National Knowledge Commission (2005)

National Knowledge Commission (2005)

To encounter the educational challenges in 21st century, the National Knowledge

Commission (NKC) was appointed. It is not exactly an education commission as

its role was to propose the framework for quality, access and equity in higher

education. NKC is one of the important recent initiatives for improvement on

quality of education.

National Knowledge Commission (NKC) was constituted in June 2005 by the

Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, under the Chairmanship of Mr. Sam Pitroda,

to prepare a blueprint for reform of our knowledge related institutions and

infrastructure which would enable India to meet the challenges of the future. NKC

has submitted recommendations on areas such as Right to Education, libraries,

language, translation, portals and knowledge networks. Some of its

recommendations are:

1. The need for a central legislation affirming the Right to Education. The

legislation should also lay down minimum standards of quality in school

education and for it to be effective, the responsibility of the Government at

different levels, must be recognised and made justifiable.

2. The teaching of English as a language should be introduced, along with the

first language (either mother tongue or the regional language) of the child,

starting from Class I. Further, NKC has also focused on the need to reform

the pedagogy of English language teaching, and the use of all available media

to supplement traditional teaching methods.

3. Changes in the school system which would encourage decentralisation, local

autonomy in management of schools, and flexibility in disbursal of funds.

4. To improve quality and generate accountability, improving school infrastructure

and revamping school inspection with a greater role for local stakeholders

and greater transparency in the system.

5. Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to be made more

accessible to teachers, students and the administration.

6. The need for reforms in the curriculum and examination systems by moving

away from rote learning to a critical understanding of concepts and finally

improvement in faculty.

NKC suggested that the primary responsibility for school education is on the

State Governments, and, therefore, States needed to be consulted for policy

formulation. NKC also recommends both pre-service and in-service teacher

education programmes be subject to the same regulatory, authority and with

adequate monitoring of the training provide by private organisations.