Revision: Committees, Years, Recommendations and Programme Matching

What to remember

• Learn the sequence: Macaulay (1835), Wood's Despatch (1854), Hunter (1882), Sadler (1917-19), Hartog (1929), Wardha (1937), Sargent (1944), Radhakrishnan (1948-49), Mudaliar (1952-53), Kothari (1964-66), NPE 1968, NPE 1986, Yash Pal (1993), NCF 2005, RTE 2009, NEP 2020.
• Keep one headline per body: a one-line "what it is famous for" is enough to solve most match-the-following questions.
• Match programmes to the policy that launched them: Operation Blackboard (1986 policy), DPEP (1994), SSA (2001), RMSA (2009), Samagra Shiksha (2018), NIPUN Bharat (2021).

Colonial period

Independent India: main commissions and committees

National policies and frameworks

• NPE 1968 (based on Kothari): common 10-year school, three-language formula, free and compulsory education to 14, and 6% of income for education.
• NPE 1986 (revised in 1992 as the Programme of Action): focus on equality and access; Operation Blackboard; Navodaya Vidyalayas; non-formal education; open university system; minimum levels of learning.
• NCF 2005: constructivism, learning without burden; built on the Yash Pal report.
• RTE Act 2009: free and compulsory education for children aged 6 to 14, a fundamental right under Article 21A (inserted by the 86th Amendment, 2002). It came into force in 2010. Private unaided schools must keep a quota of seats (25%) for children of weaker sections.
• NEP 2020: 5+3+3+4 structure, foundational literacy, flexible choices, mother tongue, and low-stakes board examinations.

International reports

Programmes and what launched them

Bodies and institutions

Timeline in one line

1835 Macaulay; 1854 Wood; 1882 Hunter; 1904 Universities Act; 1917-19 Sadler; 1929 Hartog; 1937 Wardha; 1944 Sargent; 1948 Radhakrishnan; 1952 Mudaliar; 1964-66 Kothari; 1968 NPE; 1986 NPE; 1992 Programme of Action; 1993 Yash Pal; 1994 DPEP; 2001 SSA; 2002 86th Amendment; 2005 NCF; 2009 RTE and RMSA; 2018 Samagra Shiksha; 2020 NEP; 2022 early-years framework; 2023 NCFSE.

Recommendations in more detail

• Wood's Despatch: it made the state responsible for mass education, created the Department of Public Instruction in each province, and asked for a ladder of schools from village schools up to universities.
• Hunter Commission: it asked that the control of primary schools be passed to district and municipal boards. It supported secondary education by private bodies with grants.
• Hartog Committee: it found that many children left school before reaching Grade 4 or repeated classes, so it recommended consolidating primary education.
• Sargent Plan: it proposed a 40-year plan of universal basic education, high schools for selected children, and technical and adult education.
• Mudaliar Commission: it suggested a separate higher secondary stage, diversification, and better training and pay for teachers.
• Kothari Commission: it described classrooms as shaping India's destiny, and asked for work experience, a common school system, three-language formula, and a school system of 10 years of general education followed by 2 years of higher secondary.
• Yash Pal Committee: it said that children should learn with understanding, not by carrying heavy bags and memorising.
• Delors Report: it stated four pillars for lifelong education.

Link with the Constitution

• Article 21A (86th Amendment, 2002): free and compulsory education for children aged 6 to 14 is a fundamental right.
• Article 45 (Directive Principle) now asks the State to provide early childhood care and education for children below six.
• Article 51A(k) (Fundamental Duty): a parent or guardian must provide opportunities for education to a child aged 6 to 14.
• Education was moved from the State List to the Concurrent List by the 42nd Amendment (1976), so both the Union and the states make laws on it.

Capsule: how to match quickly

• "Magna Carta" means Wood's Despatch.
• "Wastage and stagnation" means Hartog.
• "Basic education" means Wardha / Zakir Husain.
• "10+2+3" and "common school" mean Kothari.
• "Diversified courses" or "multipurpose schools" mean Mudaliar.
• "University education" means Radhakrishnan.
• "Learning Without Burden" means Yash Pal.
• "Four pillars" means Delors.
• "Operation Blackboard" means NPE 1986.
• "Article 21A" means RTE.
• "5+3+3+4" means NEP 2020.
• "Panchakosha" means the early-years framework.

Exam traps

• Hunter (1882) is about primary and secondary education; Radhakrishnan (1948) is about universities; Mudaliar (1952) is about secondary education.
• The Kothari Commission gave the 10+2+3 plan; NEP 2020 changed it to 5+3+3+4.
• Sargent (1944) is pre-independence; Sadler (1917-19) is about Calcutta University.
• Wood's Despatch (1854) came before Hunter (1882); do not reverse them.
• Faure (1972) and Delors (1996) are UNESCO bodies; Kothari is an Indian body.
• SSA came before RTE; RMSA is for secondary.
• Article 21A gives the right; RTE Act 2009 makes the law to carry it out.
• NPE 1968 followed the Kothari report; NPE 1986 came later and was revised in 1992.

One-liners

• 1. Macaulay's Minute dates from 1835.
• 2. Wood's Despatch is the Magna Carta of Indian education.
• 3. Hunter Commission was set up in 1882.
• 4. Hartog Committee reported on wastage and stagnation.
• 5. Sargent Plan is from 1944.
• 6. Radhakrishnan Commission studied university education.
• 7. Mudaliar Commission studied secondary education.
• 8. Kothari Commission recommended 10+2+3.
• 9. Yash Pal wrote Learning Without Burden.
• 10. Delors gave the four pillars of learning.
• 11. RTE rests on Article 21A.
• 12. NEP 2020 introduced 5+3+3+4.

Practice questions

1. Which document is called the Magna Carta of English education in India?

   1. Macaulay's Minute
   2. Hunter Commission report
   3. Sargent Plan
   4. Wood's Despatch
   Answer

   D. Wood's Despatch

   Wood's Despatch of 1854 laid the base of the modern system.

2. Macaulay's Minute on education was issued in

   1. 1902
   2. 1854
   3. 1882
   4. 1835
   Answer

   D. 1835

   Macaulay's Minute dates from 1835.

3. The Hunter Commission was appointed in

   1. 1917
   2. 1948
   3. 1835
   4. 1882
   Answer

   D. 1882

   The Hunter Commission looked at primary and secondary education.

4. The Hartog Committee reported on the problem of

   1. technical examinations
   2. higher research
   3. school uniforms
   4. wastage and stagnation
   Answer

   D. wastage and stagnation

   It studied children leaving school or repeating classes.

5. The Sargent Plan of post-war educational development dates from

   1. 1964
   2. 1882
   3. 1986
   4. 1944
   Answer

   D. 1944

   It was prepared by the Central Advisory Board of Education.

6. The University Education Commission of 1948-49 was headed by

   1. Zakir Husain
   2. A. L. Mudaliar
   3. S. Radhakrishnan
   4. D. S. Kothari
   Answer

   C. S. Radhakrishnan

   It is also called the Radhakrishnan Commission.

7. The Secondary Education Commission of 1952-53 was headed by

   1. A. L. Mudaliar
   2. S. Radhakrishnan
   3. Yash Pal
   4. D. S. Kothari
   Answer

   A. A. L. Mudaliar

   It is also called the Mudaliar Commission.

8. The Education Commission of 1964-66 was headed by

   1. A. L. Mudaliar
   2. K. Kasturirangan
   3. Yash Pal
   4. D. S. Kothari
   Answer

   D. D. S. Kothari

   It recommended the 10+2+3 pattern.

9. Which commission recommended the 10+2+3 pattern of education?

   1. Hunter Commission
   2. Mudaliar Commission
   3. Kothari Commission
   4. Hartog Committee
   Answer

   C. Kothari Commission

   The Kothari Commission gave the 10+2+3 plan.

10. The report Learning Without Burden was prepared under the leadership of

    1. Kothari
    2. Yash Pal
    3. Mudaliar
    4. Delors
    Answer

    B. Yash Pal

    The 1993 committee was led by Prof. Yash Pal.

11. The Delors Report of 1996 is titled

    1. Learning Without Burden
    2. Education for All
    3. Learning: The Treasure Within
    4. Learning to Be
    Answer

    C. Learning: The Treasure Within

    It named four pillars of learning.

12. Which constitutional article makes education a fundamental right for children aged 6 to 14?

    1. Article 19
    2. Article 21A
    3. Article 45
    4. Article 14
    Answer

    B. Article 21A

    Article 21A was inserted by the 86th Amendment, 2002.

13. The Right to Education Act 2009 applies to children aged

    1. 6 to 14 years
    2. 14 to 18 years
    3. 3 to 6 years
    4. 0 to 3 years
    Answer

    A. 6 to 14 years

    It makes elementary education free and compulsory.

14. Operation Blackboard was launched under which policy?

    1. Wood's Despatch
    2. NEP 2020
    3. National Policy on Education 1968
    4. National Policy on Education 1986
    Answer

    D. National Policy on Education 1986

    It improved basic facilities in primary schools.

15. NIPUN Bharat was launched under which policy?

    1. NEP 2020
    2. NPE 1986
    3. NPE 1968
    4. Kothari report
    Answer

    A. NEP 2020

    NIPUN Bharat is for foundational literacy and numeracy.

16. Samagra Shiksha merged which of the following schemes?

    1. Mid-Day Meal and Navodaya
    2. SSA, RMSA and teacher education
    3. NCERT and NCTE
    4. UGC and AICTE
    Answer

    B. SSA, RMSA and teacher education

    It treats school education from pre-school to Grade 12 as one.

17. Which programme aimed at the universalisation of elementary education from 2001?

    1. Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan
    2. Operation Blackboard
    3. Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan
    4. Navodaya Vidyalaya
    Answer

    C. Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan

    SSA started in 2001.

18. Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan was meant for

    1. higher education
    2. primary education
    3. adult education
    4. secondary education
    Answer

    D. secondary education

    RMSA started in 2009.

19. The four pillars of learning in the Delors Report are

    1. learning to know, to do, to live together and to be
    2. truth, beauty, power and wealth
    3. reading, writing, arithmetic and drawing
    4. listening, speaking, reading and writing
    Answer

    A. learning to know, to do, to live together and to be

    These four pillars guide lifelong learning.

20. Which pair is correctly matched?

    1. Hunter Commission - university autonomy in 1948
    2. Mudaliar Commission - diversified courses in secondary schools
    3. Radhakrishnan Commission - primary schools of 1882
    4. Sargent Plan - Wardha scheme of 1937
    Answer

    B. Mudaliar Commission - diversified courses in secondary schools

    Mudaliar focused on secondary education.

21. Faure Commission's report of 1972 is titled

    1. Learning: The Treasure Within
    2. Learning Without Burden
    3. The Education of Man
    4. Learning to Be
    Answer

    D. Learning to Be

    It spoke of lifelong learning and the learning society.

22. Which Committee studied the education of women and was headed by Durgabai Deshmukh?

    1. Patel Committee
    2. Hartog Committee
    3. National Committee on Women's Education
    4. Ramamurti Committee
    Answer

    C. National Committee on Women's Education

    It was set up in 1958.

23. The Calcutta University Commission (1917-19) was headed by

    1. Lord Macaulay
    2. Michael Sadler
    3. W. W. Hunter
    4. Charles Wood
    Answer

    B. Michael Sadler

    It is also called the Sadler Commission.

24. The Wardha Scheme of Basic Education was put forward in

    1. 1854
    2. 2005
    3. 1948
    4. 1937
    Answer

    D. 1937

    The Wardha conference was in 1937.

25. Which body of 1882 recommended that primary schools be handed over to local bodies?

    1. Delors Commission
    2. Sargent Plan
    3. Hunter Commission
    4. Radhakrishnan Commission
    Answer

    C. Hunter Commission

    The Hunter Commission wanted local bodies to manage primary schools.

26. Education was moved from the State List to the Concurrent List by the

    1. 42nd Amendment, 1976
    2. 44th Amendment, 1978
    3. 86th Amendment, 2002
    4. 1st Amendment, 1951
    Answer

    A. 42nd Amendment, 1976

    The 42nd Amendment made education a Concurrent subject.

27. Which statement about the Mid-Day Meal scheme is correct?

    1. It began as a national programme in 1995 and is now called PM POSHAN
    2. It was started by the Hunter Commission
    3. It was launched after NEP 2020
    4. It is a university scheme
    Answer

    A. It began as a national programme in 1995 and is now called PM POSHAN

    The scheme supports nutrition and attendance.

28. Which sequence is in correct chronological order?

    1. Hartog Committee, Wood's Despatch, Kothari Commission, Hunter Commission
    2. Kothari Commission, Hartog Committee, Hunter Commission, Wood's Despatch
    3. Hunter Commission, Wood's Despatch, Kothari Commission, Hartog Committee
    4. Wood's Despatch, Hunter Commission, Hartog Committee, Kothari Commission
    Answer

    D. Wood's Despatch, Hunter Commission, Hartog Committee, Kothari Commission

    1854, 1882, 1929, 1964-66.

29. Match the programme with the stage: SSA, RMSA, Samagra Shiksha

    1. Secondary, elementary, higher education
    2. Elementary, secondary, pre-school to Grade 12
    3. Higher education, secondary, adult
    4. Adult, elementary, pre-school
    Answer

    B. Elementary, secondary, pre-school to Grade 12

    SSA is elementary; RMSA secondary; Samagra Shiksha covers all school stages.

30. The Central Advisory Board of Education is known by the short form

    1. SCERT
    2. UGC
    3. CABE
    4. NCTE
    Answer

    C. CABE

    CABE advises the Union and states on education.

31. Consider these statements: 1. The Hunter Commission was set up in 1882. 2. The Hunter Commission was about university education only. Which is/are correct?

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer

    A. 1 only

    It looked at primary and secondary education.

32. Consider these statements: 1. Kothari Commission recommended the 10+2+3 pattern. 2. NEP 2020 proposed the 5+3+3+4 pattern. Which is/are correct?

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer

    C. Both 1 and 2

    Both are correct.

33. Consider these statements: 1. Macaulay's Minute came after the Hunter Commission. 2. Wood's Despatch came before the Hunter Commission. Which is/are correct?

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer

    B. 2 only

    Macaulay's Minute (1835) came first.

34. Consider these statements: 1. Radhakrishnan Commission studied university education. 2. Mudaliar Commission studied secondary education. Which is/are correct?

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer

    C. Both 1 and 2

    Both are correct.

35. Consider these statements: 1. Faure Commission produced Learning to Be. 2. Delors Commission produced Learning to Be. Which is/are correct?

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer

    A. 1 only

    Delors produced Learning: The Treasure Within.

36. Consider these statements about the RTE Act 2009: 1. It applies to children above 14 years. 2. It rests on Article 21A. Which is/are correct?

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer

    B. 2 only

    It applies to ages 6 to 14.

37. Consider these statements: 1. Operation Blackboard came under NPE 1986. 2. DPEP was meant for district-level primary education. Which is/are correct?

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer

    C. Both 1 and 2

    Both are correct.

38. Consider these statements: 1. Hartog Committee reported on wastage and stagnation. 2. Hartog Committee gave the 10+2+3 pattern. Which is/are correct?

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer

    A. 1 only

    The 10+2+3 plan is from the Kothari Commission.

39. Consider these statements: 1. Sargent Plan was prepared before independence. 2. Sargent Plan recommended universal compulsory education for 6-14 years. Which is/are correct?

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer

    C. Both 1 and 2

    Both are correct.

40. Consider these statements: 1. RMSA is a scheme for elementary education. 2. SSA preceded the RTE Act 2009. Which is/are correct?

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer

    B. 2 only

    RMSA is for secondary education.

41. Consider these statements: 1. UGC was set up in 1956. 2. NCERT was set up in 1961. Which is/are correct?

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer

    C. Both 1 and 2

    Both dates are correct.

42. Consider these statements about Yash Pal and Kasturirangan: 1. Yash Pal led the Learning Without Burden committee. 2. Kasturirangan led the committee for the draft NEP. Which is/are correct?

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer

    C. Both 1 and 2

    Both statements are correct.

43. Consider these statements: 1. Article 21A was inserted by the 86th Amendment. 2. Article 21A guarantees free education to all citizens up to age 18. Which is/are correct?

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer

    A. 1 only

    Article 21A covers ages 6 to 14.

44. Consider these statements: 1. Samagra Shiksha replaced the Right to Education Act. 2. Samagra Shiksha covers school education from pre-school to Grade 12. Which is/are correct?

    1. 1 only
    2. 2 only
    3. Both 1 and 2
    4. Neither 1 nor 2
    Answer

    B. 2 only

    The RTE Act remains in force.

45. The Indian Universities Act of 1904 followed the report of the

    1. Sargent Plan
    2. Hunter Commission
    3. Hartog Committee
    4. Indian Universities Commission (Raleigh)
    Answer

    D. Indian Universities Commission (Raleigh)

    The 1902 commission led to the 1904 Act.