Emerging Trends in the Interface Between National System of Education

Back to: Contemporary India and Education – Unit 3

In the 21st century, many trends have emerged in the Indian education system that has led to crucial changes. With the realization that education is an instrumental tool in the overall development and progress of the nation, education has been universalized and become accessible to all children up to a certain age.

Trends in the National System of Education in India

Many commissions and policies have been established to foster the betterment of education in India some of which are as follows.

The Kothari Commission (1964-66)

The Commission believed that the Indian education system did not prepare learners to take a career path. It focused on the need for education that makes individuals ready for the work front so that they can have a secure career. Hence, it put forward the need for vocational secondary education and extended the coverage of vocational courses.

Mudaliar Commission(1952-53)

The Central Advisory Board of Education recommended the central government appoint a secondary education commission in 1951. On 23rd Sept 1952, the government appointed a secondary education commission under the chairmanship of Dr. Lakshamanswami Mudaliar. He was the Vice-Chancellor of Madras University at that time. The commission is named as Mudaliar Commission after the chairmanship.

National Policy of Education (1986)

During the Budget session in 1986, the Parliament of India discussed and adopted the “National Policy on Education 1986.” This program was supervised by prominent Central and State government educationalists, experts, and senior representatives.

National Knowledge Commission (2007)

The National Knowledge Commission held several workshops across the country to evaluate the quality of education in India. Seeing that some areas needed change and improvement, they sought the intervention of the government in the same to offer adequate learning resources and also enhance the overall quality of the education.

Right to Education (2009)

The Right to Education Act (RTE) is enacted to make the right to education a fundamental right in the country. It marks a watershed in the Indian education system and that is why it is essential legislation. In August 2009, Parliament passed the act and came into force in 2010. Following this, India became one among the 135 countries that have made education a fundamental right of every child.

Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan

Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan is a flagship program started by the government of India in 2001. It was developed to achieve the Universalisation of Elementary Education (UEE). The provision of legal backing for SSA occurred when the Indian Constitution under Article 21 A, made free and compulsory education for the children in the age group of 6-14 a fundamental right in. In a time-bound manner, SSA aims to fulfill the objectives of this fundamental right. It is anchored by The Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD), Government of India (GoI) and has been operational since 2000-2001.

These are some of the most important policies formulated to improve the quality of education in India and increase its accessibility all across the nation. Their recommendations create a huge impact on the National System of Education in India.