Education in India

• Education in India could be divided into the following periods:-

1. Vedic Period (1000 BC-600 BC)
2. Buddhist period (600 BC-1200 AD)
3. Medieval Period (1100 AD-1800 AD)
4. Pre-Independence India/British India (1857-1947)
5. Post-Independence India (Post 1947)

Education in ancient India

• Education in India began around 3rd century B.C
• with elements of religious training and imparting

Traditional Knowledge

• Usually oral form of education, palm leaves used for writing.
• Emphasis laid on "Chintan" i.e thinking.
• Both Formal and informal ways
• Indigenous education was imparted at home, temples, pathshalas & gurukuls.
• Temples were centres of learning.
• Indigenous used about people, animals or plants living or growing

Higher Knowledge

• For higher education students went to Viharas and universities.
• in the Viharas- place of a Buddhist temple or monastery, where they are from originally

Ancient Indian educational system

• has evolved on the foundations of Indian epistemological and philosophical traditions.
• Epistemology is the theory of knowledge. It is concerned with the mind's relation to reality
• The term "philosophy" means, "love of wisdom."
• In a broad sense, philosophy is an activity people undertake when they seek to understand fundamental truths about themselves
• Vedas such as Rigveda, Samaveda, Yajurveda and Atharvaveda were reference books.
• The students were admitted based on their moral character and high conduct.
• The society didn't have much say in the regulations and fees to be charged called "GuruDakshina".

Four Vedas and their features:

Six Vedangas, their meaning or subjects and purposes:

The six Vedangas (“limbs of the Vedas”) were developed to aid the proper understanding, pronunciation, and performance of the Vedas.

The medium of teaching

• was Sanskrit and the knowledge was passed on orally in a system called "Gurukuls"

Gurukuls

• was a purely residential form of teaching and students had to live at the Guru' place.

Knowledge Streams

• The knowledge was divided into two broad streams:-

1. The Paravidya: higher knowledge and spiritual wisdom
2. The Aparavidya: The lower knowledge and the secular sciences

Upanayana

• A ceremony called Upanayana (initiation) was conducted before the child reach at the age of five.
• Upanayana was a ceremony by which the child is called to be born again at his gurus' home, called the "dvijya born".

Vidyarambha

• when they reach the age of five, formal education will start with the ceremony of Vidyarambha
• worshiping Goddess Saraswati and learning alphabets for the first time

Brahmacharin

• The ceremony was conducted between eight to twelve years post which the student is called "Brahmacharin"

Women Education

• Women Education was also not neglected, and they were taught the Vedas and Vedangas (limited).
• They were called Rishikas. There were two classes of educated women: -

1. Sadyodwahas: Women who studied till their marriage
2. Brahmavadinis:- Who renounce marriage altogether to pursue higher studies.

Methods of instructions

Education was imparted through three simple ways of :-

1. Sravana: It is the process of listening to the words coming from the mouth of the Teacher.
2. Manana(Hearing the truth) :- It makes a pupil think for himself and evaluate the teaching by himself. It is called selfintrospection and assimilation of the teaching. (Contemplating the truth)
3. Nididhyasana: - It is comprehending the truth and applying it to the real world.(Living and breathing the truth)

Srutis:- Knowledge was practically called as Srutis.

Monastic orders of education

• The caste system emerged in the later Vedic period and didn't exist in Pre- Vedic times.
• Under this, the following were the system of imparting knowledge: -

1. Brahmins were imparted knowledge about religion, philosophy and other subject matters related to priestly activities. The age limit varied from five to sixteen years.
2. Kshatriyas were trained in aspects of warfare. The age for them ranged between six and twenty-two.
3. The business class of Vaishya were taught about their trade, and the age to gain the knowledge was eight and twenty-four.
4. The lower caste in the hierarchy, Shudra was not given any knowledge.

Evaluation System

• There has been no significant ideas about how the acharya used to evaluate the learning levels of their pupils, but as per Yaskas and Sayanas who were famous commentators on Rig Veda concluded from the hymns these:-

1. Maha Prazanan Grade: Students of the highest ability
2. Madhyam prazanan Grade:Students of mediocre ability
3. Alpa Prazanan Grade: Students of low ability.

ANCIENT UNIVERSITIES

1. TAXILLA (Sanskrit Takshashila)
   • The town of Taxila was the capital of the Kingdom of Gandhar.
   • Presently located in Pakistan (Rawalpindi, close to Islamabad).
   • Taxila is considered the first university established across the globe in the 7th century BCE.
   • The greatest traveller Hiuen Tsang who visited India during the time of Harsha mentioned the university of Taxila to be at par with Nalanda and Vikramshila universities.
   • There was no exam system, so there were no degrees or diplomas.
   • The main branches were Vedatrayi (Three Vedas), Vedanta, Vyakaran, Ayurveda, eighteen Sippas (crafts), military education, astronomy, agriculture, commerce etc.
   • It was popular as a training centre in Indian Military science.
   • There was no caste distinction.
   • Taxila had also been influenced by Greek cultare.
   • It was not a university town.
   • The Greeks made important contributions to philosophy, mathematics, astronomy, and medicine
2. NALANDA (BIHAR)
   • It is located near Rajgir in the province of Bihar.
   • This has been the birthplace of Sariputta or Sariputra, a favourite disciple(a person who follows a teacher) of Lord Buddha, who is considered to be associated with Mahayana.
   • Mahayana Buddhism (or the Mahayana) can be defined as a major movement in the history of Buddhism which has its origins in northern India.
   • The Mahayana sect, which means 'Great Vehicle' in Sanskrit, believed in the divinity of the Buddha. The sect encouraged idol worship in Buddhism.
   • The Hinayana sect, meaning Small Vehicle' in Sanskrit, did not believe in the divinity of the Buddha. It stressed individual salva ion through self-discipline and mediation
   • Around 10,000 monk's stayed at Nalanda. Of these, 1510 were teachers and the remaining 8500 were students belonging to various levels and education
   • It gained importance in the 450 CE, which continued for three centuries.
   • Hiuen Tsang came here in the 7th century CE.
   • It was developed under the patronage of the Gupta dynasty
   • In 2010, Nalanda University was set up in Bihar as a central University with Japan, China, Thailand, Laos, Singapore, Australia by collaborating in various manners.
   • This university was also renowned for its cosmopolitan character, especially for its faculty of Logic.
   • The teacher in charge of admission to the university was Dvar Pandit.
   • Eight big halls named Samgharama and the three hundred study chambers have been the main attraction.
   • The admission criteria were tough.
   • The minimum age was twenty years for getting admission into the university, many facilities were being offered free of cost.
   • The Kulpati also called as Chancellor of the University was Shibadra who was a master of all Sutras and Shastras books.
3. VALABHI
   • The city is thought to have been established about 470 CE by the founder of the dynasty, Senapati Bhatarka, during the period when the Gupta empire was weakened.
   • It was not just a centre of religious education as other secular subjects, such as Arthasastra (economics,) Niti-Shastra (law) and Chikista Sastra (medicine) were also taught here.
   • Valabhi was a parallel centre of the Hinayaria School of Buddhism as Nalanda was the centre of Mahayana School.
   • It was a capital of an important kingdom and side by side a part of international importance.
   • Valabhi was a celebrated centre of learning with numerous Buddhist monasteries.
   • It was visited by the Chinese pilgrim Xuanzang in the middle of the 7th century and by Yijing at the century's close
4. VIKRAMSHILA
   • It was set up and established by the Emperor Dharmapala of the Pala dynasty in the 8th century in Northern Magadh on the bank of the river Ganges. •
   • University was famous for religious teachings.
   • Around 108 scholars were appointed as the in-charge and Acharyas of the various temples.
   • The university of Vikramasila was renowned for Tantric Buddhism.
   • It attracted a large number of scholars from Tibet, who came there for higher studies.
   • The university was later organized into six different colleges.
   • The central building was called the Vigyan Bhawan.
   • Dwar pandit was also appointed at the main gate.
   • The highest authority was called Mahasthavir, being known as the Kulpati of the Gurukula.
5. JAGADDALA
   • It was also constructed by the Pala King, Ram Pal of Bengal
   • He made it a monastery and named it Jagaddala.
   • It remained the centre of Buddhist education for about 100 years.
   • It was again destroyed during the invasion in 1203 CE.
   • In Jagaddala, there were many scholars notable for their knowledge.
   • The books were translated into the Tibetan language.
   • Monastery- a place where monks live together

The Ashtadhyayi

• was written by Panini, an ancient Sanskrit grammarian.
• It is a highly systematic and scientific treatise on Sanskrit grammar, consisting of eight chapters (Ashta = eight), and forms the foundation of classical Sanskrit linguistic study.

Higher Education before 1947

• The rule of Britishers lasted for 200 years.
• On August 2, 1858, less than a month after Lord Canning proclaimed the victory of British arms, Parliament passed the Government of India Act, transferring British power over India from the East India Company.

British Educational Policies

• With the onset of Britishers, their educational policies were directed towards creating a class of subordinates
• To achieve this goal, they instituted a number of acts to create an Indian version of English education which were not for the benefit of the Indian masses.
• In order to win the support of Hindus and Muslims both, the foundations of Madrasas and Sanskrit Colleges were laid by British.

Muslim Education

• Warren Hasting laid the foundations of Madrasas in 1780

Hindu Education

• Jonathan Duncan founded the Banaras Sanskrit college in 1791

1. The Charter Act of 1813

• The charter of 1813 was published due to the efforts of Charles Grant(BRITISH POLITICIAN).
• This charter gave a new direction to education.
• Hence, Charles Grant is regarded as the father of modern education in India.
• It became the responsibility of the company to make arrangements for the education of the Indian people.
• The British parliament advised the company that it should spend at least one lac rupees (1,00,000) per year on education.
• This charter act was renewed after every 20 years. So the next was published in 1833.

Orientalists and Anglicists

• Orientalists
  • An Orientalist is someone who studies the language, culture, and history.
  • Orientalists thought that in order to understand India it was necessary to discover the sacred and legal texts that were produced in the ancient period.
• Anglicists
  • Anglicists were those people who supported the teaching of modern western education to Indian people in the English language.
  • Anglicists thought that people should be aware of the developments in Western science and technology by reading European language.

The Anglicist-Orientalist controversy

• The anglicists were led by Lord Macaulay who felt that Western education in India should be taught using English as a medium of instruction
• On the other hand, in Orientalists, people, such as HT Princep advocated the study of traditional Indian learning and western science using vernacular languages such as Sanskrit, Arabic and Persian.
• This controversy was resolved in the favour of anglicists and it became the basis of English education act in 1835 under governor general, William bentinck.

Vernacular - the language spoken in a particular area or by a particular group of people, especially one that is not the official or written language

1. Lord Macaulay's Minutes / Govt. of India Act, 1835 / Downwand Filteration Theory

• Clearly Indicated that the Western Education had to be promoted in India through the medium of English language alone.
• English replaced Persian as the court language
• Printing of English books was made free and were made available at very low prices
• Macaulay believed in the "theory of filtration" according to which the knowledge of western education would reach the masses gradually through the English educated Indians.
• Lord Macaulay came to India on 10th of June 1835 as the law member of Governor general's council.
• English was made the medium of instruction in schools and colleges.
• He planned to educate few upper and middle class Indians creating a class Indian in blood and colour but English in tastes, opinions and intellect.
• This section of educated Indians would then educate the masses with Britisher's ideas, and it will be called "downward filtration theory".
• The Downward Filtration Theory refers to the theory that education would be provided to a small number of people and through them, it will be conveyed to the masses.

1. Wood's Despatch (1854)

• Charles Wood was the chief architect of Wood's despatch which gave a new direction to Indian educational system and led to the establishment of Universities in Kolkata (Calcutta), Mumbai(Bombay) and Chennai (Madras) in 1857
• The despatch came to be considered as the Magna Carta of English education in India.
• Laid emphasis on Female, secular and vocational education along with Teacher's training.
• Curriculum - Recommended to include Sanskrit, Persian and Arabic along with English.
• Medium of instruction - It was believed that universal education of masses would be possible only through Indian languages.
• English necessary for higher education

Why Wood's despatch is called Magna Carta of Indian education?

• Through the despatch, he also suggested that high schools use anglo-vernacular medium and that English should be the medium for college-level education.
• Hence, the Wood's Despatch is considered as 'Magna-Carta' of English Education in India
• As a result of this despatch, three universities were established in 1857:
  1. University of Calcutta
  2. University of Bombay
  3. University of Madras

These universities were modeled on the University of London and were intended to promote higher education in India.

4. Hunter Commission (1882)

• Lord Ripon appointed on Feb 3rd, 1882, the Indian Education Commission under the chairmanship of William Hunter, a member of the executive council of the viceroy.
• This had 20 members.
• Its aim was to assess the position of primary education and give suggestions for its reforms.
• The management of primary education was given to district boards, municipal boards and town areas
• Commission recommended to give the responsibility of secondary education to Indians and they can organise the same as per local needs.
• Government to provide financial aids

Curriculum into two parts:

• 1. Literary and science subjects
• 1. Vocational subjects.

What are the literary subjects? Main Literature courses include topics such as: cultural and literature, literary research, reading fiction, poetry, modern drama, classical literature, women's literature.

5. Indian University Act (1904)

• The round table conference of Simla (1901) by Lord Curzon had 150 resolutions regarding all possible aspects of education.
• This was followed by the appointment of a Commission under the presidency of Sir Thomas Raleigh on 27 January 1902 to inquire into the condition and prospects of universities in India and to recommend proposals for improving their constitution and working.

What is the concept of Round Table Conference? Round Table Conferences (India) - The three Round Table Conferences of 1930- 1932 were a series of peace conferences organized by the British Government and Indian political personalities to discuss constitutional reforms in India

• The main objective of the Act was to improve the condition of education in India and upgrade the system to a better level.

1. The Sargent Plan of Education (1944)

• suggested education in the mother tongue for 3-6 years.

FACTS

1. Charles Grant is regarded as the father of modern education in India, as his efforts led to the Charter Act of 1813.
2. Lord Macaulay led the Anglicist faction during the Anglicist-Orientalist controversy, advocating Western education in India using English as a medium of instruction.
3. Wood's Despatch educational policy laid emphasis on female, secular, and vocational education, along with teacher training, in 1854.
4. Charles Wood was the chief architect of the Wood's Despatch, considered the Magna Carta of English education in India.

Higher Education after 1947

1. Radha Krishnan Commission or The University Education Commission (1948)
   • Commission was appointed under the chairmanship of Dr. Shri Saravapalli Radhakrishnan through a resolution of the central ministry of Education on Nov, 4th 1948.
   • The then Minister of education, Abul Kalam Azad inaugurated this on Dec, 6th 1948
   • To study the problems of university education and to suggest reforms in line with the constitution of Independent India.
   • Focus areas included: Medicines (Ayurvedic & unani), Engineering & technological education, teacher's training, women and religious education.
   • National & regional language promoted along with English
2. Mudaliar Commission (1952-1953) •
   • The government of India appointed the secondary education commission, under the chairmanship of Dr. A. Lakshmanswami Mudaliar, the then Vice-Chancellor of Madras University
   • To enquire into and report on the present position of Secondary education in India in all its aspects;
   • The commission was appointed on 23rd Sept 1952 arid submitted its report in June 1953
   • It suggested measures for its reorganization and improvement with particular reference to the aims, organization, and content of secondary education and its relationship to Primary Basic and Higher Education
   • Suggested that a Cess called the industrial education cess be levied, the amount collected-to be utilized for the furtherance of technical and vocational education at the secondary stage.
   • Recommended that the optimum number of boys to be admitted to any class should be 30 and the maximum should not in any case exceed 40; the optimum number in the whole chool should be 500 while the maximum should not exceed 750.
3. INDIAN EDUCATION COMMISSION, (1964-66)/KOTHARI COMMISSION
   • Indian Education Commission (1964-1966), popularly known as Kothari Commission was an ad hoc commission set up by the Government of India to examine all aspects of the educational sector in India to evolve a general pattern of education and to advise guidelines and policies for the development of education in India.
   • It was formed on 14 July 1964 under the chairmanship of Daulat Singh Kothar, then chairman of the University Grants Commission. (17 members; 20 chapters)
   • The report of the commission is entitled "Education and National Development".
   • Recommendations of The Committee were as follows: •
     1. Efforts should be made for the early fulfillment of the Directive Principle under Article 45 of the Constitution seeking to provide free and compulsory education for all children up to the age of 14.
     2. English language to serve as a link-language in higher education for academic work and intellectual inter-communication.
     3. Hindi to serve as the link language and spread of Hindi in non-Hindi areas;
     4. Three Languages Formula: The modified Three Language Formula should include the following:
        1. The mother tongue or the regional languages;
        2. The official language of the Union or the associate official language of the Union so long as it exist; and
        3. A modern Indian or Foreign Language not covered under (a) and (b) and other than that used as the medium of instruction.
        4. Promotion of programmes of adult education aiming not only at liquidation of illiteracy, but also at raising the civic and vocational efficiency and general cultural level of the citizens;
        5. Centre and State Governments should adopt measures to introduce education in moral, social and spiritual values in all institutions.
     5. Organization of social and national service programmes concurrently with academic studies in schools and colleges and to make them obligatory for all students at all stages like NSS.
     6. Common School System - maintaining a good standard of School education system :(10+2+3 system)
     7. It suggested the government give more emphasis on Vocationalisation of College education.
4. National Policy on Education (1968)
   • In 1968 the Government of India had formulatec the National Policy on Education in response to the recommendations of the Kothari Commission.
   • The Recommendations of it were.
     1. Compulsory education to children in the 6-14 years age group as proposed in the Indian Constitution.
     2. Recommended RegionaNanguages must be encouraged for being used in secondary schools.
     3. It was of the opinion that English had to be the medium of instruction in schools and it considered Hindi as the national language.
     4. It also emphasised the development of Sanskrit, which was the symbol of India's cultural heritage.
     5. It recommended to The Government of India that 6% of the national income be spent on Education.
     6. This policy called for a "radical restructuring" and proposed equal educational opportunities in order to achieve national integration and greater cultural and economic development.
5. National Policy on Education (1986)
   • This policy was adopted by Lok Sabha on May 8th 1986 and by Rajya Sabha on May 13th, 1986.
   • It consists of XII parts and 157 paragraphs. Emphasis on Education for all. It aimed to inculcate a feeling of secularism, develop a scientific temper and foster individual independence.
   • This policy called for "special emphasis on the removal of disparities and to equalise educational opportunity," especially for Indian women, Scheduled Tribes (ST) and the Scheduled Caste (SC) communities.
   • The recommendations of this committee were:
     1. It had provision of fellowship for the poor. It emphasized imparting adult education, recruitment of teachers from oppressed groups.
     2. It was instrumental in setting up the Indira Gandhi National Open University at Delhi.
     3. It also set the stage for the emergence of Information technology in education, besides opening up the technical education sector in a rather big way to private enterprise.
     4. Highlighted the inclusion of SUPW Socially Useful Productive Work) in curriculum.
     5. Establishment of many Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya
     6. Importance of sports education
     7. NPE 1986 used the term ECCE (Early Childhood education and care)
     8. It aims at the holistic development of a child's social, emotional, cognitive and physical needs in order to build a solid and broad foundation for lifelong learning and wellbeing (from birth to eight years of age).
6. Yashpal Committee Report (2009)
   • In the year 2009, the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) had set up a Committee on Higher Education known as Yashpal Committee.
   • The chairman of the committee was Yash Pal, for examining reforms to be brought about in higher education in India.
   • Yashpal was a globally renowned physicist, academic, and higher education reformer Professor.
   • In its report, the Yashpal Committee laid emphasis on the idea of a university and advocated a number of major structural changes.
   • Following are the important recommendations of the Yashpal Committee Report:
   • In the Final Report submitted by the committee to the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD), it was recommended that the deemed university status should be abandoned.
   • It was also recommended that all the deserving deemed universities should be either converted to full-fledged universities or would have to be scrapped.
   • The report also said that a GRE like test needs to be evolved for the purpose of university education.
7. National Educational Policy (2020)
   • The first educational policy of the 21st century, NEP 2020 was approved on 29th July 2020 by MHRD, Government of India
   • MHRD had been renamed Ministry of Education) (MoE)
   • It is aimed at providing equal and quality education.
   • It was based on the recommendations of S.R Subramanian committee report and K.Kasturirangan committee report.
   • Highest importance is given to foundational literacy and numeracy which means every citizen should have basic understanding (of words and numbers.
   • With this, all students will have functional learning skills by grade
   • NEP provides flexibility in education.
   • It believes in the ancient education system of India to transform Bharat into a global knowledge super power.
   • NEP has given guidelines regarding languages.
   • No one will be forced to study any language. Regional languages have been given equal importance.
   • Teachers are considered the heart of the learning process.
   • Access to quality education is the fundamental right of every child.
   • It proposes a new circular and pedagogical structure, with $$5+3+3+4$$ design covering the children in the age group of 3-18 years.
   • It proposes to set up SSRA - State school regulatory authority.
     • Aims to universalise the pre primary education and provide foundational literacy & numeracy by 2025.
   • The policy proposes three types of HEls: research universities, Teaching universities and autonomous degree granting colleges.

Oriental and Non Conventional Learning Methods

Oriental, Conventional and Non conventional learning The term 'Oriental' is derived from 'Orient. The term 'orient' is used for the countries of the east, especially East Asia. Before the East India company embarked on its political career in India, there was no organised education arranged and supported by the state.

Both Hindus and Muslims had their own Indigenous system, each deeply rooted with the great tradition of learning and scholarship behind them. The study of ancient and traditional education was called "Oriental learning" by Europeans and Britishers.

ORIENTAL LEARNING Our modern society is all about competitions and these competitions lead to a situation in which only the top class excels. In such a case, knowledge in every aspect and a multi-dimensional approach of problem-solving can ensure this. Oriental learning does exactly this.

Oriental learning supports this understanding. Getting to know about history, the past, the present, the future. Understanding it and putting it to use in practical cases. Examining everything in detail, having the will to correct your mistakes, accepting the mistakes and having a presence of mind.

All this is important for society, for the individual, for everyone. The different cultures that come under oriental learning embrace diversities and thus inculcate values in human minds. This is imperative for the present generation and this improvisation happens with incorporating differences.

Oriental Institutes: There are around 16 institutes/libraries involved in collecting and collating rare manuscripts in oriental languages - Prakrt and Sanskrit dfealing with religion, philosophy, literature, grammar etc.

1. Adyar library

2. Asiatic society

3. Bhandarkar Oriental research institute (Pune)

4. Ganganath Jha Kendriya Samskrta Vidyapitha (Allahabad)

5. Kuppuswami Sastri Research Institute (Chennai)

6. Madras Sanskrit college (Chennai)

7. Mythic Society (Bangalore)

8. Oriental institute (Baroda)

9. Oriental Manuscripts library (Trivandrum)

10. Oriental Research Institute (Mysore)

11. Oriental Research Institute (Tirupati)

CONVENTIONAL LEARNING (Back to Basics) Also known as advanced learning, it involves mugging up concepts, formulas, and notes and then writing it in the exams. Compared to oriental learning it is more focused on gaining marks and getting ranks based on these exams. This kind of learning just results in wastage of time and energy.

The output will be useless theories mugged up and the quality of learning will sink. This situation can put in danger the quality of students coming out of colleges. These systems do not give importance to the other activities students are supposed to be in.

Assignments, internal exams, external exams, internal evaluations, etc cost students their personal life, their interests, their hobbies. The disappearance of the Gurukulam system from our culture has paved the way for this situation.

Earlier in India there existed a system in which students used to stay with their gurus (teachers). This is sacred in Hinduism and it is believed that the teacher-student bond is important for the correct molding of the student. The relationship is symbiotic because both the teacher and students benefit from this.

Scholars from around the world have tried to revive these lost traditions. The division into classes, colleges, universities, etc happened only after that. Our culture preserved in manuscripts has also been damaged with this division.

E-learning facilities provide a vast wide variety of opportunities for students. It's more 'watch and learn' for students and they get a feeling of getting to know it better. The pictorial and video graphic representations expand the dimensions and depth of studies.

Compared to oriental learning wherein teachers are involved, e-learning has another advantage of actually keeping the students focused without involving teachers. In conventional learning, the main objective is to pass the examination and that way scoring ranks.

Characteristics of Conventional learning: • It is an on campus education with fixed time. • Require regular attendance • Prescribed curriculum • Emphasis more on teaching than on learning • Teacher centered • Students learn through listening and observation • Assessment through traditional way - written examination.

NON-CONVENTIONAL LEARNING Non-conventional or non-traditional learning deals with creative ways of learning things, things very different from the normal or the usual accepted ways. Ex: Evening learning, vocational studies, skill based courses, online learning etc.

Characteristics of Non conventional learning: • Learners Oriented • No fixed curriculum • Cost effective • Linked to employment • Continuous • For improvement of quality

OPEN EDUCATION: • Open educational resources are materials like Presentations, podcasts, maps, worksheets etc. • Open education does not require the usual admissions and they are offered online. The barriers (time, place & resources) of the usual education system are eliminated through open education systems.

<br> \- Open education deals with the learners to learn at their own pace and from wherever they'd like by non conventional methods of learning. \- IGNOU is an establishment that works to provide knowledge to people through open and distance education

DISTANCE EDUCATION: • This is when the student may not be physically present in a school. This is also referred to as correspondence course. These days it is taken as an online education system. They may be paced or self paced. But have proved useful to candidates all across the globe. • The Distance Education Council DEC was set up by IGNOU in 1991 as a statutory body under IGNOU Act, It became operational in February 1992.

Salshat • It is a one stop education portal launched on 30 October 2006 to facilitate lifelong learning for students, teachers and employees or for those in pursuit of knowledge, free of cost. " • The content development task for Sakshat was looked after by the Content Advisory Committee CAC.

National Knowledge Network (NKN): Labuh. National Knowledge Network NKN interconnects all universities, libraries, laboratories, hospitals and agricultural institutions for sharing data and computing resources across the country over a high speed information network having gigabyte capabilities.

<br> Commonwealth of Learning (COL): • It was established through a MoU between Governments of Commonwealth countries in the year 1988. The Commonwealth of Learning (COL) is the world's only intergovernmental organisation solely concerned with the promotion and development of distance education and open learning

• COL s helping developing nations to improve access to quality education and training. • The COL is Headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, and is the world's only intergovernmental organisation dedicated solely to promoting and delivering distance education and open learning, and is the only official Commonwealth agency located outside Britain.

• COL is voluntarily funded by the Commonwealth countries and India is the third major donor after the United Kingdom and Canada. 56 member countries .The Commonwealth is a voluntary association of 56 independent and equal countries in Africa, Asia, the Americas, Europe and the Pacific.

<br> Way Forward..... The present generation needs a blend of oriental and non- conventional learning so as to integrate both creativity and values in individuals. Students are to be prepared to face realities. Conventional learning cannot make this alone.

Non-conventional learning is those teaching-learning process that takes place other than on-campus like distance learning, and vocational learning. The characteristics of non-Conventional learning:

• It is for the improvement of quality.
• It is cost-effective
• It is linked to employment
• It is learners oriented and continuous.

Distance Education is a process to create and provide access to learning when the source of information and the learners are separated by time and distance, or both. The advantages of distance education system are as follows:

• Flexible system of education
• Encourages earn and learn approach
• No regular attendance is required

Distance education is distance learning. In this education, students do not need to be physically present at the school. It is a non-formal system of formal education as we can say it is a supplement of formal education. Distance learning has made it possible for those who are unable to complete the regular course. In formal education, it seems costly in short term, in distance education the student can only pay for the single course but he/she wants to learn instead of paying for the whole course, travelling expense not need to pay so distance education is less costly, It enhances the access to education as everyone can easily learn the things as while professional life or poor people can also learn as free of cost video and distance education is less costly.