KUMAUN UNIVERSITY

B. Ed Sem – 4

B-401: Education in
Contemporary Indian Society

Unit-4: Secondary Education in

Post-Independence India

Topic- Reports of various

Commissions and policies:
National Knowledge
Commission
 The National Knowledge Commission (NKC)
Formation 13 June 2005
Dissolved July 2014

➢ The twentieth century is known as the century of knowledge.

➢ The then Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh felt the need of this
knowledge for taking the country forward.
➢ On 13 June, 2005, he constituted this commission under the chairmanship
of Sem Pitroda.
➢ Besides him, this commission comprised of seven well-known specialist
members.
➢ This commission started its work from 2006.
The National Knowledge Commission (NKC) consists of the following eight
members.
➢ Sam Pitroda, Chairman
➢ Ashok Sekhar Ganguly, Corporate leader
➢ Nandan Nilekani Chairman of Unique Identification Authority of India
(UIDAI)
➢ Deepak Nayyar, former Vice-chancellor, University of Delhi
➢ Jayati Ghosh, economist at Jawaharlal Nehru University
➢ Sujatha Ramdorai, internationally reputed algebraic number theorist and
professor of mathematics at Tata Institute of Fundamental Research
➢ Padmanabhan Balaram, director of Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore
➢ Amitabh Mattoo, Former Vice Chancellor, Jammu University

Objectives of the Commission

(1) To create excellence in the educational system for facing the knowledge
challenges of the twenty-first century, and to enhance India's competitive edge
in the fields of knowledge.
(2) To encourage creation of knowledge in the laboratories of science and
technology
(3) To improve upon the management of institutions working in the field of
intellectual property rights.
(4) To encourage application of knowledge in agriculture and industry.
(5) To encourage the application of knowledge skills in the government in the
form of an effective, transparent and responsible government for people, and
to encourage extensive exchange of knowledge for the purpose of maximum
public good.

The commission presented its recommendations in four installments in 2006,

2007, 2008, and then in 2009.
The complete course of its recommendations was published in 2009 by the
name of the Report to the Nation.

The report of the commission is divided into five parts:

Access to Knowledge
Access is one of the most fundamental issues in a knowledge society. Even if
universities, research institutions, and laboratories produce large amounts of
knowledge, it will be of little use until the majority of the population actually
possesses adequate means to acquire, absorb and communicate this
knowledge.
Knowledge Concepts
Advances in knowledge and its applications are products of human endeavours;
therefore it is of utmost importance that we nurture the skills and intellectual
capacities of our largely youthful population in order to build a strong base of
human capital that can transform India into a strong knowledge economy.

Knowledge Creation
Although India has the option of borrowing or buying new knowledge from
abroad, it is important to create self-sufficiency by promoting indigenous
research, especially in Science & Technology. S&T has the ability to accelerate
the processes of other parallel knowledge objectives, leading to economic
growth and security.
Knowledge Application
The creation of knowledge cannot be directionless. To derive maximum
benefits from our intellectual assets, we must apply knowledge in fields like
agriculture, industry, health, education etc. where productivity can be
enhanced. Knowledge application is both a goal in itself and a facilitator of
progress in these important sectors.
Knowledge Services
Investment in knowledge services will produce large-scale benefits for the
common man. Technology has the potential to make government services and
functioning more accountable, transparent and efficient. E-governance can
change the way in which the citizens of India perceive and interact with the
government.

The main recommendations of the National Knowledge

Commission are enumerated as follows:
Recommendations Regarding Educational Administration and Finance
(1) The educational administration at school level should be decentralized
(2) A national evaluation agency should be set up to monitor quality in
school
(3) The rules for central aids to states for school education should be
made more flexible.
(4) The rules for disbursing financial aids to private schools should be
made more flexible and the management committee should have more
autonomy regarding the use of this aid.
(5) There should be flexibility in school time, vacations and teacher
recruitment while maintaining quality.
(6) Government expenditure in education should be increased and
financial resources should be diversified.
(7) An Independent Regulatory Authority for Higher Education (IRAHE)
should be set up for higher education.
(8) A central educational board as well as state post-graduate educational
boards should be set up.
Recommendations Regarding to Educational Organisation
(1) The commission looks at school education in two categories :
elementary and secondary
 (2) In higher education, the National Knowledge Commission has
accepted the concepts of predetermined graduate, post-graduate and
research.
(3) Vocational education should be fully under the Human Resource and
Development Ministry, the teaching of skills should be included in the
curriculum of primary and secondary education. The commission has not
recommended for any change in the concept of technological education.
(4) According to the commission, a national knowledge network should
be set up for consultation between different teaching and research
institutions with specialists and government officers.

Recommendations Regarding to School Education

(1) English should be taught to all from class 1 as one language.
(2) A subject should be taught by the medium of English from class
(3) Social audits of schools should be encouraged.
(4) School teachers should not be engaged in non-teaching work other
than and disaster management.
(5) School teachers should be posted at a specific place for a minimum
period of five years.