 29 (i) provides that any citizen having a distinct language, script, special care of the economic and educational interests of the underprivileged sections, particularly, the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes is laid down as an obligation of the State under article 46.

Though education is in the concurrent list of the Constitution, the State Governments play a very major role in the development of education particularly in the primary and the secondary education sectors.

Structure and Progress of Education in India

The focus in on the broad dimensions and magnitude of the structure, organisation and progress in education. Further it also highlights growth and priority areas in education in India that point to the challenges of the future. There are about 888 thousands educational institutions in the country with an enrolment of about 179 millions. Elementary Education System in India is the second largest in the World with 149.4 millions children of 6-14 years enrolled and 2.9 million teachers. This is about 82% of the children in the age group.

Structure of School Education

A uniform structure of school education, the 10+2 system has been adopted by all the States and Union Territories of India. However, within the States and the UTs, there remains variations in the number of classes constituting the Primary, Upper Primary, High and Higher Secondary school stages, age for admission to class I, medium of instruction, public examinations, teaching of Hindi and English, number of working days in a year, academic session, vacation periods, fee structure, compulsory education etc. 

STAGES OF SCHOOL EDUCATION IN INDIA

A.The Primary Stage consists of Classes I-V, i.e., of five years duration, in 20 States/UTs namely Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Bihar, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh, Manipur, Orissa, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Chandigarh, Delhi and Karaikal and Yanam regions of Pondicherry.  The primary stage consists of classes I-IV in Assam, Goa, Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Daman & Diu, Lakshadweep and Mahe region of Pondicherry

B. The Middle Stage of education comprises Classes VI-VIII in as many as 18 States.Uts viz., Arunachal Pradesh, Bihar, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh, Manipur, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Chandigarh, Delhi and Karaikal region of Pondicherry; Classes V-VII in Assam, Goa, Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Daman & Diu, Lakshadweep and Mahe region of Pondicherry and Classes VI-VII in Andhra Pradesh, Orissa and Yanam region of Pondicherry. In Nagaland Classes V – VIII constitute the upper primary stage.

C. The Secondary Stage consists of Classes IX-X in 19 States/UTs. Viz., Arunachal Pradesh, Bihar, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh, Manipur, Nagaland, Punjab, Rajasthan , Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Chandigarh, Delhi and Karaikal region of Pondicherry.  The High School stage comprises classes VIII to X in 13 States/UTs viz., Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Goa, Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Orissa, Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Daman & Diu, Lakshadweep and Mahe & Yanam regions of Pondicherry.  However, the Higher Secondary / Senior Secondary stage of school comprising classes XI-XII (10+2 pattern) is available in all the States/UTs though in some States/UTs these classes are attached to Universities/Colleges.

AGE RESTRICTION FOR ADMISSION

The minimum age for admission to class I of the Primary School stage is generally 5+ or 6+ years.  In 22 States/UTs the minimum age for admission to Class I is 5+ years and in 7 States/UTs the minimum age for admission is 6+ years. There is no age restriction in the case of Mizoram.  In Gujarat, the minimum age for admission is 5+ years (voluntary) and 6+ years (compulsory).  In Lakshadweep, the minimum age for admission is 5 ½ years. 

MEDIUM OF INSTRUCTION

Mother tongue or regional language is the medium of instruction at the primary stage of education in most of the States/UTs.Facilities for studying in a medium other than regional language vary considerable in different States and Union Territories.

TEACHING OF HINDI

Apart from Hindi speaking States, teaching of Hindi is compulsory in most of the non-Hindi speaking States/UTs, though the classes from which the teaching of Hindi is compulsory differ from State to State.  Teaching of Hindi is not compulsory in the States of Tamil Nadu, Tripura and Karaikal region of Pondicherry.  

TEACHING OF ENGLISH    

Teaching of English is compulsory in all the States/UTs, except Bihar.  However, the classes in which teaching of English is compulsory differs from State to State.  In general, it is compulsory in Classes VI-X in most of the States/UTs. 

PUBLIC EXAMINATIONS

In all the States/UTs Public Examinations are conducted at the end of X an XII Classes by the respective State Boards of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education.  The minimum age for the Secondary School Examination varies from 14+ to 16+ years in Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Gujarat, Jammu & Kashmir, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Manipur, Orissa, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, West Bengal, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Delhi, Lakshadweep and Pondicherry.  In Mizoram, the minimum age for secondary school examination is 13+ years.  Other States/UTs either do not have age restriction or have not prescribed any age restriction.  The minimum age for higher Secondary School Examination varies from 16+ to 18+ years in Arunachal Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Jammu & Kashmir, Kerala, Maharashtra, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Delhi, Lakshadweep and Pondicherry. In other States/UTs, either there is no age restriction prescribed or if it exists, it has not been indicated.  In some of the States/UTs, the first Public Examination is also conducted  at the Middle stage of School Education.  

NUMBER OF WORKING DAYS

The number of working days of School Education in a year is generally more than 200 days in all the States/UTs.  

ACADEMIC SESSION

The academic session begins from different months of the year in the different States and Union Territories.  However, in most of the States, the long vacation periods are availed in the summer season while in some of the hilly States, these fall in the winter months.  

COMPULSORY EDUCATION

Compulsory education has been enforced in four States and Union Territories at the primary stage of education while in eight States/UTs there is compulsory education covering the entire elementary stage of education.  As many as 20 States/UTs have not introduced any   measure of compulsion upto the year 1997-98. 

FREE EDUCATION

A majority of States and Union Territories have introduced free education in Classes I-XII of their schools.  

TUTION FEES PER ANNUM PER CHILD IN GOVT SCHOOLS

In the States/UTs where education is not free for classes IX and above, the annual fee varies considerably from the highest level of Rs. 360/- for classes XI and XII in the case of Meghalaya to the lowest at Rs. 48/- in the case of Assam. 

Financing of Education

From 1968 onwards, goal has been to set apart 6% of National Income on education. In spite of resource constraints as well as competing priorities, the Budgetary expenditure on education by Centre & States as percentage of Gross National Product has steadily increased from 0.8% in 1951-52 to 3.3% in 1994-95.

Para 11.4 of NPE, 1986 states "that the investment on education be gradually increased to reach a level of 6% of the National Income as early as possible. Since the actual level of investment has remained far short of that target, it is important that greater determination is shown now to find the funds for the programmes laid down in this policy. While actual requirements will be computed from time to time on the basis of monitoring and review, the outlay on education will be stepped up to ensure that during the 8th Five year Plan and onwards it will uniformly exceed 6% of the national income". The total budgetary expenditure on Education by the Education Departments of the Centre and States has increased from Rs. 644.6 millions in 1951-52 to Rs. 300,000millions in 1995-96. In terms of its share in total budgetary expenditure, it has increased from 7.9% in 1951-52 to 11.1% in 1995-96.

There are, at present 130 plan schemes in the Department with a total Eighth Plan outlay of Rs. 74430 Millions. The total plan outlay of the Department for the year 1996-97 is Rs. 33827 millions. There are 18 Centrally Sponsored Schemes which account for 65.7% of the total plan outlay. Mid-Day-Meal Scheme is the major Centrally Sponsored Scheme with 1996-97 outlay of Rs.14,000 millions. Other major Centrally Sponsored Schemes are Operation Blackboard, Non-formal Education, Teacher Education, Post Literacy and Continuing Education and Vocational Education with 1996-97 Outlay of Rs. 2790 millions, Rs. 1582.5 millions, Rs. 1170 millions, Rs. 755 millions and Rs. 820 millions respectively.

Structure of Education in India Chart
Enrolment Upto Primary & Upper Primary Level Chart
Gross Enrolment Ratio Chart

 

No. V.11014/20/2002-CDN

Government of India
Ministry of Human Resource Development
Department of Secondary & Higher Education

***

                                                               New Delhi ,  the 6  March, 2003        

          In partial modification to this Ministry’s Order of even number dated the 26th February, 2003 regarding Constitution of a Task Force to consider various issues effecting the student community, it is informed that the name of the Chairman of the Task Force may be read as Shri Anand Sarup instead of Shri Anand Swarup.

To

1. All Members of the Task Force.

2. All Bureau Heads  

3. PS to HRM  

4. Sr. PPS to Secy(S&HE)/ Secy(EE&L)  

5. All officers/ Sections   

6. PAO(Edn.)  

7. Cash  

8. IFD  

No. V.11014/20/2002-CDN

Government of India
Ministry of Human Resource Development
Department of Secondary & Higher Education

***

  New Delhi ,  the 26th  February, 2003        

ORDER

          The Government of India has been receiving representations submitted by different organizations/students communities/unions/forums etc. in the country from time to time raising various issues relating to improvements in the education sector.  The Government has been considering these issues for quite sometime. It has, now, been decided to constitute a Task Force to deliberate upon these issues and submit its report to the Government within a period of six months.  The constitution of the Task Force shall be as follows:-

1. Shri Anand Swarup                     -        Chairman
   Former Secretary (Education)  
   Government of India
    

2. Dr. Arun Nigavekar                     -        Member
   Chairman, UGC  
    

3. Prof. R. Natarajan                       -        Member
   Chairman, AICTE  
    

4. Dr. K. Harinarayana                    -        Member 
   Vice-Chancellor  
   Hyderabad University
    

5. Prof. Rupa B. Shah                     -        Member
   Vice-Chancellor
   SNDT University , Mumbai
    

6. Shri G. Nancharaiah                    -        Member
   Vice-Chancellor  
   Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar
   University, Lucknow  
    

7. Dr. D.S. Chauhan                       -        Member  
   Vice-Chancellor  
   UP Technical University
   Lucknow  
    

8. Shri Ashok Ganguly                    -        Member  
   Chairman, CBSE  
    

9. Prof. P.V. Krishna Bhat                -        Member  
   Executive Committee Member  
   Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts  
    

10. Shri C. Balakrishnan                              Member Secretary
    Joint Secretary(Planning)  
    Department of Secondary & Higher Education
    Ministry of Human Resource Development

2.       The Task Force will examine various issues affecting the student community including the following:-
 

i.          Commercialization of education and ways of curbing the same through measures like rationalization of fee structure in various courses in the country;

ii.         Impact of inflation on recipients of scholarships and possibility of linking scholarships to the price index;

iii.         Grant of exemption from income tax for all endowments given for the purpose of education;

iv.         To instil moral and physical strength and discipline by making social service works and military training compulsory part of education;

v.          Dovetailing the education curriculum to  the National culture, needs and aspirations;

vi.         Establishing Women Universities and Women Hostels in each district;

vii.         Improvement in the conditions of hostels for SC & ST students; and

viii.        Expansion of Professional Education.

3.       The Task Force will examine the above mentioned issues and submit its recommendations to the Government within six months from the date of issue of this order.

4.       The Members of the Task Force will not be entitled for any remuneration.  However, non-official Members will be entitled for TA/DA as per rules of Govt. of India as amended from time to time.

5.       The Head Quarter of the Task Force will be New Delhi .

6.       This issues with the concurrence of Integrated Finance Division vide their Dy. No. 1731/FA dated 24th February, 2003 .    

Sd/-

(V.S.PANDEY)
Joint Secretary to the Govt. of India

To  

1. All Members of the Task Force.  

2. All Bureau Heads  

3. PS to HRM  

4. Sr. PPS to Secy(S&HE)/ Secy(EE&L)  

5. All officers/ Sections

6. PAO(Edn.)  

7. Cash  

8. IFD

A FEW TALKING POINTS

COMMERCIALISATION OF EDUCATION :  CONSEQUENCES & CURES

A.       What is Commercialisation Of Education?

Does it mean that?

1.   When a person’s chances of enrolment in a quality educational institution depends upon how much cash he or she can put up.

2.   When fees for attending educational institutions rise to a level beyond the capacity of families in the middle-income group.

3.   When the cost of education precludes the participation of persons belonging to the disadvantaged sections of society whose hope for breaking out of the mould of social or economic inferiority lies in self-improvement and upliftment through education.

4.   When processes of enrolment in education lead to the segregation of the rich and the poor.

5.   When education, as an undertaking, becomes so profitable that it starts attracting entrepreneurs interested mainly making money, with no commitment to the ideals and objectives germane to the development of functionally empowered and self-sustaining individuals capable of facing the challenges of unanticipated problems and situations.

6.   When, for permission for setting up facilities for education, it becomes customary to pay substantial sums for the privilege of permission.

7.   When providing education becomes a mechanism in the hands of the more affluent societies for drawing talented children away from the social and economic responsibilities arising from the area, region or country of their birth.

B.        What is The Logic For Intervening With State Policies To Put A Stop To Commercialisation?

C.        If  The Institutions Established By Commercially Oriented Private Entrepreneurs Are To Be Discouraged, How Will The Gap Created By the Closure Of Commercial Institutions Or The Hiatus Created By The Exclusion Of Such Entrepreneurs From The Educational Field Be Made Up Be State Or Other Non-Commercial Enterprises?

D.        In This Age of Globalisation And Aggressive Foreign Enterprises Backed By Powerful Foreign Powers, How Will The State Control The Entry Of High Cost Institutions Offering Foreign Degrees Generally Favoured By Aspirants Trying Desperately To Go And Work Abroad?

ESTABLISHING WOMEN’S UNIVERSITIES IN EVERY DISTRICT

1.   What has been the performance of Women’s universities so far?  Have these been evaluated on the basis of cost-benefit analysis and also qualitatively by some independent and objective agencies?

2.   Considering the fact that there is strong feeling against women being given an education different in content from that imparted to men, why should there be separate Universities for Women with inevitably limited subjects and resources?

3.   Would it not be more effective to;

• egislate that all educational institution and courses shall be open to women; and
  

• encourage women’s participation by :
  

• augmenting resources of institutions on the basis of admissions offered to women candidates;
  

• establishing a large number of Women’s Hostels in more and more colleges and universities to reduce disparities between men and women, with liberal provision of scholarships for girl students?
  

IMPROVING THE CONDITION OF HOSTELS FOR S.C & S.T

1.   Do we have authentic information about the conditions of hostels for S.C & S.T in different states and different locations?

2.    What are the inadequacies identified and what factors have created these in different locations?

3.    Do we have anywhere a prototype for a really “good” hostel for S.C & S.T?

4.   Many sociologists and educationists are of the view that having separate hostels for S.C & S.T is unhealthy as it engenders ghettoisation of the environments of these establishments.  Has this idea been considered in the context of creating and developing hostel facilities for S.C & S.T?

5.   What order of resources have been invested by various states and the central governments during the for catering to the residential needs of S.C & S.T scholars in various universities offering different courses?

6.   Has a study been made of the aggregate accommodation which needs to be provided to S.C & S.T scholars in different states and different universities and institutions?

MORAL & PHYSICAL STRENGTH THROUGH SOCIAL SERVICE WORKS & MILITARY SERVICE/TRAINING

1.   How will the nature, location, auspices and duration of Social and Military service be decided?

2.   How many countries have either introduced or withdrawn compulsory Military Service during the last half of the 20th Century?  What were the reasons assigned for the change in ongoing polices?  Has there been any assessment of the effect of the changes in policies?

3.   Would the compulsory Military or Social Service be applicable equally to all sections of society?

4.   What would be the functional content of Military Service?

5.   What would be the functional content of Social Service?

6.   Would the government allow compulsory Social Service to be managed by voluntary organizations within the broad framework developed by them in consultation of the governments?

7.   Would compulsory Social and Military service be either/or propositions?

8.   Can be idea of imparting Moral Strength be concretized and presented within a quantitative and qualitative framework?

9.   How would the apprehensions about the use of Compulsory “Service” for introducing a measure of regimentation be removed?

10.  What is the Unit Cost of providing for Military Service of the kind being organized at present for University/ College students?  Has an exercise be undertaken to determine as to what would be the logistics and the costs of providing facilities for Military service and Social service to an additional 5/10 Million Young Men and Women?

11.  Will the Military Service or Social Service be organized under the auspices of the MHRD?

EXPENSION OF PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION

1.   Professional Education is an omnibus term.  It can encompass Degree,  Diploma or Certificate courses offered not only by universities and “recognized” institutions, but also programmes or courses for training organized by employers such as Banks, Insurance Companies and many others organizations.  Today, a wide variety of training programmes are being run by every one of the All India and Central Services as well as the State Services.

2.   When we are looking at the “universe”  of Professional Education, we cannot ignore the large number of enterprises in the realm of Training Industry.  Some of these, such as NIIT or APTECH, have played a major role in operationalising the use of computers and imparting training in, marketing, financial management to create competence in the competitive scenario ushered in by globalisation.

3.   While considering the expansion of professional education, it is equally necessary to look at the qualitative aspect of the large number of training institutions which have mushroomed all over the country over the last decade and a half, now obtaining “recognition” by fair means or foul from all sorts of universities?

4.   While the government has created a mechanism for quality assessment and accreditation has been created for Universities and autonomous colleges, shouldn’t some steps be taken to encourage the establishment, by promoting initiatives for the creation of similar but Autonomous mechanisms by the entrepreneurs offering training in professional courses by entrepreneurs in the Training Industry?

5.   There is great difference of opinion regarding the performance and quality of Vocational course at the Pre-matriculation level?  Is it not necessary to get an evaluation agency to look into the working of the Pre-matriculation level of Vocationalisation before deciding on expansion of  vocational /professional education at this level?

6.   Courses were started for Vocationalisation of Undergraduate Education some years back.  It has been stated by many that these have been taken up by Colleges and Universities largely because of the funding provided for these by the University Grants Commission.

7.   It has also been stated that the Model of Vocationalisation taken up by the UGC without providing for substantial funds for additional faculty, space, infrastructure and funds ahs created neither an employable Corps for vocational work nor has it encouraged the establishment of professional postgraduate courses for enabling the graduates to enhance their capabilities and employability.  Have the programmes for undergraduate vocationalisation been evaluated by experts agencies with the participation of representatives of industry, commercial enterprises?

8.   Who can give the most reliable advice about the variety, types and depth of Degree, Diploma and Certificate Professional Courses to follow or to be offered in conjunction with different stages of education?

9.   Have any mechanisms been created for seeking advice form inter-acting on a continuous basis, in connection with planning and evaluation of professional and Vocational education, with District, State or National Level Chambers or associations of Industry and Commerce?