GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

MINISTRY OF PLANNING

LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO: 2606

ANSWERED ON:17.08.2011

EXPERT COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION

(a)whether the Planning Commission has constituted an expert committee to consider and resolve the lacunae existing in the field of higher education for inclusion in the approach paper of the Twelfth Five Year Plan and to achieve excellence in education;

(b)if so, the details thereof; and

(c)the steps taken/being taken by the Government to reform the higher education in the country and to strengthen the school education to make it easy and accessible to all during the Twelfth Five Year Plan?

ANSWER

 MINISTER OF STATE FOR PLANNING, SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY AND EARTH SCIENCES (DR. ASHWANI KUMAR)

(a) to (c):Planning Commission is in the process of formulation of Twelfth Five Year Plan. It has constituted four Steering Committee and nine Working Groups for Education Sector to address key issues / challenges / reforms and devise operational strategies for universalizing access, ensuring equity and achieving excellence. The Expert Committees and Groups, in turn, have several Sub-Groups and Task Forces to deal with various sub-sectors as well as specific issues. Planning Commission has been holding consultations /meetings with State Govts. and other stake holders at regional and state levels including Special Category States. The outputs of the Expert Groups / consultative process would go into the formulation of Approach and Plan strategy