National Knowledge Commission Report to the Nation 2006 - 2009 Government of India © National Knowledge Commission, March 2009 Published by: National Knowledge Commission Government of India Dharma Marg, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi-110 021 www.knowledgecommission.gov.in Copy editing, design and printing: New Concept Information Systems Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi-110 076 www.newconceptinfo.com Foreword The National Knowledge Commission (NKC) is pleased and aspirations of domain experts and other concerned to submit its final Report to the Nation. It is essentially stakeholders. a compilation of our various reports from 2006 to 2009. The Commission was set up by the Prime Minister In the last three years NKC has submitted around Dr. Manmohan Singh to prepare a blueprint to tap 300 recommendations on 27 subjects in the form of into the enormous reservoir of our knowledge base so letters to the Prime Minister. These have been widely that our people can confidently face the challenges of disseminated in our Reports to the Nation, seminars, the 21st century. We were conscious that this was a conferences, discussions and covered by national and daunting task, which required not only resources and regional media. These recommendations are also time, but also a bold vision and a long-term focus on accessible through the NKC website in 10 languages. speedy implementation. As part of our outreach program we have organised various conferences and workshops in collaboration At the heart of NKC’s mandate are five key areas with universities, colleges, schools, CII, FICCI, AIMA, related to ACCESS, CONCEPTS, CREATION, and others. We have also been reaching out to various APPLICATIONS and SERVICES. We have addressed State Governments to discuss recommendations and the question of how to build a knowledge society from associated implementation at the state level. The these perspectives, with particular focus on access response from most of the states has been very good. to knowledge. Under these five focus areas we have covered various subjects related to Right to Education, The UPA’s commitment to NKC’s Vision is reflected Language, Translation, Libraries, National Knowledge in the 11th Five Year Plan adopted by the National Network, Portals, Health Information Network, School Development Council. The Plan places high priority Education, Vocational Education and Training, Higher on education as a central instrument for achieving Education, More Students in Maths and Science, rapid and inclusive growth with specific emphasis on Professional Education, More Quality Ph.Ds, Open expansion, excellence, and equity. This is reflected in the and Distance Education, Open Education Resources, proposed allocation of Rs. 3 trillion, a four-fold increase Intellectual Property Rights, Legal Framework for Public over the Tenth Plan. The share of Education in the total Funded Research, National Science and Social Science Plan will accordingly increase from 7.7 to 20 per cent, Foundation, Innovation, Entrepreneurship, Traditional representing a credible progress towards the target of Health systems, Agriculture, Enhancing Quality of Life 6 per cent of GDP. The vision of the Prime Minister and E-governance. and support of our leadership from across the political spectrum is indeed laudable. This is a landmark initiative In most of these areas we organised Working Groups in the history of government planning. We believe that consisting of domain experts from the government, the education agenda outlined in the 11th Plan is a academia, industry, civil society, media and others to critical step towards realising the objective of an equitable make the entire process democratic, transparent and society. It is also fundamental to our continuing growth, participative. The Working Groups were requested to employment generation, infrastructure development have various consultations and prepare a white paper and other developmental priorities. for discussion and debate at the Commission. Based on this methodology, a final set of recommendations While releasing the first NKC Report to the Nation was agreed upon by the majority of the members of in January 12 2007, the PM emphasised that the the Commission. As a result, we believe that these Commission “must be involved in ensuring the recommendations reflect and incorporate the concerns implementation of their innovative ideas”. The focus of our work has been on ensuring that while the Central society. These are equally important to expedite the Government designs appropriate strategies supported by process of development and to improve productivity, fi nancial allocations to implement our recommendations, effi ciency, and reduce cost. To get the real demographic we engage simultaneously with diverse stakeholders dividends we need to empower and educate the 550 to build a groundswell of favourable opinion and million young below the age of 25 through proper assist preparation of implementation strategies at the education to build future growth and prosperity. The grassroots. Continuing dialogue with a wide and diverse destiny of India is in their hands. set of stakeholders has been a critical part of our process, both in the formulation of the recommendations and in While making the recommendations we have been the subsequent dissemination. guided by how knowledge will impact the lives of ordinary people of India. We are conscious that Regarding implementation, we fi nd that there is indeed knowledge is about farmers having access to accurate a great deal of enthusiasm and emphasis on education as information about water, land, weather and fertilisers; a means of achieving personal growth and development. students having access to quality education and jobs; The growing aspirations of children and parents across scientists having access to laboratories; industry the cross-section of society are refl ected in an increasing having access to skilled work force; and people demand for education, which has far exceeded the feeling empowered with good governance in a vibrant supply. There is still resistance at various levels in the democracy. government to new ideas, experimentation, process re- engineering, external interventions, transparency and Finally, I want to thank all the members and our young accountability, due to rigid organisational structures associates for their exceptional hard work, dedication with territorial mindsets. As a result, the real challenge and ongoing support. I would also like to thank the lies in organisational innovation with new regulatory members of various Working Groups and workshops, frameworks, new delivery systems and new processes. In the Planning Commission, the Prime Minister’s Offi ce, their absence, increasing resources could well result in and various other individuals and organisations in more of the same things being replicated. Our country the government and industry for the their contribution is too large, too complex and too diverse for ‘one size and support. fi ts all’ solutions. Decentralisation and community participation at the local level would be the key to As we have said in the past, the recommendations of devising effective programs for implementation. the National Knowledge Commission are really a call to action. It is time to act and implement these We hope that our recommendations fi nd enthusiasm recommendations now. and support at various levels at State and Central Government for speedy implementation. We believe that implementation is the key in going forward to address the three fundamental challenges related to demography, disparity and development. Knowledge, education, and Sam Pitroda innovations are critical to provide opportunities for the Chairman poor and underprivileged to reduce disparities in our National Knowledge Commission Contents OVERVIEW 1 Introduction 3 Terms of Reference and Organisation 4 Members 5 Methodology 9 NKC Snapshot 10 Summary of Recommendations 13 RECOMMENDATIONS 21 ACCESS 23 Right to Education 25 Language 27 Translation 29 Libraries 31 Knowledge Network 33 Health Information Network 36 Portals 39 CONCEPTS 41 School Education 43 Note on School Education 46 Vocational Education and Training 59 Higher Education 62 Note on Higher Education 66 Appointment of Heads of Institutions 78 Legal Education 79 Medical Education 82 Management Education 85 Engineering Education 88 Open and Distance Education 91 Open Educational Resources 94 More Talented Students in Maths and Science 96 Note on More Talented Students in Maths and Science 99 More Quality Ph.Ds 111 Note on More Quality Ph.Ds 114 CREATION 129 National Science and Social Science Foundation 131 Legal Framework for Public Funded Research 133 Intellectual Property Rights 135 Innovation 140 Entrepreneurship 141 APPLICATIONS 143 Traditional Health Systems 145 Agriculture 148 Enhancing Quality of Life 152 SERVICES 157 E-governance 159 NKC: IMPACT 163 Knowledge Initiatives in the Eleventh Five Year Plan 165 Follow Up on NKC Recommendations 168 NKC: State Level Initiatives 170 ANNEXURE I: BASELINE 171 ANNEXURE II: CONSULTATIONS 219 Overview Report to the Nation 1 Introduction nowledge has been recognised as the key driving Improve the management of institutions engaged force in the 21st century and India’s ability to in Intellectual Property Rights. Kemerge as a globally competitive player will Promote knowledge applications in Agriculture and substantially depend on its knowledge resources. To foster Industry. generational change, a systemic transformation is required Promote the use of knowledge capabilities