Education in India: National policies and regulations

Abstract

Everyone has a right for education and according to Indian Education Policies; it is free and compulsory for every child at least for the elementary and fundamental stages of schooling. The significance of universal literacy is that it is an instrument for mobilizing the people, arousing community consciousness and participation for bringing social change. Mahatma Gandhi emphasized the need for universal basic education for children and advocated adult education with a moral component for social and cultural regeneration and a political component for strengthening the national struggle for freedom. The Article 45 (1949-50) and the State Directive Policies for the primary education showed that still there was not an effective participation of the people of India for the universalization of basic education. The present paper includes the present system of education; the recognitions are given in the light of contemporary Indian realities and requirements to the subject to the nationally agreed basic concepts of freedom, equality and justice. This paper highlights the National Policy of Education (NPE), 1968 and Primary Education, NPE, 1979 and Universal Elementary Education (UEE), NPE, 1986 and Elementary Education, Revised NPE, 1992 and its formulations and District Primary Education Programme (DPEP), 1994.