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The Committee also observed operational problems The proposed Higher Education Institutions must
and leakages in disbursement of funds. For instance, also offer vocational courses that are integrated into
it observed that District Institutes of Education and the undergraduate education programmes. The draft
Training have about 45 per cent vacancies, which Policy targets to offer vocational education to up to 50
have led to their allocations not being used or being per cent of the total enrolment in higher education
used ineffectively. It recommends optimal and timely institutions by 2025, up from the present level of en-
utilization of funds through the institutional develop- rolment of well below 10 per cent in these institutions.
ment plans. The panel has recommended a national committee
for integration of vocational education. The Commit-
TECHNOLOGY IN EDUCATION tee will be set up to work out the steps that need to be
The Committee has observed that technology plays taken towards achieving the above goals. A separate
an important role in improving the classroom pro- fund will be setup for the integration of vocational
cess of teaching, learning and evaluation, aiding in education into educational institutions. The Commit-
preparation of teachers and continuous professional tee will work out the modalities for the disbursement
development of teachers, improving access to educa- of these funds.
tion in remote areas and for disadvantaged groups,
and improving the overall planning, administration ADULT EDUCATION
and management of the entire education system. As per Census 2011, India still had over 3.26 crore
It recommends focused electrification of all educa- youth non-literates (15-24 years of age) and a total of
tional institutions, as electricity is a pre-requisite for 26.5 crore adult non-literates (15 years and above). In
all technology-based interventions. this regard, the draft Policy recommends establishing
Further, it recommends setting up of a National an autonomous Central Institute of Adult Education,
Mission on Education through Information and Com- as a constituent unit of NCERT, which will develop a
munication Technology. The Mission will encompass National Curriculum Framework for adult education.
virtual laboratories that provide remote access to The Framework will cover five broad areas: foun-
laboratories in various disciplines. A National Educa- dational literacy and numeracy, critical life skills
tion Technology Forum will also be setup under the vocational skills development, basic education, and
Mission, as an autonomous body, to facilitate deci- continuing education. Adult Education Centres will
sion-making on the induction, deployment and use of be included within the proposed school complexes.
technology. Relevant courses for youth and adults will be made
This Forum will provide evidence-based advice to available at the National Institute of Open Schooling.
central and state-governments on technology-based
interventions. A National Repository will be setup to
maintain all records related to institutions, teachers, The new policy aims
and students in digital form. Further, a single online
digital repository will be created where copyright-free
educational resources will be made available in mul- to reduce the content
tiple languages. load in the school
VOCATIONAL EDUCATION
The Committee has observed that less than 5 per cent education curriculum.
of the workforce in the age-group of 19-24 receives
vocational education in India. This is in contrast to 52 It also promotes active
per cent in the USA, 75 per cent in Germany and 96
per cent in South Korea. It recommends integrating pedagogy that will focus
vocational educational programmes in all education-
al institutions (schools, colleges and universities) in a
phased manner over a period of 10 years. on the development
Key recommendations in this regard suggest that
all school students must receive vocational educa- of core capacities, life
tion in at least one vocation in grades nine to 12. The
proposed school complexes must build expertise in skills, including
curriculum delivery that is aligned to the competency
levels under the existing National Skills Qualifications 21st-century skills
Framework.

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