Context

The country celebrated the National Education Day on 11th November, 2018, to commemorate the birth anniversary of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad.

About

National Education Day

• Maulana Abul Kalam Azad was the country’s first Education Minister after independence, serving from 1947 to 1958.
• National Education Day aims to spread awareness about the nation’s commitment to education.

Azad’s contribution towards education

• Maulana Azad emphasised on quality education as he considered schools to be laboratories which produce future citizens of the country.
• He strongly advocated for universal primary education, girl’s education, free and compulsory education for all children up to the age of 14, vocational training and technical education.
• First Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Indian Institute of Science (IISc), School of Planning and Architecture and the University Grants Commission were established in his tenure.
• Major cultural and literary academies such as the Sangeet Natak Academy, Lalit Kala Academy, Sahitya Academy and Indian Council for Cultural Relations were also established under his tenure.
• For his immense contribution, he was posthumously awarded ‘Bharat Ratna’, India's highest civilian honour, in 1992.

Azad’s contribution to freedom struggle

• Prominent political leader of the Indian National Congress and was elected as Congress President in 1923 and 1940.
• Advocated the principles of the non-cooperation movement and became follower of Gandhi and his philosophy.
• Participated in all the major movements of Indian National Congress after 1920.
• Prime negotiator of Indian National Congress with the Cabinet Mission to discuss the terms of Independence.
• Opposed the idea of partition based on religion.
• Published a nationalist weekly "Al-Hilal" in 1912.
  
  

  Some recent initiatives taken on National Education Day Saksham is a college level scholarship for differently abled, needy and meritorious children. Pragati which is a scholarship for girl students who are pursuing technical education at college level. Skill Credit Framework document which provides a Skill Assessment Matrix for Vocational Advancement of Youth (SAMAVAY). It allows multiple pathways between Vocational education - skills, education and job markets. This will facilitate India to harness the potential of young India. Know your College Portal is an application developed for helping a prospective student take a valued judgment of the college (s)he wishes to join by providing him / her the necessary information about the college. Unnat Bharat Abhiyan to involve higher educational institutions to work with the people of rural India in identifying development challenges and evolving appropriate solutions for accelerating sustainable growth.