Back to: Contemporary India and Education – Unit 3
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. In 1991, the Central Advisory Board of Education set up a committee under the chairmanship of Shri N. Janadhana Reddy who was the then Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh. The Committee examined some modifications that were required in the NPE according to the report submitted by the Rammurti Committee and also took into account other development areas related to the policy.
In January 1992, the Committee submitted its report known as the National Programme of Action of 1992. Their main aim was to promote a sense of common citizenship and culture, national progress, and to improve national integration. It emphasized the radical reconstruction needs of the education system so that its quality can be improved at all stages. Therefore, it laid more stress on science and technology, the cultivation of moral values and it also aimed to develop a closer relationship between education and real life.
The main objectives of both the National Policy of Education of 1986 and Programme of Action of 1992 were to enable education to play an interventionist and significant role in resolving social and regional imbalance, fostering women empowerment, and securing the right to equality for the disadvantaged and the minority.
The major recommendations made by the Revised National Policy on Education 1992 were as follows:
Equality of Education
The policy demanded equal learning opportunities for all learners. Navodaya schools were set up not only to foster the euscaruon of derived and economically backward students but talented learners as well.
Education For Scheduled Caste
It ensured to provide educational opportunities and benefits to scheduled caste people through various incentives and facilities such as hostels, Scholarships, and more.
Women Education
It demanded that women should be empowered to get literacy and also find employment opportunities through the same.
Education of Scheduled Tribes
It advocated for the facilitation of quality education for scheduled tribes through the establishment of schools and scholarship programs.
Adult Education
The policy also emphasized the provision of adult education for people aged 15-35 years.
The Revised National Policy on Education 1992 made sure that the Indian education system fostered the development of every individual and not just a certain group of people.
