INDIAN EDUCATION SYSTEM

Education in India

Education as a fundamental right cannot be denied in any democratic society. It is the duty of the Government to provide for and guarantee this fundamental right. The Indian Government's recent decision to drop the long pending Right to Education Bill (RTE) and pass it on to the State Governments as a model bill, is a completely outrageous decision ignoring not only a fundamental right but also the genuine expectations of each and every citizen.

Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD)

There has been increasing awareness that the people of thecountry should be looled upon as its valuable resources-indeed the most valuable resource-and that our growth process should be based on the integrated development of the citizen, beginning with childhood and going right through life. It is increasingly realized that all relevant Instruments and agencies contributing to or responsible for, this growth should be integrated in order to ensure all-round development. Inpursane of this idea, a new Ministry was created under a suggestive name, Ministry of Human Resource Development, on 26 September,1985, through 174^th Amendment to the Government of India (Allocation of Business) Rules 1961. The currently the Ministry has two

Departments namely:

Department of School Education & Literacy

(a) Elementary Education

(b) Secondary Education

Department of Higher Education

(a) Universities and Higher Education

(b) Technical Education

(d) Languages

(e) Minority Education Elementary Education :

Schemes

Department of Elementary Education and Literacy

	Education Guarantee Scheme (EGS) / Alternative & Innovative Education (AIE)
	Education for Women's Equality
	Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya (KGBV)
	Mid-Day Meal Scheme
	National Program for Education of Girls at Elementary Level (NPEGEL)
	National Foundation for Teachers' Welfare
	Adult Education
	Centrally Sponsored National Means-Cum- Merit Scholarship Scheme
	Centrally Sponsored Scheme "Incentives to Girls for Secondary Education"

Eduation for Women’ Euality

1.Scheme of Assistance of Voluntrry Agencies under Mahila Samakhya

Mahila Samakhya is a women’s empowerment project which not only aims at service delivery but also seeks to bring about a change in women’s perception about themselves and that of society in regard to women’s traditional roles. It endeavours to creat an environment for women to seek knowledge and information in order to make informed choies and creat circumstances in which women can learn at their own pace and rhythm. The centrality of education in the struggle to achieve equality is an important focus on Mahila Samakhya.

A. Object

i. To evolve a modality of planning involving government institutions and voluntary agencies reaching out to the women in villages in a continuous dialogue so that the educative principal in not subordinated to the desire for immediate results.

ii. To adopt anarea intensive approach to integrate the existing efforts to provide formal and non-formal shooling, adult education upgradation of educational qualification through courses and vocational training.

2. Eligibility

Educational institutions, registered socities, public trusts and not profit making companies which are working outside the Project District of Mahila samakhya would be eligible for assistance under the scheme

3. Purpose of Grants

100% assistance for :-

a. Training up well designed fields projects for women’s empowerment and education.

b. Developments of learning material, instructin/learning aids, and other agencies of technical resource development.

c. Training

d. Creation of educational facilities for girls and women’s educationa by taking up experimental /informative progammes.

e. Evaluation and research.

f. Activities for dissemination of the outcome of experimental/innovative programmes and their adopation , including visits to experimental innovative projects, publication and documentation, etc.

Secondary Education

Secondary education is increasingly becoming an area of focus in developing countries, which have thus far concentrated on achieving universal elementary education. This policy note on secondary education in India discusses issues and aspects critical for the development of this subsector. Secondary education, in terms of policy, is a concurrent item in that it is within the purview of both State and Central governments. State level implications and strategies for developing this sub-sector are critical. The Central government involvement in secondary education thus far has been through discrete programs, such as computer and vocational education. The 10th Five-Year Plan (2002-2007) intends a much more strategic role for the Central government in improving secondary education in the country. This policy note supports this national vision and highlights the issues and constraints in implementing this vision. The policy note concludes with a summary of issues and aspects critical for this sub-sector relating to four areas: planning in secondary and higher secondary education; administrative reform; improving the quality of education and financing of secondary education. Here is the list of various schools/ boards for secondary education in India

Institutions

Boards, Councils & Commissions

Boards

Offices

National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC)

Examination Results

Examination Results Portal

Councils

Commissions

Others

General Education Department, Kerala

MIT Accreditation of Computer Courses (DOEACC)

Sakshat - Education Portal, Government of India

State Project Implementation Unit, Higher and Technical Education, Mizoram

State Resource Centre for Non-Formal Education, Chennai

Technical Education and Training Department, West Bengal

Technical Education Department, Haryana

Uttar Pradesh Education for All Project (UPEFA)

Adult education and literacy

Directorate of Adult Education originated from National Fundamental Education Centre (NFEC), which was set up by Govt. of India in the year 1956. This Centre was renamed as Department of Adult Education and made part of the National Institute of Education under the N.C.E.R.T. in 1961. Following the Government’s thrust on adult education resulting in substantial increase in adult education activities/programmes in the country, this department separated from N.C.E.R.T. and was given an independent identity in the year 1971.For sometime, it was also known as Directorate of Non-Formal (Adult) Education and ultimately the Directorate of Adult Education. Over the years, the Directorate has considerably expanded both in size and coverage of activities in the field of adult education/literacy. At present this Directorate enjoys the status of a subordinate office under the Department of School Education & Literacy, Ministry of Human Resource Development, Govt. of India.

T The main functions of Directorate of Adult Education are as follows:

- Provide academic and technical resource support to National Literacy Mission.

- Prepare guidelines for development of teaching-learning materials.

- Organize training and orientation programmes.

- Monitor the progress and status of literacy campaigns and to provide regular feedback to National Literacy Mission.

- Produce media materials and harnessing of all kinds of media i.e. electronic, print, traditional and folk media for furtherance of the objectives of National Literacy Mission.

- Provide of regular feed back to the NLM about the findings of concurrent and external evaluations of literacy campaigns conducted through social science research institutions.

- Coordination, collaboration and networking with all the Zila Saksharta Samitis, State Literacy Mission Authorities, State Resource Centres, Jan Shikshan Sansthans and other institutions / agencies for continuous improvement of content and process of adult education programmes on behalf of NLM.

T The main functions of Directorate of Adult Education are as follows:

- Provide academic and technical resource support to National Literacy Mission.

- Prepare guidelines for development of teaching-learning materials.

- Organize training and orientation programmes.

- Monitor the progress and status of literacy campaigns and to provide regular feedback to National Literacy Mission.

- Produce media materials and harnessing of all kinds of media i.e. electronic, print, traditional and folk media for furtherance of the objectives of National Literacy Mission.

- Provide of regular feed back to the NLM about the findings of concurrent and external evaluations of literacy campaigns conducted through social science research institutions.

T The main functions of Directorate of Adult Education are as follows:

- Provide academic and technical resource support to National Literacy Mission.

- Prepare guidelines for development of teaching-learning materials.

- Organize training and orientation programmes.

- Monitor the progress and status of literacy campaigns and to provide regular feedback to National Literacy Mission.

- Produce media materials and harnessing of all kinds of media i.e. electronic, print, traditional and folk media for furtherance of the objectives of National Literacy Mission.

- Provide of regular feed back to the NLM about the findings of concurrent and external evaluations of literacy campaigns conducted through social science research institutions.

Goals and Objectives

The goal of the National Literacy Mission is to attain full literacy, i.e. a sustainable threshold level of 75% by 2005. The mission to achieve this goal by imparting functional

Literacy to non-literates in the 15-35 age group. This age group. The age group has been the foucs of attention because they are in the productive and reproductive period of life. The total literacy campaign offers them a second chance, in case they missed the opportunity or were denied access to mainstream formal education.

The mission also take into its fold children in the 9-14 age group, in areas not covered by

Non-formal education programmes to reach the benefits of literacy to out –of-school children as well. The major thrust of these programmes in on the promotion of literacy

Among women, schedule castes and tribes and backward classes.

The National Literacy Mission eventually aims at ensuring that the total literacy campaigns and their sequel, the post-literacy campaigns, successfully move on to continuing education, which provides life-long learning and is responsible for the creation of a learning society.

Strategy to achieve the set goals Adopted a national strategy in mission mode to take care of the need for diversity of approach and inter -regional variations .. Stress on proper environment building and active participation of the people, especially women. Encourage joint efforts by Governmental and Non-Governmental organisations. Preparation of local specific primers in local languages Integrated approach to total literacy and post-literacy programmes to tackle the problem of residual illiteracy and to reduce the time gape between TLC and PL 6. Stress on vocational training of neo-literates to facilitate linking literacy with life skills.

Universities and Higher Education

HIGHER EDUCATION IN INDIA

Education has ever been looked at Indian culture as a holistic effort since time immemorial. Indian culture is in the core attributes of education beginning from ”Gurukul” type of education, where the disciples lived in the house of the Master who taught them what all things he knew for years together. And medical education has never been an exception since the period of Vedas.

As a tradition education is being looked upon holistically even today in India. The students practise it more holistically, whatever be its field. Be it Medicine, Engineering, Electronics, Humanities or any subject one is likely to get proper Higher Education in any of these fields

Today the Higher Education is controlled and maintained by the University Grants Commission in India. They keep the quality of education on par with the international standards, which is a heritage India acquired since the British occupation.
Since then all fields of Education remained up-to-date in quality and in quantity. Medical education, Engineering education or any type of professional education be it, it remains so even

Colleges
The literacy level in India is the highest compared to anywhere else in the world. The reason for the growth of literacy is because of the umpteen numbers of various types of Colleges and Universities offering different kinds of education in various fields beginning from Medicine to Engineering to Astronomy and Forestry.
We have plenty of Colleges and Universities offering higher education opportunities
In Medicine, Dentistry, Engineering etc offering different types of professional degrees such as MBBS, MD, MS, BDS, MDS, and all kinds of Graduate and Post Graduate degrees. So is the case with the braches of engineering too.

Affordability
Unlike in foreign countries the number of seats are limited for NRI / PIO / Foreign students , Higher Education in India can be afforded by any foreign student or NRI student , provided he or she meets the selection or admission standards prescribed the Universities or Colleges.

Higher Education
Any foreign student or student from NRI sector, can find a Degree course or PG course of his or her choice anywhere in India. Higher Education is not limited to cities alone. Higher Education is rampant and is accessible and affordable. Colleges and Universities that control education streams are aplenty. All of them offer an international quality of education.

Universities
Today there are 16 Central Universities in India, which are funded by the Government. Another one is being planned at Manipur. Besides, there are 37 colleges, which have been accorded university status and are called "Deemed Universities" too. Graduating to the status of University means the concerned College or Institution is maintaining a global standard of education and they will have the most modern laboratories to help learning the profession.
The state governments, under UGC law, are entitled to establish their own universities, funded by the respective state government

University Grants Commission

We have now a wider conception of the duties and responsibilities of universities. They have to provide leadership in politics administration,professions,industry and commerce.They have to meet the increasing demand for every type of higher education, literacy and scientific, technical and proffessional. They must enable the country to attain,in as short a time as possible,freedom from want,disease and ignorance, by the application and development of scientific and technical knowledge. India is rich in natural resources and her people have intelligence and energy and are throbbing with renewed life and vigour. It is for the universities to create knowledge and train minds who would bring togather the two, material resources and human energies. if our living standards are to be raised, a radical change of spirit is essential."...Dr. S.Radhakrishnan

From ancient Bharat to modern India, higher education has always occupied a place of prominence in Indian history. In ancient times, Nalanda, Taxila and Vikramsila universities were renowned seats of higher learning, attracting students not only from all over the country but from far off countries like Korea, China, Burma (now Myanmar), Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), Tibet and Nepal. Today, India manages one of the largest higher education systems in the world*.

The Prime Minister, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru,
addressed the inaugural meet.
Photo: PIB

The present system of higher education dates back to Mountstuart Elphinstone's minutes of 1823, which stressed on the need for establishing schools for teaching English and the European sciences. Later, Lord Macaulay, in his minutes of 1835, advocated "efforts to make natives of the country thoroughly good English scholars". Sir Charles Wood's Dispatch of 1854, famously known as the ' Magna Carta of English Education in India', recommended creating a properly articulated scheme of education from the primary school to the university. It sought to encourage indigenous education and planned the formulation of a coherent policy of education. Subsequently, the universities of Calcutta, Bombay (now Mumbai) and Madras were set up in 1857, followed by the university of Allahabad in 1887.

The Inter-University Board (later known as the Association of Indian Universities) was established in 1925 to promote university activities, by sharing information and cooperation in the field of education, culture, sports and allied areas.

The first attempt to formulate a national system of education in India came In 1944, with the Report of the Central Advisory Board of Education on Post War Educational Development in India, also known as the Sargeant Report. It recommended the formation of a University Grants Committee, which was formed in 1945 to oversee the work of the three Central Universities of Aligarh, Banarasand Delhi. In 1947, the Committee was entrusted with the responsibility of dealing with all the then existing Universities.

Soon after Independence, the University Education Commission was set up in 1948 under the Chairmanship of Dr. S Radhakrishnan "to report on Indian university education and suggest improvements and extensions that might be desirable to suit the present and future needs and aspirations of the country". It recommended that the University Grants Committee be reconstituted on the general model of the University Grants Commission of the United Kingdom with a full-time Chairman and other members to be appointed from amongst educationists of repute.

In 1952, the Union Government decided that all cases pertaining to the allocation of grants-in-aid from public funds to the Central Universities and other Universities and Institutions of higher learning might be referred to the University Grants Commission. Consequently, the University Grants Commission (UGC) was formally inaugurated by late Shri Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, the then Minister of Education, Natural Resources and Scientific Research on 28 December 1953.

The UGC, however, was formally established only in November 1956 as a statutory body of the Government of India through an Act of Parliament for the coordination, determination and maintenance of standards of university education in India. In order to ensure effective region-wise coverage throughout the country, the UGC has decentralised its operations by setting up six regional centres at Pune, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Bhopal, Guwahati and Bangalore. The head office of the UGC is located at Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg in New Delhi, with two additional bureaus operating from 35, Feroze Shah Road and the South Campus of University of Delhi as well.

INDIAN EDUCATION SYSTEM

Wednesday, August 6, 2008