Teacher's GK: Education Institutions, AP School Programmes and Curriculum Facts · Chapter 8

Quick-Revision Fact Tables: Education Institutions, School Programmes and Curriculum

What to remember

Know the body, the year and the job. Most teacher-exam questions ask who set up an institution, when, and what it does.
Know the policy ladder. Commissions and policies come in a fixed order, from Wood's Despatch to NEP 2020. Learn the sequence once and use it for every question.
Scheme names change, purposes stay. AP and the Centre rename school programmes from time to time. Remember what a programme does; for the current name check the latest official release.

Table 1: National education bodies

Body	Year	Main job
UGC (University Grants Commission)	1956 (statutory; started 1953)	Grants and standards in universities
NCERT	1961	Textbooks, curriculum framework, research, NAS
CBSE	Re-organised 1962	Board for affiliated schools and the CTET
NIEPA	Late 1960s onwards; deemed university later	Educational planning and administration
AICTE	Statutory body since 1987	Technical education
NCTE	Statutory body since 1995	Teacher education norms (B.Ed, D.El.Ed)
NCERT's PARAKH	2023	National assessment centre
SCERT	State level	State curriculum, textbooks, teacher training
DIET	From 1987 under NPE 1986	District-level teacher training
Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan	1960s	Schools for children of transferable central staff
Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti	1986	Free residential schools for talented rural children

Table 2: Policy and commission timeline

Landmark	Key point
Wood's Despatch (1854)	Called the "Magna Carta" of English education in India; universities, grants-in-aid, departments of education
Hunter Commission (1882)	Looked at primary and secondary education
Sadler (Calcutta University) Commission (1917)	Studied university education
Hartog Committee (1929)	Wastage and stagnation in primary education
Wardha scheme / Nai Talim (1937)	Gandhi's basic education; learning through craft
Sargent Plan (1944)	Post-war plan for education
Radhakrishnan Commission (1948-49)	University education
Mudaliar Commission (1952-53)	Secondary education
Kothari Commission (1964-66)	"Destiny of India is being shaped in her classrooms"; 10+2+3 structure; common school idea
NPE 1968	First national policy; three-language formula
NPE 1986	Operation Blackboard, Navodaya schools, DIETs
Programme of Action 1992	Revised NPE 1986
NEP 2020	Chaired in drafting by K. Kasturirangan; 5+3+3+4 structure

Table 3: Rights and law

Item	Fact
86th Constitutional Amendment (2002)	Added Article 21A: free and compulsory education for ages 6 to 14
Article 45	Early childhood care and education up to age 6 (as amended)
Article 51A(k)	Duty of parents to give opportunities for education to children aged 6 to 14
RTE Act 2009	Came into force on 1 April 2010
Section 12(1)(c)	Private unaided schools reserve 25 per cent seats in the entry class for weaker sections
Section 21	School Management Committee
PTR norm	30:1 at primary; 35:1 at upper primary
Section 16	No-holding-back until completing elementary education; the 2019 amendment lets States allow holding back after regular exams in Classes 5 and 8
Prohibited practices	Physical punishment, mental harassment, capitation fee, private tuition by teachers, screening of children

Table 4: National programmes and the year they began

Programme	Year	Purpose
ICDS	1975	Early childhood care, nutrition, preschool
Operation Blackboard	1987	Basic facilities in primary schools
Mahila Samakhya	1988	Empowerment of rural women through education
Mid-day meal	1995	Cooked meals in schools; now PM POSHAN
DPEP	1994	District primary education drive
Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan	2001	Universal elementary education
Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya	2004	Residential upper primary schools for girls in backward areas
RMSA	2009	Secondary education
SWAYAM and DIKSHA	2017	Online courses and digital textbooks
Samagra Shiksha	2018	Merged SSA, RMSA and teacher education into one scheme
NISHTHA	2019	Teacher training for elementary stage
NIPUN Bharat	2021	Reading and numeracy by Class 3
PM SHRI Schools	2022	Model schools showing NEP practice

Table 5: Curriculum frameworks

Framework	Remember
NCF 1975, 1988, 2000	Earlier NCERT frameworks
NCF 2005	Constructivism; "Learning without burden" from the Yash Pal Committee (1993); no rote learning
NCF for School Education 2023	Aligned to NEP 2020; four stages
Foundational stage	Ages 3 to 8 (preschool to Class 2); play and activity based
Preparatory stage	Ages 8 to 11 (Classes 3 to 5)
Middle stage	Ages 11 to 14 (Classes 6 to 8)
Secondary stage	Ages 14 to 18 (Classes 9 to 12); flexible subject choice

Table 6: Higher education institutions in Andhra Pradesh

Institution	Fact
Andhra University	Founded 1926 at Visakhapatnam
Sri Venkateswara University	Founded 1954 at Tirupati
Acharya Nagarjuna University	Founded 1976 near Guntur
Sri Padmavati Mahila Visvavidyalayam	Women's university at Tirupati, 1983
Dravidian University	At Kuppam
IIT Tirupati, IISER Tirupati	Central institutes started in the mid-2010s
IIM Visakhapatnam	Management institute started in the mid-2010s
NIT Andhra Pradesh	At Tadepalligudem
AIIMS	At Mangalagiri
IIIT at Sri City	Institute of information technology
RGUKT	State technical university with IIIT campuses for rural talent

Table 7: AP school programmes (purpose-based)

Programme type	What it does
Mid-day meal	Cooked meal in government and aided schools; the national name is PM POSHAN
Nadu-Nedu (Mana Badi)	Upgrades school buildings, toilets, water and furniture
Free textbooks and school kits	Textbooks, bags, notebooks and uniform support for government school children
Mother support for school attendance	Cash support to mothers whose children attend school
KGBV	Residential schools for girls in backward areas
Model schools and residential societies	Quality schooling for rural and weaker-section children
SCERT AP	State curriculum and textbook development
AP TET and DSC	Eligibility test and recruitment for teachers

Programme names have changed with governments. Learn the purpose; check the latest official release for the current name.

Table 8: Days and persons linked to education

Date	Day	Person or reason
3 January	Birth anniversary of Savitribai Phule	First woman teacher of modern India
12 January	National Youth Day	Swami Vivekananda
5 September	Teachers' Day	Dr S. Radhakrishnan, born 1888
8 September	International Literacy Day	UNESCO
11 November	National Education Day	Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, first Education Minister
14 November	Children's Day	Jawaharlal Nehru

Table 9: Educational thinkers

Thinker	Idea
Gandhi	Nai Talim, learning by doing a craft
Tagore	Open-air school at Santiniketan; Visva-Bharati
Maria Montessori	Prepared environment; self-learning with materials
Jean Piaget	Stages of cognitive development
Lev Vygotsky	Zone of proximal development
John Dewey	Learning by doing; school as a small society
Paulo Freire	Critical pedagogy
Lawrence Kohlberg	Moral development

Table 10: Teacher eligibility basics

TET: passing it is a basic requirement for teaching Classes 1 to 8 in schools covered by the RTE Act.
Paper I: Classes 1 to 5. Paper II: Classes 6 to 8.
CTET is held by CBSE; AP TET is held by the State.
Minimum qualifications are set by NCTE. Primary teachers hold D.El.Ed or an equivalent; upper primary teachers hold B.Ed or an equivalent.
Under NEP 2020, a four-year integrated B.Ed is planned as the future minimum route.

Exam traps

1. NCERT (1961) vs UGC (1956): NCERT works on school curriculum; UGC on universities.
2. Article 21A vs Article 45: 21A is a fundamental right for ages 6-14; Article 45 is a directive on early childhood up to six.
3. Kothari Commission vs Mudaliar Commission: Mudaliar is secondary education; Kothari is the full education system.
4. Wood's Despatch (1854) vs Hunter Commission (1882): the Despatch came first.
5. RTE Act passed in 2009, in force from 2010.
6. Navodaya (rural talent, residential) vs Kendriya Vidyalaya (central staff children).
7. KGBV is for girls; the mid-day meal is for all children.
8. NCF 2005 is constructivist; NCF 2023 follows NEP 2020 stages.

One-liners

1. NCERT was set up in 1961.
2. UGC became a statutory body in 1956.
3. Wood's Despatch is called the Magna Carta of English education in India.
4. The Kothari Commission recommended the 10+2+3 pattern.
5. NEP 2020 recommends a 5+3+3+4 structure.
6. Article 21A gives free and compulsory education from 6 to 14 years.
7. The RTE Act came into force on 1 April 2010.
8. The PTR norm under RTE is 30:1 at primary level.
9. Samagra Shiksha merged SSA, RMSA and teacher education.
10. Teachers' Day is on 5 September.
11. National Education Day is on 11 November.
12. Savitribai Phule is remembered as the first woman teacher of modern India.

Practice questions

In which year was NCERT set up?
1. 1956
2. 1961
3. 1968
4. 1947
Answer
B. 1961
NCERT was established in 1961 for school curriculum and textbooks.
Wood's Despatch, called the Magna Carta of English education in India, was issued in
1. 1882
2. 1835
3. 1854
4. 1917
Answer
C. 1854
The Despatch of 1854 proposed universities and grants-in-aid.
Article 21A of the Constitution provides free and compulsory education for children aged
1. 5 to 12 years
2. 14 to 18 years
3. 3 to 6 years
4. 6 to 14 years
Answer
D. 6 to 14 years
Article 21A was added by the 86th Amendment for ages 6 to 14.
The Right to Education Act came into force on
1. 1 April 2010
2. 2 October 2001
3. 26 January 1950
4. 15 August 1995
Answer
A. 1 April 2010
The RTE Act was passed in 2009 and enforced from 1 April 2010.
Which commission recommended the 10+2+3 pattern of education?
1. Radhakrishnan Commission
2. Hunter Commission
3. Kothari Commission
4. Mudaliar Commission
Answer
C. Kothari Commission
The Kothari Commission (1964-66) proposed the 10+2+3 structure.
NEP 2020 recommends which school structure?
1. 10+2+3
2. 5+3+3+4
3. 8+4
4. 6+3+3
Answer
B. 5+3+3+4
NEP 2020 replaces 10+2 with 5+3+3+4.
Teachers' Day is celebrated on
1. 14 November
2. 12 January
3. 11 November
4. 5 September
Answer
D. 5 September
It marks the birth anniversary of Dr S. Radhakrishnan.
National Education Day on 11 November honours
1. Maulana Abul Kalam Azad
2. Swami Vivekananda
3. Jawaharlal Nehru
4. Savitribai Phule
Answer
A. Maulana Abul Kalam Azad
Azad was independent India's first Education Minister.
Navodaya Vidyalayas are meant for
1. Children of central government staff
2. Talented children in rural areas, in residential schools
3. Only girls in cities
4. Children in pre-primary classes
Answer
B. Talented children in rural areas, in residential schools
JNVs were started under NPE 1986 as free residential schools for rural talent.
Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas are residential schools mainly for
1. Adult learners
2. Teachers in training
3. Girls in educationally backward areas
4. Boys of urban families
Answer
C. Girls in educationally backward areas
KGBVs began in 2004 for girls at the upper primary level.
Article 21A was inserted by which amendment?
1. 73rd Amendment
2. 42nd Amendment
3. 86th Amendment
4. 44th Amendment
Answer
C. 86th Amendment
The 86th Amendment (2002) inserted Article 21A.
Samagra Shiksha merged which of the following schemes?
1. KGBV and Navodaya
2. SSA, RMSA and teacher education
3. ICDS and mid-day meal
4. DPEP and NISHTHA
Answer
B. SSA, RMSA and teacher education
Samagra Shiksha (2018) integrated school education schemes into one.
Section 12(1)(c) of the RTE Act requires private unaided schools to reserve what share of seats in the entry class?
1. 33 per cent
2. 10 per cent
3. 50 per cent
4. 25 per cent
Answer
D. 25 per cent
25 per cent seats go to children of weaker and disadvantaged groups.
Who is remembered as the first woman teacher of modern India?
1. Savitribai Phule
2. Rukmini Devi
3. Sarojini Naidu
4. Annie Besant
Answer
A. Savitribai Phule
Savitribai Phule started girls' education with Jyotirao Phule.
Andhra University was founded at
1. Visakhapatnam
2. Kuppam
3. Tirupati
4. Guntur
Answer
A. Visakhapatnam
Andhra University was founded in 1926 at Visakhapatnam.
Sri Venkateswara University is located at
1. Visakhapatnam
2. Anantapur
3. Mangalagiri
4. Tirupati
Answer
D. Tirupati
It was founded in 1954 at Tirupati.
The Mudaliar Commission (1952-53) studied
1. University education
2. Secondary education
3. Primary education only
4. Technical education
Answer
B. Secondary education
It is also called the Secondary Education Commission.
NCF 2005 is based mainly on which approach to learning?
1. Rote memorisation
2. Behaviourism only
3. Constructivism
4. Examination coaching
Answer
C. Constructivism
NCF 2005 stresses that children construct knowledge.
The Hartog Committee (1929) is mainly associated with the problem of
1. Wastage and stagnation in primary education
2. University autonomy
3. Adult literacy
4. Technical training
Answer
A. Wastage and stagnation in primary education
It studied children leaving school before completing primary education.
Gandhi's Nai Talim, begun at Wardha, stresses
1. Learning through a productive craft
2. Learning only from books
3. Learning in English
4. Learning through examinations
Answer
A. Learning through a productive craft
Basic education joined hand, head and heart through craft.
The RTE norm for pupil-teacher ratio at the upper primary level is
1. 20:1
2. 35:1
3. 30:1
4. 45:1
Answer
B. 35:1
RTE norms are 30:1 at primary and 35:1 at upper primary.
A graduate who wants to teach Classes 6 to 8 should pass which TET paper?
1. Paper III
2. Paper IV
3. Paper II
4. Paper I
Answer
C. Paper II
Paper I is for Classes 1-5; Paper II for Classes 6-8.
Under NCF-SE 2023 the foundational stage covers ages
1. 11 to 14 years
2. 8 to 11 years
3. 6 to 11 years
4. 3 to 8 years
Answer
D. 3 to 8 years
The foundational stage runs from preschool to Class 2.
The idea of the 'zone of proximal development' is given by
1. Montessori
2. Piaget
3. Vygotsky
4. Kohlberg
Answer
C. Vygotsky
Vygotsky described what a child can do with help.
Which statutory body sets norms for teacher education courses such as B.Ed?
1. NITI Aayog
2. NCTE
3. UGC
4. CBSE
Answer
B. NCTE
NCTE has been a statutory body since 1995.
The main aim of Nadu-Nedu (Mana Badi) in Andhra Pradesh is to
1. Rank universities
2. Conduct teacher recruitment tests
3. Print national textbooks
4. Improve school buildings and facilities
Answer
D. Improve school buildings and facilities
The programme upgraded classrooms, toilets, water and furniture.
District Institutes of Education and Training (DIETs) were set up mainly for
1. District-level teacher training
2. School uniforms
3. Adult night schools
4. University research
Answer
A. District-level teacher training
DIETs began after NPE 1986 for teacher training.
Operation Blackboard (1987) aimed to provide
1. Scholarships to university students
2. Free laptops to teachers
3. Cooked meals in colleges
4. Basic facilities in primary schools
Answer
D. Basic facilities in primary schools
It supplied rooms, teachers and teaching material to primary schools.
'Learning without burden' report is linked with
1. Kothari Commission
2. Hartog Committee
3. Yash Pal Committee
4. Sadler Commission
Answer
C. Yash Pal Committee
It led to the NCF 2005 view of reducing rote load.
The national name of the mid-day meal scheme is now
1. DIKSHA
2. PM POSHAN
3. PM SHRI
4. NISHTHA
Answer
B. PM POSHAN
The scheme began in 1995 and is now called PM POSHAN.
Consider the following statements: 1. The RTE Act was passed in 2009. 2. It came into force from 1 April 2010. Which of the statements 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.
Consider the following statements: 1. Article 21A gives a fundamental right to education for ages 6 to 14. 2. Article 45 gives that fundamental right. Which of the statements is/are correct?
1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2
Answer
A. 1 only
Article 45 is a directive principle on early childhood care.
Consider the following statements: 1. Navodaya Vidyalayas are residential schools for rural talent. 2. Kendriya Vidyalayas are meant mainly for children of transferable central staff. Which of the statements 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.
Consider the following statements: 1. The Hunter Commission came before Wood's Despatch. 2. Wood's Despatch came in 1854. Which of the statements is/are correct?
1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2
Answer
B. 2 only
Hunter Commission was in 1882, after the Despatch.
Consider the following statements: 1. The Kothari Commission suggested the 10+2+3 pattern. 2. The Mudaliar Commission studied university education. Which of the statements is/are correct?
1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2
Answer
A. 1 only
Mudaliar studied secondary education.
Consider the following statements: 1. NEP 2020 recommends the 5+3+3+4 structure. 2. It plans a four-year integrated B.Ed as a teacher education route. Which of the statements 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.
Consider the following statements: 1. TET Paper II is for Classes 1 to 5. 2. TET Paper I is for Classes 1 to 5. Which of the statements is/are correct?
1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2
Answer
B. 2 only
Paper II is for Classes 6 to 8.
Consider the following statements: 1. NCF 2005 favours constructivism. 2. NCF 2005 favours rote learning. Which of the statements is/are correct?
1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2
Answer
A. 1 only
NCF 2005 discourages rote learning.
Consider the following statements: 1. NCERT was set up in 1956. 2. UGC prepares school textbooks. Which of the statements is/are correct?
1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2
Answer
D. Neither 1 nor 2
NCERT was set up in 1961 and UGC works for universities.
Consider the following statements: 1. The RTE Act allows capitation fee in aided schools. 2. The RTE Act prohibits physical punishment. Which of the statements is/are correct?
1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2
Answer
B. 2 only
Capitation fee is prohibited.
Which pair is correctly matched?
1. Teachers' Day - 11 November
2. Literacy Day - 12 January
3. National Youth Day - 5 September
4. Children's Day - 14 November
Answer
D. Children's Day - 14 November
Children's Day is on 14 November, Nehru's birthday.
Which pair is wrongly matched?
1. Tagore - Santiniketan
2. Montessori - Prepared environment
3. Dewey - Learning by doing
4. Piaget - Nai Talim
Answer
D. Piaget - Nai Talim
Nai Talim is Gandhi's idea; Piaget is linked with cognitive stages.
Which of the following institutions is located at Tirupati?
1. NIT Tadepalligudem
2. Dravidian University
3. AIIMS Mangalagiri
4. IIT Tirupati
Answer
D. IIT Tirupati
IIT and IISER are at Tirupati; the others are at different places.
Who founded Visva-Bharati, the university at Santiniketan?
1. Rabindranath Tagore
2. Madan Mohan Malaviya
3. Mahatma Gandhi
4. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan
Answer
A. Rabindranath Tagore
Tagore founded the school in 1901 and Visva-Bharati later.
The Programme of Action 1992 revised which policy?
1. Kothari Report
2. NEP 2020
3. NPE 1986
4. NPE 1968
Answer
C. NPE 1986
The 1992 Programme of Action modified NPE 1986.

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1.Read the given statement and conclusions carefully. Statement: Book-reading is a very healthy habit because it keeps our learning process alive even after our college or school education. Conclusions: I. Nowadays, e-books are gaining far more popularity than hardcovers. II. Students gain a lot of knowledge and improve language by keeping the habit of book-reading alive.
2.Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan is a Government of India flagship programme, making free and compulsory education to children in the age group of _______. (RRB NTPC CBT-I (11/01/2021) Shift 2)
3.Which of the following ministries releases the Performance Grading Index (PGI) 2.0 to assess the performance of states and union territories in school education? (RRB NTPC (UG) CBT-I (18/08/2025) Shift 2)
4.Which of the following Articles of the Indian Constitution states that all minorities, whether based on religion or language, shall have the right to establish and administer educational institutions of their choice? (RPF SI CBT-I 2024 (02/12/2024) Shift 1)
5.Which of the following institutions was designated to implement the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) programme after the Government of India approved its execution model in May 2025?
6.Under which article, the minorities have the right to open educational institutions and to handle their administration? (RPF SI 2018 (11/01/2019) Shift 3)
7.Which flagship programme under the Ministry of Rural Development aims to organise the rural poor women into their own institutions like self-help groups and their federations, producers' collectives etc. and also ensure their financial inclusion and livelihood support? (RRB NTPC CBT-I (20/01/2021) Shift 2)
8.Which Indian institute was officially notified as an 'Institution Deemed to be University' by the Union Ministry of Education? (RRB NTPC (UG) CBT-I (03/09/2025) Shift 3)
9.Which amendment of the constitution provides 27% reservation for other backward classes as private higher education institutions in government? (RRB NTPC Tier I (06/04/2016) Shift 2)
10.In the 1830’s, which Scottish man was Commissioned by the East India Company to prepare reports on Education and progress in the native schools of Bengal and Bihar?

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