Page 131 - DEDU505_TEACHER_EDUCATION_ENGLISH

Unit 13: Policy Perspectives on Teacher Education: University Education Commission

The then Minister of Education, Abdul Kalam Azad inaugurated this Commission on December Notes
6, 1948 and gave it the necessary directions. The members of the Commission showed great
interest in their work- They visited various universities in the country and studied their varying
problems deeply.
13.1.1 Terms of Reference
The terms of reference of the Commission were to consider and make recommendations in
regard to:
• The aims and objectives of university education and research in India.
• The changes considered necessary and desirable in the constitution, control, functions and
jurisdiction of the universities in India.
• The finances of the universities.
• The maintenance of the highest standards of teaching and examinations in the universities
and colleges under their control.
• The courses of study in the universities.
• The standards of admission to the university courses of study.
• The medium of instruction in the universities.
• The provision for advanced study in Indian culture, history, literatures, languages, philosophy
and fine arts.
• The need for more universities on a regional or other basis.
• The organisations of advanced research in all branches of knowledge in the universities and
institutes of higher research.
• Religious instruction in the universities.
• The special problems of all the universities in India.
• The qualification, conditions of service, salaries, privileges and functions of teachers and the
encouragement for original research by teachers.
• The discipline of students, hostels and the organisation of tutorial work and any other
student related matters.

The first Education Commission of 1948, known as Radhakrishnan Commission.

13.1.2 Method of study
The commission made a thorough study of the problems of Higher Education in India. It toured
the country extensively in order to acquaint itself with the problems. It prepared a questionnaire
which was sent over to about 600 persons who mattered in the field of education. It interviewed
administrators, organisations of the students and educationists. Thus, it tried to gather information
in regard to almost all the aspects of university education. Its report runs into two volumes. The
first part of the report contains 18 chapters and about 747 pages. The second volume contains the
statistics in regard to institutions and other educational problems and the evidence tendered by
the witnesses examined by the commission.
Self Assessment
1. Multiple choice questions:
Choose the correct option
(i) The commission was appointed under the chairmanship of ....................... .
(a) Dr. Shri. S. Radhakrishnan (b) Dr. Zakir Hussain
(c) Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (d) Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru

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