Test: Education & Leadership (Educational Policies) - Software Development MCQ

Education Policy lays particular emphasis on the development of the creative potential of each individual. It is based on the principle that education must develop not only cognitive capacities - both the ‘foundational capacities ’of literacy and numeracy and ‘higher-order’ cognitive capacities, such as critical thinking and problem solving – but also social, ethical, and emotional capacities and dispositions.

National Education Policy 2020-

According to NEP 2020, A good educational institution is one in which every student feels welcomed and cared for, where a safe and stimulating learning environment exists, where a wide range of learning experiences are offered, and where good physical infrastructure and appropriate resources conducive to learning are available to all students.

Key PointsSome important fundamental principles of the NEP 2020 are- 

• Full equity and inclusion as the cornerstone of all educational decisions to ensure that all students are able to thrive in the education system.
• It includes the overall development of the leader, it covers all three aspects as Cognitive domain, affective domain, and psychomotor domain.
• Emphasis on conceptual understanding rather than rote learning and learning-for-exams.
• Promoting self-assessment and the peer assessment done by the student in the classroom.
• Respect for diversity and respect for the local context in all curriculum, pedagogy, and policy, always keeping in mind that education is a concurrent subject.
• Establishment of the linkage of the concepts with the environment or we can say that the linkage of the school with the home.
• Promoting multilingualism and the power of language in teaching and learning.
• Creativity and critical thinking encourage logical decision-making and innovation.
• It emphasizes group work as well as individual work, NEP 2020 links the study to the curriculum.

So by all these references, we can conclude that NEP 2020 includes assessment of the learner in all three aspects as Cognitive domain, affective domain, and psychomotor domain.​

Operation blackboard (OBB) scheme was launched by the national policy on education (1986). It aims at improving the human and physical resources available in the primary schools of the country.

Key Points 

• OBB stands for operation blackboard.
• The main purpose of this program was to ensure minimum essential physical facilities in all elementary schools.
• The term "operation" implied that there was urgency in the program which had a predetermined time frame for its implementation and the term "blackboard" symbolized physical facilities. 
• The concept of operation blackboard implied the speedy creation of minimum essential physical facilities in school both in terms of men and material.

Thus, it can be concluded that Operation Black Board was the outcome of NPE 1986​. ​

Additional Information

• Kothari commission or National Education Commission deals with the education sector of India. 
• NEP 2020 or National Education Policy is the latest education policy of India.

Child: According to international law, a ‘child’ means every human being below the age of 18 years this comes from the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), an international legal instrument accepted and ratified by most countries.

Key Points

Child Rights

• All people under the age of 18 are entitled to the standards and rights guaranteed by the laws that govern our country and the international legal instruments we have accepted by ratifying them.
• The Constitution of India guarantees all children certain rights, which have been specially included for them. These include:
  • Right to free and compulsory elementary education for all children in the 6-14 year age group (Article 21 A).
  • Right to be protected from any hazardous employment till the age of 14 years (Article 24).
  • Right to be protected from being abused and forced by economic necessity to enter occupations unsuited to their age or strength (Article 39(e)).
  • Right to equal opportunities and facilities to develop in a healthy manner and conditions of freedom and dignity and guaranteed protection of childhood and youth against exploitation and moral and material abandonment (Article 39 (f)).
• Besides these they also have rights as equal citizens of India, just like any other adult male or female:
  • Right to equality (Article 14).
  • Right against discrimination (Article 15).
  • Right to personal liberty and due process of law (Article 21).
  • Right to being protected from being trafficked and forced into bonded labor (Article 23).
  • Rights of weaker sections of the people to be protected from social injustice and all forms of exploitation (Article 46).

Important Points

• All persons below the age of 18 are children.
• Childhood is a process through which every human being passes.
• Children have different experiences during childhood.
• All children need to be protected from abuse and exploitation.

Hence, we can conclude that Child Rights in India apply to those who are below 18 years of age.

The RTE act 2009  lays emphasis on free and compulsory elementary education for all aged 6 to 14 years and mandates on the part of the government and the concerned authorities to provide basic amenities in the schools for the successful completion of elementary education.

Key Points

• Since water is a basic human need, RTE talks about the availability of clean and safe drinking water on the school premises so that no child can drop out of school due to its unavailability.
• There is a provision for safe drinking water.
• The stored water must be covered to prevent it from getting contaminated.
• Availability of adequate drinking water must be there according to the school's strength.

Hence, I, II, and III are true. Option 3 is the correct solution.

In the Indian context, school-based management has been conceptualised in the spirit of ‘balanced control’ where decision-making authority is shared by parents and teachers (including the school principal).

Key PointsSchool based management in India was formally established in the Right to Education Act 2009. This Act came into law almost two decades after the process of de-centralisation of education had already been initiated in India.

• The RTE Act provided legal force to free and compulsory education of children of 6-14 years of age. 
• It is Section 21 of the RTE Act 2009 that mandated the establishment of school-based management structures in all the schools of the country, thus formally creating school management committees (SMCs).
• The Act specified the role of the community in school processes, including: improving access and coverage of schools, identifying and taking into account local priorities, developing a relevant curriculum and learning materials, creating an ownership ethos, reaching disadvantaged groups, mobilizing additional resources and building institutional capacity.

Thus, it can be concluded that RTE Act emphasized on the provision for better infrastructure, improved Pupil Teacher Ratio and the enhanced role of School Management Committee (SMC).

The National Policy on Education (NPE) is a policy formulated by the Government of India to promote and regulate education in India.

Key Points

• The policy covers elementary education to higher education in India.
• The first NPE was promulgated by the Government of India by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1968, the second by Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1986, and the third by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2020.
• The main objective of the National Policy of Education of 1986 and Programme of Action, 1992 was to establish a national system of education that implies that all students irrespective of caste; creed, sex, and religion have access to education of comparable quality.

Important Points

The objectives of this policy had been divided into several aspects.

• National System of Education: 10 + 2 + 3 structure of Education.
• Early childhood care and Education
• The national curriculum framework contains a common core along with other components.
• Equal opportunity for all.
• Minimum levels of learning for each stage of education.
• Life-long education.
• Education for Equality
• Removal of women's illiteracy.
• Education of minorities.
• Education of the handicapped.
• Universal enrolment and universal retention of children up to 14 years of age
• Child-Centered Approach
• Pacesetting schools for talented children, largely rural.
• Technical and Management Education

Hence, we can conclude that Universal access and enrollment is the important educational objective of NPE - 1986.

The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) was set up in March 2007 under the Commissions for Protection of Child Rights (CPCR) Act, 2005, an Act of Parliament (December 2005).

• National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) is a statutory body under the Commissions for Protection of Child Rights (CPCR) Act, 2005 under the administrative control of the Ministry of Women & Child Development, Government of India. 
• The Commission's Mandate is to ensure that all Laws, Policies, Programmes, and Administrative Mechanisms are in consonance with the Child Rights perspective as enshrined in the Constitution of India and also the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. The Child is defined as a person in the 0 to 18 years age group.

Key Points

Independent monitoring of the implementation of the Act is assigned to the National Council of Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), the main responsibilities are:

• examine and review safeguards for rights under this Act, and recommend measures for effective implementation
• inquire into complaints relating to child’s right to free and compulsory education
• conduct periodic social audits of the status of implementation and review

Hence, we conclude that all the points are the responsibilities of the National Council of the Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR).

A single-shot training given at the pre-service level to the teachers, as has been the common practice so far, will no longer be sufficient for them to survive professionally unless they choose to regularly update and upgrade their skills, competencies, and awareness.

• For achieving these objectives of professional development in-service teachers as well as teacher educators, various agencies and institutions such as SIERTs/SCERTs, BSEs, and national institutions like NCTE, NCERT, IGNOU, and NUEP) have undertaken the responsibility of the particular sectors of teacher education for the cause of Universal Elementary and Secondary Education.

Key Points

• Special orientations of a large number of mainly primary/elementary level school teachers were organized under a programme called Programme of Mass Orientation of School Teachers (PMOST).
• This program was launched by NCERT which is an organization that looks after various programs meant for imparting quality education at the national level. NCERT interacts with International Organizations for organizing certain programs and training.
• An estimated number of 5,00,000 teachers (50 teachers in one camp) participated in 10,000 teacher's orientation camps conducted in 2,500 training centers for 10 days (09.00 hours to 17.00 hours on all days).
• SIETs/CIET prepared total 41 modules of 11 to 30 minutes. The programmes for telecast were originally produced in the Hindi language. In the case of non-Hindi regions, the programmes in English were preceded by a synopsis in local languages.
• The objective of PMOST was to create a conducive climate for generating initiative in teachers for implementation of the present education policy at the school level. 

Hence, it is clear that NCERT launched the training programme, 'Programme of Mass Orientation of School Teachers (PMOST)'.

The Union Cabinet has approved the new National Education Policy (NEP), 2020 with an aim to introduce several changes in the Indian education system.

• NEP 2020 is the third education policy in the history of independent India after the policy of 1968 and the second policy of 1986.
• The main goal of the school education regulatory system is to improve educational outcomes so that children can learn to implement the acquired knowledge and skills in their practical life.

Key PointsNational Education Policy 2020: As per NEP, 2020, learning should be holistic, integrated, enjoyable, and engaging.  Therefore, the current 10+2 system is to be replaced by a four-stage 5+3+3+4 structure.

• Pedagogy must evolve to make education more experiential, holistic, integrated, inquiry-driven, discovery-oriented, learner-centered, discussion-based, flexible, and, of course, enjoyable.
• The Foundational Stage will consist of five years of flexible, multilevel, play/activity-based learning.
• It consists of flexible, multi-faceted, multi-level, play-based, activity-based, and inquiry-based learning, comprising of alphabets, languages, numbers, counting, colors, shapes, indoor and outdoor play, puzzles and logical thinking, problem-solving, drawing, painting, and other visual art, craft, drama and puppetry, music and movement.
• It also includes a focus on developing social capacities, sensitivity, good behavior, courtesy, ethics, personal and public cleanliness, teamwork, and cooperation.

Thus, it infers that National Education Policy 2020 emphasizes on flexible multi-level activity-based learning.

Additional InformationThe curricular and pedagogical structure and the curricular framework for school education will therefore be guided by a 5+3+3+4 design, consisting of the:

• Foundational Stage - This stage of education comprises 3 years of preschool or Anganwadi education followed by two years of primary classes (classes 1 and 2). This stage will focus on teaching through play-based or activity-based methods and on the development of language skills.
• Preparatory Stage - Grades 3-5, covering ages 8-11
• Middle Stage  - Grades 6-8, covering ages 11-14
• Secondary Stage - Grades 9-12 in two phases, i.e., 9 and 10 in the first and 11 and 12 in the second, covering ages 14-18

The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009 passed by the Indian Parliament mandates free and compulsory education of all children of 6-14 years of age until they complete elementary education in a neighborhood school. There is also a reference for children with disabilities in the Act, who are to be given elementary education in the age range of 6-18 year.

Key Points

Various important provisions in the Act are:  

• Under the Right to Education Act 2009, a child has a fundamental right to get admission in all the schools whether it is private, public, or government-aided.
• Completion of elementary education for children even after fourteen years of age.
• Reservation of  25% seats for children belonging to economically weaker sections in private schools.
• Right of child to seek transfer to any other school
• Prohibition of holding back and expulsion of the child
• No child is denied admission because of lack of proof of age
• Formulating standards and norms for school management committees
• Qualification, terms, and conditions of services of teachers
• Filling of vacancies of teachers
• Pre-school education (states/UTs may provide for this )
• Duties of teachers, redress of grievances 
• Prohibition of physical punishment and mental harassment
• Laying down the curriculum and evaluation procedures
• Monitoring a child’s right to education

Hence, we can conclude that under the Right to Education Act 2009, a child has a fundamental right to get admission in all the schools.

Kothari Commission (1964-66) was set up under the Chairmanship of Dr. D. S. Kothari to formulate a coherent education policy for India. The Commission was most comprehensive in nature, it reviewed almost all aspects of the education system without limiting itself to any one particular aspect.Key PointsKothari Commission recommended Three-Language Formula in education:

• The First Language: It has to be studied must be the mother tongue or the regional language.
• The Second Language: In Hindi-speaking States, the second language will be English or some other modern Indian language. In non-Hindi-speaking States, the second language will be Hindi or English.
• The Third Language: The third language is taught at a later stage in school, and that too for a shorter time, as it is needed only in limited context i.e. in a social situation where neither first nor second language could help the child to communicate.

Hence, it could be concluded that Kothari Commission suggested three language formula in Education.

The Right to Education (RTE) Act of 2009 in India mandates that all children between the ages of 6 and 14 years have the right to free and compulsory education.

Key Points

• The assessment of learning as per the RTE Act involves regular evaluations of students to monitor their progress and ensure that they are meeting the necessary learning outcomes.
• The Act specifies that the assessment should be continuous and comprehensive, and should not lead to the failure, detention, or expulsion of students.
• Instead, the focus should be on providing additional support to students who are struggling, so that they can reach their full potential.
• The assessment of learning should take into account the diverse needs of all students, including those with disabilities and disadvantaged backgrounds.
• Section 30 provides that no child shall be required to pass Board examinations till completion of elementary education. 

Therefore, it can be concluded that as per the RTE Act 2009  assessment of learning is about No child shall be required to pass any Board examination till completion of elementary education.

Work Education is a type of education that includes manual labor as a means of imparting knowledge and skills to students.

• In India, the concept of work education was introduced in the education system after independence.

Key Points

• The National Policy on Education was first formulated in 1968 and revised in 1986 and 1992. The policy aims to provide quality education to all sections of society and improve the educational system in India.
• National Policy on Education conceived work education as purposive and meaningful manual work that results in goods or services which are useful to society.
• Work education is an integral part of the policy as it is believed that it helps in the overall development of the students.
• The policy states that work education should be introduced at the secondary stage of education and should be made compulsory for all students.
• The aim of work education is not just to impart knowledge and skills but also to develop a sense of responsibility, self-reliance, and self-confidence among students.
• It is believed that work education helps in the holistic development of students and prepares them for the challenges of the real world.

Hence, National Policy on Education conceived work education as purposive and meaningful manual work that results in goods or services which are useful to society.

Additional Information

• The Bhore Committee was a health survey and development committee established by the Government of India in 1943. 
• The Kothari Commission, also known as the Education Commission, was established by the Government of India in 1964 to evaluate the state of education in the country and make recommendations for its improvement. 
• The National Curriculum Framework (NCF) 2005 was formulated by NCERT to provide guidelines for school education in India.

Bhore Committee (Health Survey and Development Committee): The Govt. of India, in 1943 appointed the Bhore Committee with the Chairmanship of Sr. Joseph Bhore, to survey the existing health conditions and recommendations for future development in the country. The committee members met regularly for two years and submitted their reports in 1946.

Key Points

Some of the important recommendations of the Bhore Committee were:

• Integration of preventive and curative services at all administrative levels.
• The committee visualized the development of primary health centers in two stages:
  • As a shorter-term measure, it was proposed that each primary health center in the rural areas should cater to a population of 40, 000 with a secondary health center to serve as a supervisory, coordinating, and referral institution.
  • A long-term program of setting up primary health units with 75 bedded hospitals for each 10,000 to 20,000 population and secondary units with 650 bedded, hospitals, again regionalized around district hospitals with 2500 beds.
• Major changes in medical education include 3 months of training in preventive and social medicine to prepare "social physicians".
• The Committee's report even today continues to be a major national document and has provided guidelines for National Health Planning.  

Hence, we conclude that the Bhore committee 1943 was set up to assess the health condition of India.

Additional Information

• Mudaliar committee was appointed to survey the progress made in the field of health since the submission of the Bhore Committee's report and to make recommendations for future development and expansion of health services. 
• Yashpal committee: The Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) established the Yashpal Committee, a higher education committee, in 2009. The chairman of the committee was Dr. Yash Pal, and it was created for assessing improvements to be brought about in higher education in India.
• Kothari Commission: The Government of India established the Kothari Commission as an ad hoc commission to investigate all facets of the Indian educational system, create a general framework for education, and make recommendations for regulations and programs to further education in India.

School Management Committee (SMC) is a form of community Interaction and involvement in school functioning. The purpose of the SMC is to actively engage local communities in the development, execution, and evaluation of school improvement initiatives.

Key PointsKey Functions of SMC:

• Making a School Development Plan (SDP) as per the RTE guidelines/norms.
• Supervising and supporting the implementation of SDP.
• Supervising/monitoring finance, management, and academic progress.
• Ensuring regular attendance and punctuality of teachers.
• Sanctioning restricted and casual leave to primary, and upper primary headmasters.
• Arranging and maintaining basic infrastructural amenities.
• Prioritizing children who are disadvantaged, to obtain an equal opportunity for education.
• Regular auctioning of crops grown in the school lands and giving the money to the School Education Fund.
• Organizing programs for mobilizing enrollment and bridge courses for bringing children back to school.

​Hence, we conclude that prioritizing normal students is not a right Provided by RTE Act 2005 to SMCs.

“The Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995” has come into enforcement on February 7, 1996, while the RTE Act of the Parliament of India was enacted on 4 August 2009 and came into effect from 1st April 2010. 

Key Points

• The PWD Act 1995 is an important landmark and is a significant step in the direction to ensure equal opportunities for people with disabilities and their full participation in nation-building.
• The Act provides for both preventive and promotional aspects of rehabilitation like education, employment, and vocational training, reservation, research and manpower development, creation of barrier-free environment, rehabilitation of persons with disability, unemployment, and establishment of homes for persons with severe disabilities, etc.
• PWD Act 1995 emphasizes that every child with disability shall have the right to free education till the age of 18 years in integrated schools or special schools.
• The Right to Education Act commonly known as RTE Act 2009 is an act that aims to provide free and compulsory education to all children between the age of 6 to 14 years and to special children between 6 to 18 years in India under Article 21A of the Indian Constitution. 
• RTE ensures the prohibition of private tuition by teachers to equalize educational opportunities to all and the reservation of  25% seats for children belonging to economically weaker sections in private schools.
• It emphasizes not to deploy teachers in non-academic work except elections, population census, and disaster relief duties and emphasizes to establish primary and upper primary schools within a distance of 1km and 3kms respectively from the child's house.

Hence, it could be concluded that the PWD Act 1995 and RTE Act 2009 jointly made the provision to give free education to special children till 18 years and to normal children till 14 years.

Kothari Commission (1964-66) is also known as National Education Commission.

• It was set up under the chairmanship of 'Daulat Singh Kothari' to examine all aspects of educational sectors in India and to produce appropriate strategies and guidelines for the upliftment of education.

Key Points

Major recommendations of Kothari Commission(1964-66)

• 10+2+3 structure of education: (10years of General Education + 2years of Higher Education + 3 years of degree).
• Common schools system to ensure the equalization of educational opportunities for all children.
• Neighborhood school (Every school has to admit each and every child within its prescribed locality irrespective of their caste, religion, and community)

Hence, it could be concluded that Kothari Commission gave the concept of 10+2+3.

Additional Information

• Hunter Commission has an important place in the field of education in India. This commission offered important suggestions in the context of primary education.
• NCF-2000 had recommended that Environmental Studies be taught as an integrated course for the entire primary stage, instead of in two distinct parts devoted to science and social studies from classes II to V.
• The concept of primary health care was recommended by the ''Bhore committee''. This committee was set up in 1943 with Sir Joseph Bhore as its Chairman. It is also known by the name Health Survey & Development Committee.

Through the SSA, India for the first time, is attempting to translate its commitments into a programme of UEE, which provides for greater democratic participation and community involvement; decentralised planning and management with a view to the specific requirements and needs of the disadvantaged regions, social groups, girls and the children in difficult circumstances.Key Points

• The SSA, launched in the year 2000, covers all the districts of the country now.
• The Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), the flagship programme for achieving the goals of EFA, envisages the use of mainstream management structures for implementing the programme.
• At the national level, however, a separate Department of Elementary Education and Literacy has been created in order to focus efforts on EFA activities and provide the framework for achieving UEE and attaining 75 % sustainable literacy.
• In order to facilitate convergence and build a holistic perspective, a National Mission for Elementary Education (NMEE) has been constituted.
• The Prime Minister, with the Minister for Human Resource Development as its Vice-Chairperson, heads the General Council of the Mission. At the sub-national levels, the State Mission Authorities for UEE and District Implementation Societies have been established for implementing the EFA programmes.

Hence, it can be concluded that SSA is the comprehensive and integrated flagship programme, of the Government of India, to attain Universal Elementary Education (UEE) in the country in a mission mode.

The Programme of Action provides an indication of the nature of actions that will be needed for the implementation of the national education policy directions.

Key Points

• In 1989, the government formed a committee under the chairmanship of Acharya Ramamurthy to review the effectiveness of the National Policy on Education 1986.  The Committee submitted a report named “Towards an Enlightened and Humane Society”.
• Before considering the suggestions of the Ramamurthy Committee, the Government appointed another committee, which was constituted in July 1991, which took into consideration the recommendations of the Ramamurthy committee along with some modifications in NPE 1986.
• Shri Janardhan Reddy was the chairperson of this committee and submitted its report in Jan 1992. This document is known as the ‘Programme of Action 1992’. The Program of Action (POA,1992 ) has 23 sections.
• The main emphasis of this Policy was to ensure the quality of education by removing social, economic, regional, and gender disparities. It aimed to promote national integration, a sense of common citizenship and culture, inculcation of values among young minds, and improve the quality of education at all levels.

Hence, we conclude that the "program of action" under the national policy on education was set up in 1992.

The National Policy on Education 1986, put forward a 10+2+3 pattern of education for the country, with 10 years of a common curriculum for all.

Key Points

• It recommended the bifurcation of the secondary stage of school education into vocational and academic streams.
• National Education Policy 1986 accepted the concept of Socially Useful Productive Work (SUPW) and deemed it as purposeful, meaningful physical work.
• It was recommended that it should be considered an important factor at all levels of education which should be provided as, well organized and systematic program.
• The work-oriented education is offered at the elementary level under one of the various nomenclatures, e.g. work experience/work education/life-oriented education/craft education/socially useful productive work. 

Hence, we conclude that NEP 1986 introduced the concept of socially useful productive work.