NATIONAL EDUCATION POLICY 1986

National Education Policy 1986 (also known as NPE 1986) has been the second education policy since
independence prepared by the government of India through the initiative of then prime minister late
Shree Rajiv Gandhi. The policy continued the uniform structure of10+2+3 of education system and three
language formula as recommended in the first policy on education, 1968. At the same time, it had
envisioned the future of India in the global context. The world had been experiencing a fast revolution in
the field of science and technology. Hence it stressed upon education of science and information
technology at all stages of education. The policy recommendation had also hailed the role of education
for economic and cultural prosperity of the nation in line with the ethos of India’s socio- cultural milieu.
It acknowledged that access of all citizens to quality education is essential for the progress of the
country and strongly advocated to ensure equal opportunities by removing disparities with respect to
caste, creed, religion, location and sex. Following are some key features of the policy recommendations
discussed under the heads of various levels of education:

Early Childhood Care and Education

 The policy has stated the importance of ECCE (Early Childhood Care and Education) and stressed
upon strengthening of existing ICDS (Integrated Child care services) scheme through
Anganwadies, Balwadies (run by voluntary institutions with government assistance), day care
centers and government or municipality established pre-primary schools.
 ECCE meant to involve concerns for nutrition and health (both mother and infant) and play way
based early childhood instructional programs.
 Facilitating training of Anganwadi workers and other eligible personnel for ECCE.
 A management information system to be developed for monitoring of these programs and
institutes and an assessment through professional organization to be done in five years
intervals.

Elementary Education

 The policy had given utmost priority to universalisation of elementary education (UEE) and
emphasized on universal enrollment, universal retention up to 14 years of age and substantial
improvement in the quality of education.
 Recommendations stressed upon accelerating the process of opening more primary (1-5) and
upper primary (6-8) schools in those areas where habitation consists of minimum 300 (200 for
tribal or people residing in hilly/desert) people.
 Removal of disparities in UEE was given special attention and provisions suggested for
facilitating education of girls, SCs, STs and other deprived sections of the society. Provision of
residential schools, scholarships, hostels and availability of other resources were some of the
recommendations for the purpose.
 More focus on retention was suggested in light of the fact of existence of large number of
children out of school.
 Setting up Non formal education centers to cater to education of these drop outs was thought
to be essential. The quality of non formal education needed to be comparable with
corresponding formal education. Provision for lateral entry to formal system for continuation of
education mentioned to be facilitated. Linking with open schools also had been suggested.
 Vocational training for the students of NFE also recommended.
  Non detention policy for students up to class VIII had to be implemented to save them from
repeating education in the same class due to poor performance. It also mandated that proper
care should be taken for development of prescribed skills in all students till they reach to class
VIII.
 Decentralization in planning and management of elementary schools and non formal education
centers had been suggested. Involvement of teachers, local community, voluntary groups, social
activists, retired teachers and ex- servicemen for the purpose was advised to facilitate the
process. It suggested establishment of Village Education Committee which would be
instrumental in improvement of quality of UEE and would work as a link between community
and schools.
 A special program named “Operation Blackboard” initiated to improve upon the resource
crunch in elementary schools. Under this program each school needed to procure various
teaching learning materials along with two large class rooms and playground for improvement
of quality of education.
 District board of Education and District Institution for education and training (DIET) were to
facilitate and monitor the training of large number of teachers. Training would be required to
prepare teachers for child centric instruction and evaluation. Responsibility of implementation
of OB had also been assigned to them.
 Policy suggested introduction of Socially Useful and Productive work (SUPW)/ Work Experience
(WE) as mandatory subjects in the curriculum of primary and upper primary schools for the
development of necessary psychomotor skills and positive attitude towards physical labour to
prepare the ground for vocational education at higher levels.
 Appointment of at least two teachers in each school had been made essential and suggestions
made for appointment of fifty percent female teachers.
 Central Advisory Board of Education (CABE) had been tasked with overall monitoring of UEE
along with other institutions like NUEPA, NCERT and SCERT etc.

Secondary and Higher Secondary Education

 Consolidation of the efforts which were already in place for expansion (both quantitative and
qualitative) of secondary and higher secondary education had been strongly recommended with
special focus on un-served areas of rural India. The policy had accepted the recommendations of
Kothari commission to have higher secondary and secondary education schools in the ratio of
1:3.
 Use of education technology for qualitative improvement in education was suggested.
Introduction of computer literacy and studies in the curriculum to keep pace with the
development at global level had been recommended.
 The opening of CBSE board affiliated residential schools named “Navodaya Vidyalaya” for gifted
and meritorious students residing in remote parts of the country was one of the most distinct
propositions made by the policy makers in the document. The proposal was to establish one
such school in each district where 75 percent seats would be kept reserved for children from
rural areas. Provision was made for reservation for girls, SC and ST.
 The need for vocational education had been advocated both through formal and non formal
mode of education. The programs for SUPW/WE had to more productive skill oriented as per
the policy recommendation. A large proportion of working group of the population of the
country remains deprived of skills and faces unemployment because of the absence of a well
organized system of vocational system. Policy stressed upon development of diverse vocational
programs at higher secondary level as well as setting up of more institutions for vocational
 education. Policy also specially mentioned providing such opportunities to women, tribals, other
weaker sections of the society and specially- abled persons for a self reliant and productive life.

Higher Education

 The expansion of higher learning institutes (university and colleges) with respect to infra-
structure and other resources, redesigning of courses as per the need of time, use of education
technology, integration of teaching, research and evaluation processes were some of the major
recommendations for the development and betterment of education at higher level.
 Establishment of more open and distance learning universities to expand the reach of higher
learning across the country was suggested.
 Consolidation of rural universities/ institution was envisaged in the policy based on Gandhian
philosophy. It had argued for development and reconstruction of rural higher education must be
based on Nai- Talim (Basic Education). For the purpose, redesigning of courses on oriented
towards needs of rural setting, integration of science and technology, provision of autonomy,
training of teachers had been suggested.
 Another important recommendation was to develop a system of autonomous
colleges/departments in the universities as per the guidelines set by UGC and through funding
of central government.
 Capacity building of teachers through career development programs were thought to be
essential and recommended for their professional development.
 Use of computers for better management of institutions as well as for building a close network
of higher learning institutions through sharing of data with regard to various learning resources
had been proposed.
 Expansion of institutions imparting technical and management education offering diploma,
degree as well as master’s courses at national and state level had been stressed by the policy.
Diversification of the courses, offering more courses on computer education, more participation
of women and specially-abled in the area, were some other significant recommendations.
 Development of a mechanism for accreditation and assessment of all these institutions had
been emphasized.
 Delinking of university degrees for the jobs where such degrees were not necessary had been
suggested expect for some specialized professions like engineering, medical or teaching
professions.
 Adult education through non –formal mode of education had been suggested to give boost to
remove illiteracy.
 Pre service and in service training of teachers for all levels of education suggested to be
strengthened for achievement of goals set by the policy.