Kothari Commission - Important Facts

The Kothari Commission was appointed by the Government of India to overhaul the Indian Education sector. Learn more about the important facts about the Kothari Commission, its objectives and the important recommendations submitted on 29th June 1966.

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1. Kothari Commission was an ad-hoc commission set up by the Government of India.
2. Kothari Commission was formed on 14 July 1964.
3. On 29 June 1966, Kothari Commission was dissolved.
4. It was formed under the Chairmanship Daulat Singh Kothari. He was the then chairman of University Grants Commission (UGC).
5. Kothari Commission was the sixth commission in India, post-independence but it was the first commission mandated to comprehensively deal with the education sector of India.
6. The Kothari Commission had a Core group of 20 members.
7. The commission took a consultation from a panel of 20 overseas consultants, who were based out of the USA, UK, Japan, France, Sweden. They were experts in the education domain.
8. There were 19 Working Groups or Task Forces in the Kothari Commission.
9. In a span of 21 months, the Commission had interviewed 9000 people who were working as scholars, educators and scientists. 
10. The Report was submitted by the Kothari Commission on 29th June 1966 to M.C.Chagla, the then minister of education.

Kothari Commission – Important Objectives

Some of the important objectives behind setting up the Kothari Commission are listed below.

1. To provide policies and guidelines for the development of education in India.
2. To find and evolve a general pattern of education in India
3. To examine every aspect of the Indian education sector.
4. Although the Kothari Commission was established to review the entire education sector, two important domains were left out of its purview – they were legal education and medical education.

Kothari Commission – 23 Recommendations

The Kothari Commission had given 23 recommendations to revamp the education system in India. The recommendations given by the Kothari Commission are listed below.

1. Defects in the existing education system
2. Aims of the education
3. Methods of teaching
4. Textbook
5. Curriculum
6. Educational structures and standards.
7. Physical welfare of students
8. Education of women
9. Guidance and counselling
10. Problems of Supervision and inspection
11. Three language formula
12. Distance Education
13. Selective Admission
14. Vocational Education
15. Education on Morals and Religion
16. University Autonomy
17. Teacher Education
18. Adult Education
19. University – Aims, Objectives and Functions
20. Administrative Problems
21. Work Experience
22. Higher Education – Enrollment
23. Evaluation

Brief Details on Important Recommendations of Kothari Commission (1964-66)

1. Provision of Free and Compulsory Education – Recommended providing free and compulsory education for children aged 6 to 14 years.
2. Languages – The Commission recommended adopting a three-language formula at state levels. It intended to promote a language of the Southern States in Hindi speaking states. It intended to promote Hindi, English and a regional language in non-Hindi speaking states.
3. The Kothari Commission recommended promoting regional languages, Sanskrit as well as international languages, preferably English.
4. The Kothari Commission recommended providing favourable and adequate service conditions for teachers and providing them with the necessary freedom to conduct and publish those findings.
5. To promote social justice, the Kothari Commission focused on girls education, education of backward classes, education of tribal people, physically and mentally handicapped children.
6. As Science and Maths are an integral part of the growth of any nation, the Kothari Commission recommended making Maths and Science an integral part of education.
7. The Commission recommended reforms to improve education at University level by paying special attention to postgraduate level research, training, providing adequate libraries, laboratories and funds.

Results of Kothari Commission Recommendations

1. The education system at the national level was aligned in 10+2+3 pattern, as recommended by the Kothari Commission.
2. One of the most important recommendations of the Kothari Commission was the National Policy on Education. The Bill was passed in the Parliament under the leadership of former Prime Minister of India, Indira Gandhi.
3. It has been reported that even the National Policy on Education in 1986  (which was formulated under the leadership of former Prime Minister of India, Rajiv Gandhi), was influenced by recommendations of Kothari Commission. 
4. As per recommendations of Kothari Commission, the education sector in India was stratified into national bodies, state bodies and Central Board.

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