Kothari Commission Recommendations on Examination, Language and Gender Equality

Back to: Contemporary India and Education-Unit 1

The Kothari Commission was an ad hoc commission formed by the Government of India under the Chairmanship of Daulat Singh Kothari on 14 July 1964 and dissolved on 29 June 1966. He was the chairman of the University Grants Commissions (UGC) when the Kothari Commission was formed. The Commission consisted of twenty members who were experts in the education domain and based out of the UK, USA, Japan, Sweden, and France.

Objectives of the Kothari Commission (1964-66)

The main objectives of the Kothari Commission (1964-66) were as follows:

1. Provision of guidelines and policies for education development in India.
2. Evolution and finding of a general education pattern in India.
3. Examination of every aspect and domain of the Indian education system.

Kothari Commission Recommendations on Examination

The Kothari Commission aimed to improve the validity or reliability of examinations. It suggested that evaluation should be made a continuous process that enables learners to improve their achievement level instead of certifying their performance quite at a given movement of time.

Kothari Commission Recommendations on Language

The Kothari Commission put forward the following recommendations for language:

1. Regional Languages: The Commission emphasized the importance of Indian languages and literature. It is necessary for cultural and educational development and hence, regional languages must be used in educational institutions.
2. Three-language Formula: The Commission recommended the use of the three-language formula which includes the use of Hindi, English, and the mother tongue of the learners.
3. Sanskrit: The study of Sanskrit must be included in the curriculum to foster the growth and development of Indian languages.
4. Hindi: The growth and promotion of Hindi should be implemented by all educational institutions to serve as a medium of expression.
5. International Languages: The study of English and other international languages just be stressed to increase the world knowledge of learners.

Kothari Commission Recommendations on Gender Equality

The Commission recommended gender equality in education by stating that girls should receive education, not just for social justice but to accelerate social transformation. It places special encouragement for girls and learners belonging to backward classes by the free supply of learning materials and resources at the primary stage.

These were the recommendations placed by the Kothari Commission for examination, language, and gender equality.