Write a note on Kothari Commission (1964-66).
The Kothari Commission (1964-66).
The NPERC considered the development of Common School System to be a very vital component of the overall strategy for securing equity and social justice in education. The Common School System was originally advocated by the Education Commission (1964-66), under the chairmanship of Dr. D.S. Kothari (hereafter referred to as Kothari Commission).
NPE, 1968 accepted the recommendation of the Kothari Commission for bringing about the Common School System. In the context of the national system of education, NPE, 1986 restated the determination of the Government to take effective measures in the direction of the Common School System.
The concept of national system of education would imply, according to NPE 1986, that, upto a given level, all students, irrespective of caste, creed, location, or sex, have access to education of comparable quality.
The NPERC noted that the Common School System still remained a concept even though mooted by the Kothari Commission over a quarter of a century ago and expressed the view that the educational disparities are being further accentuated by the failure to implement the Common School System. The NPERC advocated concrete steps to translate the concept into a reality.
Some basic academic considerations again compelled the Government to appoint the Education Commission of 1964. under the Chairmanship of Dr. D.S. Kothari to examine the entire educational system of the country keeping in view the national goals, improvement of quality and standard of education.
The Kothari Commission considered the undesirable effects of uncontrolled admissions to the universities on the one hand and the resulting unemployment problem of the graduates on the other. It came to the firm conclusion that for majority of the occupations which the university graduates seek, the university degrees are not necessary and those jobs can be competently performed by well trained higher secondary students.
Therefore, the Commission suggested that at the higher secondary stage there need be two distinctive streams: one preparing students for advanced education in the universities and the professional colleges and the other preparing for a variety of occupations immediately after completion of vocational studies which fit them into those vocations.
In keeping with this recommendation the Commission suggested that for college preparatory general education courses the duration may be two years and the duration of studies and training for the vocational stream may range from one to three years or more.
Given the proper planning, cooperation, coordination and implementation of the scheme, the Commission felt, it should be possible to divert at least 50 per cent of the students who successfully complete 10 years education to the vocational stream thus reducing the pressure on the universities on the one hand and preparing the students for employment including self-employment on the other.
For a majority of vocational higher secondary students it would be a terminal stage in a sense although further educational facilities should be made available on a large scale so that those in jobs may benefit through part-time or evening studies.
