India : Education
? Before 1976, education was the exclusive responsibility of the states.
? The Constitutional Amendment of 1976 included education in the Concurrent List.
? The most notable efforts of the Central Government in the evolution and monitoring of the educational policies and programmes of the country arc the National Policy on Education (NPE). 1986 and the Programme of Action (POA), 1986 as updated in 1992.
? The National System of Education as envisaged in the NPE is based on a national curricular framework, which envisages a common core along with other flexible and region-specific components.
? The NPE emphasizes the need for a much higher level of investment in education of at least 6% of the National Income.
? In order to facilitate donations including smaller amounts from India and abroad for implementing projects/programmes connected with the education sector, the Government has constituted “Bharal Shiksha Kosh” as a society.
? The plan outlay on education has increased from Rs.151 crore in the First Five Year Plan to Rs. 43825 crore in the Tenth Five Year Plan.
? The expenditure on education as a percentage of GDP also rose from 0.64 per cent in 1951-52 to 3.98 percent in 2002 – 2003(BE).
o Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) is a historic stride towards achieving the long cherished goal of Universalisation of Elemental) Education. The programme lays emphasis on the education of girl child, especially belonging to SC/ST communities and minority groups. This scheme was launched in 2001.
o The Education Guarantee Scheme and Alternative and Innovative Education is an important component of the SSA to bring out-of-school children in the fold of elementary education.
o The District Primary Education Programme (DPEP) provides infrastructural facilities and special interventions for the education of girls. SCs, STs. disabled etc. 85 per cent of the project cost is met by the Central Government and the remaining 15 per cent is shared by the concerned State Governments.
o The Constitutional (86th Amendment) Bill, notified on 13th December 2002 provides for free and compulsory elementary education as a ‘Fundamental Right’, for all children in the age group of 6-14 years.
o The scheme of ‘Kasturba Gandhi Swatantrata Vidyalaya’ is to improve literacy among the women belonging to SCs. STs. OBCs and Minorities.
o The National Programme of Nutritional Support to Primary Education (NPNSPE) is popularly known as the “Mid- Day Meals Scheme”. It was formally launched on 15 August 1905. The objective of the programme is to give a boost to “Universalisation of
Primary Education’ by increasing enrolment, attendance and retention and also improving nutritional status of children in primary classes.
o The scheme of ‘Operation blackboardΓÇÖ was launched in I987-88 with the aim of improving human and physical resource available in primary schools of the country.
o ‘Lok Jumbish’ is an innovative project with the assistance of Swedish International Development Agency, launched in Rajasthan with the objective of ‘education for all” through people’s mobilization and participation. (First Phase: During June 1992 – June 1994. Second Phase: During July 1994 – June 1998 and extended up to December 1999, Third Phase: During July 1999 June 2004)
o The ‘Sikhsha karmi Project’ aims at universalisation and qualitative improvement of primary education in remote and socio-economically backward villages in Rajasthan with primary attention given to girls.
o The programme, which was launched in 1989 with the concrete objective of’ “education for women’s equality”, is called the “Mahila Samakhya’.
o A collaborative effort of the Government of India and 5 UN agencies – UNDP, UNICEF, UNESCO. ILO and UNFPA – to provide programme support to ongoing efforts towards achieving ‘Universalisation of Elementary Education” is called the ‘Janshala” programme.
o The National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) was established in August 1995.
o National Bal Bhavan, New Delhi is an autonomous body fully funded by the Ministry of Human Resource Development, which was established for children in the age group of 5-16 years; Objectives of the National Hal Bhavan are to enhance the creative potential of children and to inculcate in them scientific temper and a spirit to challenge, experiment, innovate and create. This was founded by Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru in 1956.
o The National Population Education Project (NPEP) was launched in April 19X0 with a view to institutionalize population education in the school education system. This was an externally aided project, which was fully funded by the United Nations Population Fund.
o The scheme of Environment Orientation to School Education” was initiated in I988-89.
o The National Policy on Education. 1986 envisaged the setting up of model schools, one in each district of the country, which are fully residential co-educational institutions. These schools are called ‘Navodaya Vidyalayas’ (now called ‘Jawahar Navodaya VidyalayasΓÇÖ). At present, there are 506 Navodaya schools in the country.
o In 1965. an autonomous body called ‘kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan” was established with the primary objective of setting-up and monitoring ‘Kendriya Vidyalayas’ to cater to the educational needs of the children of transferable Central Government Employees. At present, there are 923 Kendriya Vidyalayas in the country.