National Education Day (NED) is annually observed across India on 11 November to mark the birth anniversary of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, the first education minister of independent India.
- The day highlights the importance of providing quality education and skill development opportunities.
Note: 11th November 2024 marks the 136th birth anniversary of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, who was born on 11th November 1888.
Background:
i.In 2008, the Ministry of Human Resource Development(MHRD), now known as the Ministry of Education (MoE), designated 11 November, the birth anniversary of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, as National Education Day.
ii.The first-ever NED was observed on 11 November 2008.
About Maulana Abul Kalam Azad:
i.He started publishing a weekly journal in Urdu called “Al-Hilal” in 1912, which was subsequently banned by the British authorities.
ii.He became the president of the Indian National Congress(INC) on two occasions, in 1923 and 1940.
iii.He served as the Minister of Education(MoE) (the first education minister in independent India) in Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru’s cabinet from 1947 to 1958.
iv.He died on February 22, 1958. He was awarded Bharat Ratna in 1992 in recognition of his efforts as a freedom fighter, journalist, scholar, and poet.
His Contributions:
i.He played a pivotal role in the establishment of several renowned educational institutes viz:
- The first-ever, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in 1951;
- The University Grant Commission (UGC) in 1953,;
- The Central Institute of Education, Delhi (Now, Department of Education of Delhi University).
ii.He established the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), Lalit Kala Academy, the Sahitya Academy, the Sangeet Natak Academy, and the School of Planning and Architecture, etc.
Transforming India through Education:
i.The 86th Amendment of the Constitution, through Article 21-A, makes free and compulsory education for children aged six to fourteen a Fundamental Right, further supported by the Right to Education (RTE) Act, 2009, which took effect on April 1, 2010.
ii.Under the leadership of Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi, the Union Cabinet of India approved the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 on July 29, 2020 to promote a more inclusive and progressive approach.
iii.The Department of School Education & Literacy (DSE&L) has been given a record Rs.73,498 crore in the FY 2024-25 budget to improve access to quality education.
- The highest-ever funding has been provided to key autonomous bodies, with Rs.9,302 crore allocated to Kendriya Vidyalayas (KVS) and Rs.5,800 crore to Navodaya Vidyalayas (NVS).
Schemes and Programmes:
i.PM SHRI: The “Prime Minister Schools for Rising India” scheme aims to improve over 14,500 schools across India with total project cost of Rs. 27360 crore and central share of Rs. 18,128 crores. It will be implemented over 5 years (2022 – 2027).
ii.Samagra Shiksha: It aims to provide quality education in an inclusive and equitable classroom environment for all children. It was launched for 5 years (2021 – 2026)
iii.ULLAS(Understanding of Lifelong Learning for All in Society): Also known as New Bharat Saaksharta Karyakram (New India Literacy Programme (NILP)), aims to empower adults aged 15 and above, especially those who missed formal education. It was launched by the Government of India (GoI) for Financial Year (FY) 2022 – 2027.
iv.NIPUN Bharat: The National Initiative for Proficiency in Reading with Understanding and Numeracy (NIPUN Bharat) was launched by the DSE&L under MoE on 2021, aims to ensure every child in the country achieves foundational literacy and numeracy by the end of Grade 3, with a target completion by 2026-27.
v.Swayam Plus: It was launched by Union Minister of Education Dharmendra Pradhan in 2024 to boost employability, skill development and building stronger partnership with industries.
Note: To expand access to quality education and build a resilient learning environment, the Department of School Education & Literacy(DoSE&L), MoE has been allocated Rs.73,498 crore in the FY 2024-25 budget.
About Ministry of Education(MoE):
Union Minister – Dharmendra Pradhan(Constituency -Sambalpur, Odisha)
Minister of State(MoS) – Jayant Chaudhary(Rajya Sabha – Uttar Pradesh, UP) and Sukanta Majumdar(Constituency – Balurghat, West Bengal, WB)
