Kothari commissione

2. Notable Facts Of Kothari Commission For UPSC
▪ The Kothari Commission was appointed to
assess the educational system which was
then followed in India and to recommend a
national pattern of education and the
policies and principles that would develop
education at all levels.
• Though the commission was authorized to
look into and make recommendations on legal
and medical education, they were excluded by
the commission.

3. • 12 task forces and 7 working groups were set up
by the commission, in order to make a detailed
study of various issues and problems related to
the education system.
• Some of the recommendations made by the
commission were included in the National Policy
on Education, 1968.

4. About Kothari Commission
▪ The Kothari Commission was formed on 14 July 1964, by the
Government of India and it was an ad-hoc commissioni.e. a
temporary commission that was formed to perform a specific
task.
▪ Professor Daulat Singh Kothari, who was the then chairman
of the University Grants Commission, was appointed as the
Chairperson of this educational commission. Along with him,
the core group of the committee consistedof 17
members in total.

5. • The Kothari Commission had a consultation
panel that consisted of 20 experts in the
education field from across the World. They
aided the Commission, to frame a better
educational system.
• It was the first commission in India to deal
with the education system of the country in a
comprehensive manner.

6. • The Commissionconsistedof 12 task forces:
1. School Education,
2. 2. Higher Education,
3. Technical Education,
4. Agricultural Education,
5. Adult Education,
6. Science Education and Research,
7. Teacher Training and Teacher Status,
8. Student Welfare,
9. New Techniques and Methods,
10. Manpower,
11. Educational Administration and,
12. Educational Finance.

7. • In addition to the task force, it also had seven
working groups on Women's Education; Education
of Backward Classes; School Buildings; School-
Community Relations; Statistics; Pre-Primary
Education, and School Curriculum.
• The Kothari Commission submitted its report on
29 June 1966 to the then Minister of Education,
M.C.Chagla. The report consists of 4 volumes in
which 19 chapters are dealt with.

8. The Need For Kothari Commission
The Kothari Commission was felt to be necessary
after some flaws in the nation's current educational
system, such as
• The idea of national reconstruction is not
mentioned in the educational system
• The education system does not give adequate
importance o agriculture
• The development of students' moral and spiritual
values was not prioritized in the educational system.
• The academics part was emphasized too much•
The education system does not focus on the
formation of character

9. Objectives Of the Kothari Commission
Towards the end of the third five-year plan, the
educational commission called Kothari Commission
was appointed with the following objectives:
• To review the educational system comprehensively
with a view to initiating a fresh and more determined
effort at educational reconstruction.
• To formulate an educational pattern and policies,
which would develop the education at all aspects and
at all stages and recommend the same to the
Government of India.

10. Some of the key recommendations made by the
Kothari Commission are discussed below:
1. In order to increase the enrollment percentage, it
recommended free and compulsoryeducation for the
children of the age group 6 to 14 years.
2. A new pattern of the educational structure was
recommended by the Kothari Commissionwhich was
commonly known as 10+2+3. According to it, the
structure of education in thecountry should be as
follows,

11. • Pre-school stage: Here education should be of 1
to 3 years
• Primary education stage: The 7 to 8 years of
primary education are to be divided into 4or 5
years of lower primary stage and 3 or 2 years of
the higher primary stage.
• Lower secondary education stage: 3 or 2 years of
general education or 1 to 3 years ofvocational
education.
• Higher secondary education stage: 2 years of
general education or 1 to 3 years ofvocational
education.
• Higher education stage: 3 years or more for the
first-degree course followed bycourses of varying
durations for the second or research degrees.

12. • 3. It suggestedtwo types of secondary schools:the high school which
provides a 10 yearscourse and the higher secondary school providing
11 or 12 years of courses.
• 4. The Kothari Commissionstressed making the study of science, and
social and national servicean integral part of education, right from
primary education to university education.
• 5. It recommended the use of regional languages as a medium of
education at all stages of education.
• 6. The common school system of public education was recommended
by the Commissioninorder to provide equal opportunities for children
across the country.
• 7. It recommended that part-time education should be provided on a
large scale at the lower andhigher secondary stages, in both general
and vocational courses.
• 8. The commission insisted on fixing the age of admission as not less
than 4 years.
• 9. The commission suggestedthat work experience should be made
compulsory for vocationalas well as general education at higher levels.

13. 10. In order to improve the standards of education, the
Kothari Commission recommended the implementation
of nationwide programs.
11. In order to achieve universal enrolment and
retention, the Commission recommended theschools
improve their structure and facilities. It also insisted on
the establishmentof libraries at all educational
institutions.
12. Establishmentof a State Educationdepartment for
every state, in order to deal with all thematters such as
development, implementation, inspection, etc related
to the education of thatparticular state.
13. It recommended the establishmentof the National
Board of Education to advise the UnionGovernment on
all matters relating to school education.

14. 14. The Commission proposed a three-language
formula that is to be followed at the lowersecondary
stage of education. According to that formula, a child
should be taught the followinglanguages:
1. Regional language or Mother Tongue
2. National Language of the Union i.e. Hindi
3. Anyone modern Indian or European language which is
neither a part curriculum nor themedium of education.
15. It recommended the Center initiate scholarship
programs for women students in colleges
anduniversities.

15. The Government of India implemented some of the important
recommendationsof the Kothari Commission by including them
under the National Policy on Education. Some of them are as
follows,
• Adoption of 10+2+3 years pattern of educational
structure.
• Free and compulsory education should be provided to
all children up to the age of 14, thereby fulfilling Article
45, which is a directive principle of the Indian
Constitution.
• Implementation of three-language formula and
development of Sanskrit and regional languages.
• Adoption of a common school systemfor equalization of
educational opportunity across the country.
• High priority is to be given to science education and
research. Also, importance should be given to the
development of education for agriculture and industry.
• With an aim to improve the physical fitness and
sportsmanship of the students, gaming and sports
activities should be promoted.