Education

2.     Secondary

3.     Higher education

2.     Describe the curriculum and subjects taught (e.g., languages, mathematics, science, social studies)

3.     Mention initiatives like Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) and Right to Education (RTE) Act

2.     Describe the curriculum and subjects taught (e.g., languages, mathematics, science, social studies, elective subjects)

3.     Mention the importance of secondary education in preparing students for higher education and vocational training

2.     Describe the undergraduate and postgraduate programs offered

3.     Mention initiatives like the National Education Policy (NEP) and the role of institutions like the University Grants Commission (UGC)

2.     Technical Education

3.     Medical Education

4.     Vocational Education

5.     Informal education

6.     Adult education

2.     Weaknesses of the Indian education system

2.     Mention reforms and initiatives aimed at addressing these challenges (e.g., digital education, skill development programs)

• Summarize the key points discussed in the essay
• Emphasize the importance of education in India’s development and future growth

• Refer credible sources
• Use examples and anecdotes to illustrate points

1.     Ancient period – Gurukul system and universities in Ancient India – Taxila, Nalanda.

2.     Medieval Period –

a.      Maktab – Primary Islamic education

b.     Madrassa – Higher level Islamic education

3.     Modern period – English Education

4.     Post Independent – 4 National Educational policies

1.     Pan India

2.     Specific areas of learning

a.      Kota

b.     Delhi

c.      Hyderabad

1.     Free education

2.     Paid education

3.     Market worth

a.      117 Billion dollars in 2020

b.     313 Billion dollars by 2030

c.      3 Billion dollars FDIs

b.     RTE 2002

c.      NEP 2020

2.     Online education

3.     AI based learning.

• Education as a moral builder
• Declining values in education

2.     Traditional education

3.     NCERT

4.     Tuitions

5.     Coaching

6.     Informal learning

7.     Adult education

8.     Universities as centers of anti – nationalism

State has to protect the interests of the socially and educationally back ward communities (1^st Amendment 1951)

2.      article 15 (5):

Special provisions to the socially and educationally back ward sections and SC, ST for the admissions in to educational institutions including private, aided and unaided, except the minority educational institutions. (93^rd Amendment 2005)

3.      Article 15 (6):

Special provisions for promoting education among the economically weaker sections. (103^rd Amendment 2019)

4.      Article 21 (A):

Children below the age of 6 to 14 years provided free and compulsory education. (86^th amendment 2022)

5.      Article 28:

Religious instructions are prohibited in the government educational institutions. It is not prohibited in the private aided and unaided institutions. Even in these institutions, no student can be forced to attend the religious prayers. Parental permission is necessary in case the student is a minor to preach religion.

6.      Article 29 (2) :

Equal opportunities for admissions in government educational institutions.

7.      Article 30 (1):

Minorities have a right to establish and manage educational institutions of their choice.

8.      Article 30 (1A):

If the government takes over the property of any minority educational institution, compensation is paid. (44^th amendment 1978).

9.      Article 30 (2):

No discrimination can be shown among the minority educational institutions in providing the grant in aid. 

10.   Article 41:

The State shall, within the limits of its economic capacity and development, make effective provision for securing the right to education

11.   Article 45:

The State shall endeavor to provide early childhood care and education for all children until they complete the age of six years. (86^th amendment 2002)

12.   Article 46:

State has to promote the economic and educational interests of the SC, STs.

13.   Article 51 (A)(k):

Every citizen who is a parent or guardian has a duty to provide opportunities for education to his child or, ward between the age of six and fourteen years. (86^th amendment 2002)

14.   Article 243 (G) – 11^th Schedule:

Entry 17: Education, including primary and secondary schools.

Entry 18: Technical training and vocational education.

Entry 19: Adult and non-formal education.

(73^rd Amendment 1992)

15.   Article 243 (W) – 12^th schedule:

Entry 13: Promotion of cultural, educational and aesthetic aspects. (74^th Amendment 1992)

16.   Article 350 (A):

Union government can direct the state to provide education to the children of the minorities in their mother tongue. (7^th Amendment 1956)

17.   Union list:

Entry 63 : The institutions known at the commencement of this Constitution as the Banaras Hindu University, the Aligarh Muslim and the Delhi University, and any other institution declared by Parliament by law to be an Institution of National importance.

Entry 66: Co-ordination and determination of standards in institution for higher education or research and scientific and technical institutions.

18.   Concurrent list:

Entry 25: Education, including technical education, medical education and universities, subject to the provisions of Entries 63, 64, 65 and 66 of union list; vocational and technical training of labour. (Education is an item in the concurrent list) (42^nd Amendment 1976)

a.      Sanskrit and Prakrit based learning

b.     Gurukul education

c.      Nalanda and Taxila – centers of global learning

2.     Medieval:

a.      Introduction of Persian

b.     Madrassas introduced

3.     Modern:

a.      Introduction English education

b.     Convent system

c.      Universalization has began

4.     Post Independent:

a.     Education for All

–        Children

–        Adults

b.     Science and technology oriented

• Prime Minister: Indira Gandhi
• First policy on education after independence
• It is based on the recommendations of:

a.      University Education Commission 1948-49

b.     Secondary Education Commission 1952

c.      UGC 1956

d.     Kothari Commission 1964-66

• Focus:

a.     Radical restructuring

b.     Equal educational opportunities

c.      Achieve national integration

d.     Greater cultural and economic development.

e.      Fulfilling compulsory education for all children up to the age of 14

f.      Specialized training and qualification of teachers

g.     Learning of regional languages

h.     Three language formula in secondary education

• Prime Minister: Rajiv Gandhi
• Second policy on Education

Focus:

• Special emphasis on the removal of disparities and to equalize educational opportunity
• Social integration of Women, SC, ST,
• Expanding scholarships
• Adult education
• Recruiting more teachers from the SCs
• Incentives for poor families to send their children to school regularly
• Child-centred approach in primary education
• Expansion of Open university system
• Creation of the “rural university” model, based on the philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi, to promote economic and social development at the grassroots level in rural India.

Context: LPG

Source: Common Minimum Program

Focus:

a.      Engineering

b.     Modification of higher and technical education according to the market needs

Focus: Transition from deprivation to development

a.      TSR Subramanyam Committee 2016

b.     Kasturi Rangan committee 2019

2)     multiple entry and exit options in degree courses

3)     discontinuation of MPhil programmes

4)     low stakes board exams

5)     common entrance exams for universities.

a)     The New Education Policy expands age group 6-14 years of mandatory schooling to 3-18 years of schooling.

b)     Pre-schooling at the age of 3-6 years

c)     12 years of schooling with three years of Anganwadi/ pre-schooling.

d)     It emphasises on Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) as provided under article 45 of the Directive Principles of state policy in the constitution.

e)     The 10+2 structure of school curriculum is to be replaced by a 5+3+3+4 curricular structure corresponding to ages 3-8, 8-11, 11-14, and 14-18 years respectively.

f)      Introducing vocational courses with internship.

g)     Achieving 100% gross enrolment ratio in school education.

b)     But at the same time, no language would be imposed on anyone.

c)     At least up to Grade 5, but preferably till Grade 8 – should be the home language, mother tongue, local language or the regional language.

d)     This will be followed by both public and private schools

e)     e. Teachers are encouraged to teach bilingually

b)     b. By 2030, the minimum degree qualification for teaching will be a 4-year integrated B.Ed. degree .

a)     Higher Education Commission of India(HECI) will be set up as a single overarching umbrella body for entire higher education

b)    HECI to have  four independent verticals  –

§  National Higher Education Regulatory Council (NHERC) for regulation

·       General Education Council (GEC ) for setting standards

·       Higher Education Grants Council (HEGC) for funding

·       National Accreditation Council( NAC) for accreditation  

c)     HECI is excluded for – 

·       Medical education and

·       legal education.

d)     Public and private higher education institutions will be governed by the same set of norms for regulation, accreditation and academic standards.

e)     Govt will phase out the affiliation of colleges in 15 years. A stage-wise mechanism is to be established for granting graded autonomy to colleges.

f)      Every college would develop into either an Autonomous degree-granting College, or a constituent college of a university over a period of time.

2. Science, arts, commerce gets blurred

a)     There will be no rigid separations between

I.          arts and sciences

II.          curricular and extra-curricular activities

III.          vocational and academic streams.

b)     b. Students can select subjects of their liking across the streams.

c)     c. Vocational education will start in schools from the 6th grade, and will include internships.

b)     College will be mandated to give certificate after completing 1 year in a discipline or field including vocational and professional areas

c)     A diploma after 2 years of study

d)     A Bachelor’s degree after a 3-year programme.

e)     Honours degree after completion of 4 years of graduation.

f)      An Academic Bank of Credit will be established for digitally storing academic credits earned from different HEIs so that these can be transferred and counted towards final degree earned.

g)     Multidisciplinary Education and Research Universities (MERUs), at par with IITs, IIMs, to  be set up as models  of best multidisciplinary education of global standards in the country.

h)     M Phil program will be abandoned.

b)     3.5 crore seats to be added in higher education.

b)     An autonomous body, the National Educational Technology Forum (NETF), will be created to provide a platform for the free exchange of ideas on the use of technology to enhance learning, assessment, planning, administration.

c)     A Gender Inclusion Fund, Special Education Zones for disadvantaged regions and groups will be constituted.

d)     National Institute for Pali, Persian and Prakrit , Indian Institute of Translation and Interpretation to be set up

e)     The National Research Foundation will be created as an apex body for fostering a strong research culture and building research capacity across higher education.

f)      Renaming Ministry of Human Resource Development as the Ministry of Education

g)     Top 100 universities in the world can set up their campuses in India.

h)     National Assessment Centre- ‘PARAKH’ (Performance Assessment, Review, and Analysis of Knowledge for Holistic Development) has been created to assess the students.

i)      A National Book Promotion Policy is to be formulated.

j)      States/UTs will set up independent State School Standards Authority (SSSA). The SCERT will develop a School Quality Assessment and Accreditation Framework (SQAAF) through consultations with all stakeholders.

k)     The National Scholarship Portal will be expanded to track the progress of students receiving scholarships.

l)      Online courses and digital repositories, funding for research, improved student services, credit-based recognition of MOOCs, etc., will be taken to ensure distance learning is at par with the highest quality in-class programmes.

m)   Policy aims to achieve 100% youth and adult literacy.

2.     It is not mandatory to follow.

3.     Since education is a concurrent subject the reforms proposed can only be implemented collaboratively by the Centre and the states.

4.     This will not happen immediately.

5.     The incumbent government has set a target of 2040 to implement the entire policy.

6.     Sufficient funding is also crucial

7.     Involving multiple agencies to implement including –  Union Education Ministry, state Education Departments, school Boards, NCERT, Central Advisory Board of Education and National Testing Agency etc.

8.     Planning will be followed by a yearly joint review of progress against targets set.

2.     Universalization of education

3.     Compatible with SDG4

4.     Every challenged child is provided the special support required

5.     Promotes multilingualism in both schools and higher education.

1. Universalization of education
2. Covering the age group of 3-6 years is compatible with global practices.
3. 360 degree Holistic Progress Card
4. Focus on creativity
5. Higher education is made flexible with multiple entry and exit points

2)     Right to Education (RTE) Act: Ensures free and compulsory education for children aged 6-14.

3)     Mid-Day Meal Scheme: Provides free lunch to students in government schools.

4)     Beti Bachao Beti Padhao: Encourages girls’ education and empowerment.

5)     5.Padhna Likhna Abhiyan: Focus on basic literacy skills.

6)     Pradhan Mantri e-Vidya Yojana: Digital education initiative for remote learning.

7)     Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan: Integrated scheme for school education, covering elementary to higher secondary levels.

8)     Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA): Focuses on secondary education, improving infrastructure and quality.

9)     National Skill Development Mission (NSDM): Aims to enhance vocational training and skill development.

10)  Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY): Skill development program for youth.

11)  Unnat Bharat Abhiyan: Engages higher education institutions in rural development.

12)  Gyan Shakti Scheme: Supports education for underprivileged children.

13)  National Scholarship Portal: Offers scholarships to students from economically weaker sections.

14)  Digital India Initiative: Aims to integrate technology in education.

15)  SWAYAM (Study Webs of Active Learning for Young Aspiring Minds): Online learning platform offering courses and resources.

16)  Exemplar Schools: 15,000 schools be converted to “exemplar schools” with quality education in 2021-22.

17)  National Means cum Merit scholarship

18)  National Scheme for Incentive to Girls

19)  Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan

20)  Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti

21)  21. Sainik Schools

2.     A digital university will be developed to provide access to students for world-class quality education

3.     The best public universities and institutions in the country will collaborate as a network of hub-spokes

4.     Vibrant Villages Programme provides DTH access provided to Door Darshan and educational channels for villages in the northern border areas.

5.     Digital Ecosystem for Skilling and Livelihood (DESH-Stack)

6.     E – Portal Skilling, upskilling and reskilling.

7.     PM – E Vidya – One Class – One Channel.

2)     No employability.

3)     No outstanding institution among 700 universities and over 36,000 colleges

4)     a “casual” approach to higher education

5)     Improper academic management.

6)     Too much government interference in top appointments in institutions.

7)     Un necessary focus on managing an institution rather than fostering creativity, or encouraging a questioning spirit.

8)     Academicians and management in the universities are politically active but academically week.

9)     Western oriented higher education

10)  Domination of private institutions

11)  Charging the Capitation fee.

12)  Narrow parochialism.

13)  Feudal culture

14)  Rote learning leading to absence of innovation

15)  Exams and degrees have become a passport to a job.

16)  Bureaucratization

17)  The shortage of faculty

18)  Disengaging curriculum

19)  20. Inadequate budget from the government

2.     Inadequate qualified teachers

3.     Privatization

4.     Drop outs

5.     Less enrolment

6.     Inadequate schools

7.     Inadequate facilities in the schools

8.     The mean years of schooling are lower than other countries

9.     Poor levels of student learning

10.  Weak teaching process

11.  Low budget allocation is hampering the quality of education in government schools

12.  Bureaucratic domination

2.     Reforming the graduate level of education system

3.     Earmarking at least 6% of the total budget for the development of education.

4.     Abolish the system of contract teachers and only full-time staff should be appointed

5.     There is a need for more commitment from the government in implementing the programs like RUSA

6.     Dedicated cadre of teachers

7.     Considering the ground realities in enforcing the education policy

8.     Making the education autonomous.

9.     Local orientation in the global education.

10.  Selective online education

11.  Inclusive schooling