National University of Educational Planning and Administration Educational Planning and Administration of National University About the author About the book Dr. Kavita A. Sharma is President of the South This book portrays the evolution and Asian University. Prior to her appointment as the transformation of NUEPA from a UNESCO President of SAARC University, she was working as Regional Centre, established in 1962, to a the Director of India International Centre (IIC). University in 2006, specializing in the area of educational policy, planning and administration. Dr. Kavita Sharma has the distinction of being the Covering extensively through specific chapters, first lady Principal of a co-education institution the book brings out re-envisioning of its roles as in the Delhi University. She holds a doctorate the institution underwent different incarnations in English from Delhi University and LLM from National University of Educational in its engagements in educational planning and University of British Columbia, Canada. administration. The book shows how along its Planning and Administration journey, through its research, documentation and Dr. Kavita Sharma’s publications include dissemination of innovative practices as well as Internationalisation of Education, Sixty Years of A Transformational Journey training and capacity building of the personnel University Grants Commission, Hindu College, at different levels and spheres of education Delhi – A People’s Movement, The Windmills of the system, NUEPA not only shaped the contours Mind, etc. of educational planning and administration as a discipline and as a field of practice, but also how it helped fashioning its state level counterparts in the form of State Institute of Educational Management and Training (SIEMAT) as well as its international counterparts. The book also shows how the transformation of NIEPA into NUEPA signified its shift in status from primarily a delivery to a teaching and resource institution in the area of education policy and planning that had evolved progressively, through its research, dissemination A Transformational Journey Transformational A and professionalisation of capacity building, all rolled into one. Kavita A. Sharma Kavita A. Sharma National University of Educational Planning and Administration 17-B, Sri Aurobindo Marg, New Delhi 110 016, INDIA Phone: 011-26544800, 26565600 Fax: 011-26853041, 26865180 Email: [email protected] Website: www.nuepa.org, www.nuepaeduplan.nic.in National University of Educational Planning and Administration A Transformational Journey National University of Educational Planning and Administration A Transformational Journey Kavita A. Sharma in Research Collaboration Manju Mukul Chandrachur Singh First Published: June, 2015 (HB: 1h, PB: 2h) © NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATIONAL PLANNING AND ADMINISTRATION (NUEPA), 2015 (Declared by the Government of India under Section 3 of the UGC Act, 1956) Disclaimer: The views in the publication are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the National University of Educational Planning and Administration, New Delhi. Published by the Registrar, National University of Educational Planning and Administration, 17-B, Sri Aurobindo Marg, New Delhi, INDIA, designed at M/s New Concept Information Systems Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi-110076 and printed by M/s Paras Offset Pvt. Ltd., Naraina, Phase-I, New Delhi-28. Foreword NUEPA began its journey more than five decades ago as a Regional Centre of UNESCO focusing on international trends and capacity building needs of Asia in the area of educational planning and administration. As the governance moved into the hands of the Government of India, the Regional Centre became a National institution. With this while it retained its international portfolio, the institution has gradually emerged as the apex national body for technical and research activities in the areas of educational policy, planning and administration. As an autonomous institution created and fully funded by Government of India, changing roles and functions of the NUEPA abundantly reflects the changing nature of issues and challenges concerning education sector in India. Acquiring the status of a University in 2006 undoubtedly marked a major step in changing the character of the institution from being merely a technical support institution to an independent think tank engaged in original research and teaching. All educational institutions change and transform themselves as they grow and develop. But the transformational journey of NUEPA from being a Regional Centre of UNESCO to becoming a National University has been more complex than what one could imagine with multiple changes in organizational structure and governance framework. Writing the story of change and transformation of NUEPA spanning over more than five decades and capturing not only the structural rearrangements made but also the substantive areas of engagement of the institution in the field of educational policy, planning and administration is indeed a challenging task. Dr. Kavita Sharma has done a commendable job of capturing all the nuances involved in this long and continuous process of change and development witnessed by NUEPA. Through this volume she has, in fact, created a comprehensive documentation and institutional memory for NUEPA. I would like to record my sincere thanks to her for this. I should also record my gratitude to several former and current colleagues who invested their precious time in reviewing and ensuring that the volume gets published in this form. I should particularly record my appreciation for the contributions made by Professor A. Mathew in this regard. Mr. Pramod Rawat, the Deputy Publication Officer along with his staff has done an excellent job of bringing out an impressive publication by inserting relevant pictures into the text which has added significant value to its content and quality. New Delhi Prof. R. Govinda June 5, 2015 Vice-Chancellor, NUEPA v Preface It has been my privilege to chart the journey of the National University of Educational Planning and Administration from its origins in 1962 as the UNESCO sponsored Regional Centre for the Training of Educational Planners, Administrators and Supervisors in Asia. The course of this work too has been a long one and as full of twists and turns as that of the Regional Centre. The idea was first put before me by Prof. Ved Prakash, the then Vice-Chancellor of NUEPA in 2006 or 2007 but nothing came of it. It may have developed a life of its own at NUEPA but by the time it returned to me, it was 2008. At that time I was busy with my assignments as a New Century Fulbright Scholar. I also changed my job with all the upheavals that go with it. However, Prof. Ved Prakash said that I should still take it up as I had earlier written 50 Years of University Grants Commission and he had faith in my abilities but I myself was full of trepidation and uncertainty. Anyhow, change of job, residence and three research associates later, the work is at last complete. NUEPA has done so much in the fields of training, research and consultancy that it is a real challenge to bring it all together. In any case, it is impossible to mention everything as the work done is vast. I am sure there has been an element of subjectivity in what I have picked up but the guiding principles have been one, what has contributed to the mandate and vision of NUEPA at its various stages of growth and development, and two, what I see as some vital educational issues from among the vast number of very significant issues that the faculty NUEPA has worked on. I am aware that perceptions may differ but that is a risk that is embedded in the very nature of the assignment. While most documents were available thanks to the cooperation of my colleagues in NUEPA, there could be an omission or two like the Special Audit Report of 1989, which could not be found in spite of best efforts. However, it is remarkable that so much was available as the preservation and retrieval of documents is one of the most challenging tasks for an institution. On the whole, this assignment has been a great learning experience for me as it has given me valuable insights, based on detailed research into the educational issues, that I may, otherwise, not have had. I am grateful for this opportunity to NUEPA and Prof. Ved Prakash. I am very thankful to Prof. Govinda, the present Vice-Chancellor of NUEPA, Prof. Sudesh Mukhopadhyaya and Prof. Sudhanshu Bhushan, to name just a few colleagues, who have always readily provided the required reports and other documents. Thanks are due to Dr. C.L. Sapra, Prof. M.V. Mathur, Mr. J. Veeraraghavan, and Mr. R.P. Saxena, for their detailed vii NUEPA - A Transformational Journey comments, which have been of immense help. The faculty meeting to discuss the first draft was invaluable and I thank you all for taking the time out from your busy schedules to give insights which cannot be obtained from the mere reading of documents. Thanks are also due to the Library and to the ever smiling and helpful Mrs. Sushma Asija. My research associates, Dr. Manju Mukul and Mr. Chandrachur Singh, from Delhi University have worked hard and steadily with me. Mr. Gautam Bharti and Mrs. Nirmala Hari have provided the vital secretarial assistance without which no work is possible. My invaluable comrade-in-arms, who has copy edited every page has been Mrs. Indu Ramchandani. Without all the help that these people have given, it would not have been possible to complete this work.