University Education Commission (1948-49)
Soon after Independence in 1948, the University Education Commission was set up under the chairmanship of Dr. S. Radhakrishnan to study education system of the country and the commission submitted its report in 1949. This document contributed significantly in improving the quality of education, in particular teacher education system for the next few decades. The Commission recommended to increase the duration of school education from eleven to twelve years and suggested degree courses after completion of schooling.
Two year degree was replaced with three year course. General education was introduced with college programmes and recommendations were given to improve the working conditions of teachers across schools and, colleges and universities. There were to be three cadres of teachers in universities, viz, lecturer, reader and professor. Another suggestion was to introduce continuous and comprehensive evaluation system in the country as part of evaluation.
The Commission studied in detail teacher education procedure and stressed the need for reorganization of teacher training departments and training colleges. Some of the recommendations made by the commission are as follows:
- There should be balance between theory and practical component in teacher training programmes. Flexibility should be maintained in preparation of teacher education curriculum. Theory papers should be connected to real life situation.
- Teacher education courses should be modified such that more time should be allocated for evaluation of student performance.
- After theory courses, students given opportunity for practice teaching and training schools should be identified for the purpose.
- Students should be provided opportunities to involve actively in the daily activities of the school.
- Staff of the training colleges should be appointed from those who have experience of teaching.
- The curriculum and training course of teacher education should be adaptable and compatible to local circumstances.
- Admission to master education can be possible only after successful completion of some years of teaching experience.
- The commission was disappointed with the procedure and duration of practice teaching sessions of the programmes. It recommended keeping at least twelve weeks exclusively for practice teaching in one teaching teacher education programmes. It also suggested measures to overcome the difficulties caused by rising the duration of teaching practice sessions.
- It stressed the importance of research in the field of education. It strongly recommended implementing of research orientations and practices in teacher education to improve teaching quality.
- Recommended to conduct refresher course, seminars, workshops and other academic activities for working teacher during the vacation period. This must be organized by the universities, to help upgrade subject knowledge of teachers as well.
- The ‘certified attendance at a university refresher course’ once in four/ five years to be made compulsory for promotion of teachers in teacher education departments.
Recommendations presented by the University Education Commission were widely accepted and Universities started rewinding teacher education programmes by including more courses, giving due consideration to teaching practice sessions, curriculum revision and so on. Central Institute of Education, Delhi University, introduced the Psychology wing and they were given the responsibility to design related components of teacher training programmes like psychology tests, identifying and promoting research interest.
Till the time of University Education Commission, the terminology related to teacher preparation was ‘teacher training’ but soon after the second conference of Indian Association of Training Colleges at Mysore, the terminology changed to ‘teacher education’. Now, teacher preparation programmes are commonly known as teacher education programmes.