Justice Verma Committee (2012)

Justice Verma Committee        Justice Verma Committee was constituted to recommend amendments to the Criminal Law so as to provide for quicker trial and enhanced punishment for criminals accused of committing sexual assault against women.  The Committee submitted its report on January 23, 2013.

Background:            On December 23, 2012 a three member Committee headed by Justice J.S. Verma, former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, was constituted to recommend amendments to the Criminal Law so as to provide for quicker trial and enhanced punishment for criminals accused of committing sexual assault against women.  The other members on the Committee were Justice Leila Seth, former judge of the High Court and Gopal Subramanium, former Solicitor General of India.         The Committee submitted its report on January 23, 2013.  It made recommendations on laws related to rape, sexual harassment, trafficking, child sexual abuse, medical examination of victims, police, electoral and educational reforms.  We summarise the key recommendations of the Committee. Rape:       The Committee recommended that the gradation of sexual offences should be retained in the Indian Penal Code, 1860 (IPC).      The Committee was of the view that rape and sexual assault are not merely crimes of passion but an expression of power.  Rape should be retained as a separate offence and it should not be limited to penetration of the vagina, mouth or anus.  Any non-consensual penetration of a sexual nature should be included in the definition of rape.       The IPC differentiates between rape within marriage and outside marriage.  Under the IPC sexual intercourse without consent is prohibited.  However, an exception to the offence of rape exists in relation to un-consented sexual intercourse by a husband upon a wife.  The Committee recommended that the exception to marital rape should be removed.  Marriage should not be considered as an irrevocable consent to sexual acts.  Therefore, with regard to an inquiry about whether the complainant consented to the sexual activity, the relationship between the victim and the accused should not be relevant.  Sexual assault:  Currently, “assault or use of criminal force to a woman with the intent to outrage her modesty” is punishable under Section 354 of the IPC with 2 years imprisonment.  The term outraging the modesty of a woman is not defined in the IPC.  Thus, where penetration cannot be proved, the offence is categorized as defined under Section 354 of the IPC. The Committee recommended that non-penetrative forms of sexual contact should be regarded as sexual assault.  The offence of sexual assault should be defined so as to include all forms of non-consensual non-penetrative touching of a sexual nature.  The sexual nature of an act should be determined on the basis of the circumstances.  Sexual gratification as a motive for the act should not be prerequisite for proving the offence.  The offence should be punishable with 5 years of imprisonment, or fine, or both. Use of criminal force to disrobe a woman should be punishable with 3 to 7 years of imprisonment. Verbal sexual assault: At present, use of words or gestures to “insult a woman’s modesty” is punishable with 1 year of imprisonment or fine or both under Section 509 of the IPC.  This section should be repealed.  The Committee has suggested that use of words, acts or gestures that create an unwelcome threat of a sexual nature should be termed as sexual assault and be punishable for 1 year imprisonment or fine or both.    Sexual harassment: Some of the key recommendations made by the Committee on the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Bill, 2012 that is pending in Parliament are provided below: Domestic workers should be included within the purview of the Bill.  Under the Bill the complainant and the respondent are first required to attempt conciliation.  This is contrary to the Supreme Court judgment in Vishakha vs. State of Rajasthan which aimed to secure a safe workplace to women.  The employer should pay compensation to the woman who has suffered sexual harassment. The Bill requires the employer to institute an internal complaints committee to which complaints must be filed.  Such an internal committee defeats the purpose of the Bill and instead, there should be an Employment Tribunal to receive and adjudicate all complaints. Acid attack:  The Committee opined that the offence should not be clubbed under the provisions of grievous hurt which is punishable with 7 years imprisonment under the IPC. It noted that the offence was addressed in the Criminal Laws Amendment Bill, 2012 which is currently pending in Parliament.  The Bill prescribes a punishment of imprisonment for 10 years or life.  It recommended that the central and state government create a corpus to compensate victims of crimes against women.  Offences against women in conflict areas:  The continuance of Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) in conflict areas needs to be revisited.  At present, the AFSPA requires a sanction by the central government for initiating prosecution against armed forces personnel.  The Committee has recommended that the requirement of sanction for prosecution of armed forces personnel should be specifically excluded when a sexual offence is alleged.  Complainants of sexual violence must be afforded witness protection.  Special commissioners should be appointed in conflict areas to monitor and prosecute for sexual offences.  Training of armed personnel should be reoriented to emphasise strict observance of orders in this regard by armed personnel. Trafficking:  The Committee noted that the Immoral Trafficking Prevention Act, 1956 did not define trafficking comprehensively since it only criminalised trafficking for the purpose of prostitution.  It recommended that the provisions of the IPC on slavery be amended to criminalise trafficking by threat, force or inducement.  It also recommended criminalising employment of a trafficked person.  The juvenile and women protective homes should be placed under the legal guardianship of High Courts and steps should be taken to reintegrate the victims into society. Child sexual abuse: The Committee has recommended that the terms ‘harm’ and ‘health’ be defined under the Juvenile Justice Act, 2000 to include mental and physical harm and health, respectively, of the juvenile.           Punishment for crimes against women: The Committee rejected the proposal for chemical castration as it fails to treat the social foundations of rape.  It opined that death penalty should not be awarded for the offence of rape as there was considerable evidence that death penalty was not a deterrence to serious crimes.  It recommended life imprisonment for rape. Medical examination of a rape victim: The Committee has recommended the discontinuation of the two-finger test which is conducted to determine the laxity of the vaginal muscles.  The Supreme Court has through various judgments held that the two-finger test must not be conducted and that the previous sexual experience of the victim should not be relied upon for determining the consent or quality of consent given by the victim.      Police reforms: The Committee has recommended certain steps to reform the police.  These include establishment of State Security Commissions to ensure that state governments do not exercise influence on the state police.  Such Commissions should be headed by the Chief Minister or the Home Minister of the state.  The Commission would lay down broad policy guidelines so that the Police acts according to the law.  A Police Establishment Board should be established to decide all transfers, postings and promotions of officers.  Director General of Police and Inspector General of Police should have a minimum tenure of 2 years.  Reforms in management of cases related to crime against women:  A Rape Crisis Cell should be set up.  The Cell should be immediately notified when an FIR in relation to sexual assault is made.  The Cell must provide legal assistance to the victim.  All police stations should have CCTVs at the entrance and in the questioning room.  A complainant should be able to file FIRs online.  Police officers should be duty bound to assist victims of sexual offences irrespective of the crime’s jurisdiction.  Members of the public who help the victims should not be treated as wrong doers.  The police should be trained to deal with sexual offences appropriately. Number of police personnel should be increased.  Community policing should be developed by providing training to volunteers. Electoral reforms: The Committee recommended the amendment of the Representation of People Act, 1951.  Currently, the Act provides for disqualification of candidates for crimes related to terrorism, untouchability, secularism, fairness of elections, sati and dowry.  The Committee was of the opinion that filing of charge sheet and cognizance by the Court was sufficient for disqualification of a candidate under the Act.  It further recommended that candidates should be disqualified for committing sexual offences.  Education reforms:  The Committee has recommended that children’s experiences should not be gendered.  It has recommended that sexuality education should be imparted to children.  Adult literacy programs are necessary for gender empowerment.

Janardhana Reddy Committee (1992)

Janardhana Reddy Committee (1992)

       The Central Advisory Board of Education (CABE) in its meeting held on 8-9 March, 1991 examined the procedure to be adopted for consideration of the report of the Ramamurti Review Committee and decided that a CABE committee to be constituted to consider threcommendations of the Ramamurthi Committee. The CABE committee was appointed under the chairmanship of Sri.Janardhana Reddy on 31st July, 1991 to review the implementation of the various parameters of NPE taking into consideration the report of the Ramamurti Review Committee.

The major recommendations of that committee are listed below:

1.       Common School system: effective measures need to be taken to implement the provision of NPE in regard to common school system. To this end, disparities between schools should be ended as early as possible by upgrading the quality of ordinary schools and providing amenities for achieving minimum levels of learning.

2.       Navodaya Vidyalayas:The scheme should continue and a Navodaya Vidyalaya should be set up in each district as originally envisaged. Further, the following measures are suggested.
Constant review to keep the scheme as cost effective as possible.Ensuring the continued validity and reliability of the admission tests by periodic evaluation and appropriate modification of admission procedures, and More particular attention to the pace-setting role of these institutions.

3.       ECCE: the scope of Article 45 of the constitution need not be enlarged. The Anganawadi workers should play an expanded role for a number of activities and support services for women and children, such as child care, family welfare, nutrition and health.

4.       Universalisation of elementary Education: what is needed is not so much a constitutional amendment as suggested by Ramamurti Committee as a manifestation of a national will to achieve UEE. Operation Black board, being one of the priorities strategies for UEE, should continue during the vii plan, in an expanded and extended form.

5.       Adult and continuing education: the ‘dual track approach’ of promoting simultaneously UEE and adult literacy should continue in educational planning. Programmes of post- literacy and continuing education should be planned for neo-literates.

6.       Secondary Education: it would be necessary to bring about a planned expansion of secondary education facilities all over the country to cope with new demands for secondary education. Open learning should be given utmost encouragement.

7.       Vocationalisation of Education: the existing vocational stream at the +2 level may be suitably strengthened and, wherever possible, the vocational courses may be started from class ix also. The idea of core vocational course is attractive. The work experience programme should have practical orientation in relation to various subjects.

8.       Management of Education: the idea of educational complex may be tried on an experimental basis in selected areas. The District Board of Education should be set up and operationalised expeditiously. Constitution of specialized stale level education Tribunal is desirable. “Making the system work” has to be treated as non negotiable. Formulation and Implementation of an Action Plan to put into practice the strategy outlined in the NPE is strongly recommended.

9.       Resources for Education: the practice of teaching education as a residual sector in the matter of allocation of resources should be reversed. Need based financing has to be provided for priority areas like UEE, Adult Literacy and vocationalisation. Higher education and technical and management education has to be progressively made largely self- financing by revising the fee structure with appropriate support to the needy students by way of student loans.

 Considering the reports of the two Review Committees, NPE, 1986 was revised in 1992 with an addition of two  paras and modification of 31 paras.

Ramamurti Review Committee (1990)

National Policy on Education - Review Committees

                    The implementation of the National Policy on Education 1986 was evaluated by two committees namely the Ramamurti Committee (1990) and the Janardhana Reddy Committee (1992). As a result of the recommendations of these two committees, slight modifications were made in the NPE in 1992.

Ramamurti Review Committee (1990)            

         Despite efforts at social and economic development, a majority of our people continue to remain deprived of education, which is one of the basic needs for human development. Government accords the highest priority to education – both as human right and as the means for bringing about a transformation towards a more humane and enlightened society. The National Policy on Education, 1986 would enable the country to move towards this perspective of education. The government therefore, decided to set up the NPE Review Committee. That Committee for Review is popularly known as Ramamurti Review Committee after the name Acharya Ramamurti, the chairman of the committee. The committee was appointed on May 7, 1990 and the report was tabled in the Parliament on January 9, 1991.

   The approach of the committee in reviewing the NPE,1986 and its  implementation  has been guided by the following concerns:

·         Equity and social justice
.         Decentralization of educational management at all levels
.         Establishment of a participative educational order
.         Inculnation of values indispensable for creation of an enlightened and humane society
.         Empowerment of work

The following are the major recommendations:

1.       Development of a common school system: a very vital component for securing equity and social justice in education is the functioning of a common school system. In order to achieve this objective, the existing Government schools and schools aided by local bodies have to be transformed through quality improvement, into genuine neighborhood schools.

2.       Removing disparities in education: the rural areas in general and the tribal areas in particular, have suffered in terms of resources, personnel and infrastructure facilities. Therefore the need of the hour is planning for, and implementation of, educational development programmes in terms of disintegrated targets, area, community and gender specific activities.

3.       Promotion of women education: inorder to promote participation of the girls and women in education at all levels, there is need for an integrated approach in designing and implementing the schemes that would address all the factors that inhibit their education.

4.       Value education: Value education is to be conceived as a continuous process. Value education should ensure that education does not alienate the students from the family, community and life.

5.       Early childhood care and education (ECCE): the scope of the constitutional Directive (Article 45) should be enlarged to include ECCE.

6.       Right to education: Right to Education should be examined for inclusion among the fundamental rights.

7.       Operation Black board: the state governments should develop all decision making power concerning operation black board for planning and implementing the scheme.

8.     Navodaya Vidyalayas: the committee recommends that the Government may take an appropriate decision from out of the following three alternatives:
.    No further Navodaya Vidyalaya need be opened. The existing 261 Navodaya Vidyalayas may be restructured and continued with provision of adequate resources.
.    All the existing 261 Navodaya Vidyalayas may be transferred to the state sector for the states to run them as residential centres on the Andhra Pradesh model.
.    The Navodaya Vidyalaya scheme may be transformed into a Navodaya Vidyalaya programme of broad based talent nurturing and pace setting ( A day school each under the Common School system can function in the premises of Navodaya Vidyalayas).

9.     Work experiences/ SUPW: work experience or socially useful Productive Work should be integrally linked with various subjects both at the level of content and pedagogy.

10.    Resources for education: the first step should be to provide for at least 6% of the GNP for education. All technical and professional education should be made self financing.
       

THE HARTOG COMMITTEE (1929)

THE HARTOG COMMITTEE (1929)

       I.            INTRODUCTION  (Historical background)

    II.            REPORT OF THE HARTOG COMMITTEE, 1929

a.      Recommendations on Primary Education

b.      Recommendations on Secondary Education

c.       Recommendations on Higher Education

d.      Women Education

 III.            CONCLUSION

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

               The Hartog Committee (1929) and Sapru Committee (1934) both emphasized the vital role of vocational education in the country's economic development. The Hartog Committee recommended diversified courses in the schools to enable the students to prepare for industrial and commercial careers at the end of middle school stage, as preparation to special instruction in technical and industrial schools. The Sapru Committee recommended 11 years of school education (5 years for primary, 3 years for lower secondary and 3 years for higher secondary) with vocational studies commencing after 11 years of education. The main purpose of the Sapru Committee was to find ways and means of solving unemployment problem through diversified courses at the secondary stage. But it too made little impact on the educational administration.

REPORT OF THE HARTOG COMMITTEE, 1929

The Committee studied the various aspects of education and submitted its report before the commission in 1929, It put forward comprehensive recommendations in regard to various facts of education in India. First, the Committee made some general observations regarding the state of education in India. The committee observed that there was considerable progress made in education by the time. In general, people regarded education as a matter of national importance. Increasing enrolment in primary school indicates that the sense of indifference to education was breaking down and social and political consciousness among the people had also increased. The women, the Muslims and the backward classes had also awakened and there had been rapid progress in the numbers. Although there was general consciousness of the people in education, the Committee was not satisfied with the growth of literacy in the country. With these ideas in view, the Committee presented a comprehensive report. It was valuable in the sense that it tried to feel the pulse of education in India. It made recommendations in regard to primary secondary, higher and also some other aspects of education.

Recommendations on Primary Education

Hartog Committee made a thorough study of the primary education in India. It realised that the progress of primary education has not been satisfactory. Therefore, before making the recommendations, the committee pointed out the major defects of the existing system of primary education quite convincingly. They may be outlined below—
A)	Defects of Primary Education : The Committee pointed out the following special difficulties in the path of progress of primary education— The Committee realised that the majority of the Indian population reside in villages. Hence primary education is more a rural problem than an urban one. In rural areas school units are usually small, adequate staffing is more expensive, the conditions of living are not attractive to teachers, needs for supervision and inspection is much greater and it is more difficult to secure regular and prolonged attendance of children. The Committee found that the villagers were poor, illiterate and conservative and unwilling to send their children to schools. The general economic conditions of the villagers were also unfavourable to the spread of mass education. The villages were scattered, roads and means of communications were very bad. Physical and climatic conditions were also not favourable for education. The Hartog committee noted that there were many inaccessible and economically backward areas where primary education had not been encouraged. As villages did not have hygienic conditions, epidemic often broke out which affected the regularity of attendance of the children. Besides, agricultural work was also responsible for poor attendance. Children had to help their parents in agriculture and the parents found that if they sent their children to schools, their work would suffer. The committee also found very serious barriers of caste, religion and communal feelings making the expansion of primary education complicated. Another big challenge is found by the Committee on primary level, is Wastage and Stagnation: According to the Committee ‘wastage’ meant premature withdrawal of children from school at any stage before the completion of the primary course. By ‘stagnation’ the committee meant detention in the same classes for more than one academic year. Regular promotion of the students to the next higher class is interrupted resulting in the withdrawal of the student from school learning. The committee had highlighted the following causes of wastage and stagnation in primary education— As most of the parents are illiterate children don’t find suitable environment to retain their literacy. The committee found that 60% of the primary schools were single teacher school. The teachers are not trained and regular inspection of schools was not possible due to inadequate number of inspectors. The method of teaching employed by the teachers was unscientific and stereo typed and the curriculum was not scientific and upto date. Many of the schools were temporary and short lived. There were certain schools that did not hold their sessions regularly.
B)	Recommendations for Improvement: After describing the defects of primary education Hartog committee condemned the policy of its hasty expansion and recommended concentration on consolidation and qualitative improvement. Its main recommendations were— Planning to make primary education compulsory: Primary education should be made compulsory, but there should be no hurry about it. Environment and circumstances of the locality should be carefully studied while making education compulsory Quality Development: Policy of consolidation should be adopted and haphazard expansion should be dropped. Qualitative development should be made instead of increasing the number of primary schools. Duration: The minimum duration of the primary course should be of four years. Timetable: The time table of the schools should be drawn up in accordance with the environment and the circumstances of the schools. Curriculum: The curriculum of primary schools should be liberalised. It should be based on the needs and conditions of village life. Standard of teachers: Standard of the primary teachers should be improved. Training institutions should have better equipment and efficient staff. Refresher courses should also be arranged from time to time. Salary conditions of the service should be made attractive. Reduction of wastage and stagnation: Special attention should be given to the lowest class in primary schools and determined effort should be made to reduce the large extent of stagnation and wastage that prevail therein. Government inspection: The inspecting staff of the Government should be considerably strengthened both in quality and quantity. Centres for rural welfare: Primary schools should serve as centres for rural uplift works, medical relief, adult education, mass literacy, sanitation, recreation etc Finance: The Hartog committee opined that primary education should be a national concern and imperial Government should not entirely withdraw from the field of educational finance. It should provide necessary funds to meet financial deficiencies in the interest of India as a whole.

Recommendations on Secondary Education

T he Hartog committee’s survey of secondary education is not comprehensive. It stresses only on a few major defects and suggests some remedies. First, we shall discuss the defects of secondary education as pointed out by the committee and then we shall proceed to the recommendations regarding its improvement.
	Defects in the Secondary Education : Examination Oriented: The committee found that the whole system of secondary education was dominated by the matriculation examination and the ideal of every boy who entered a secondary school was to prepare himself for the university examinations. It had no other purpose before it. Failures: The percentage of failures at the matriculation examinations was very large. This involved the waste of time, effort and money of the pupils. This was mainly due to laxness of promotions in the secondary schools from class to class and the absence of reasonable selective system.
	Recommendations for Improvement : In order to remove the defects of the system of secondary education the committee made the following recommendations— Diverting Pupils to Non-Literacy Pursuits : With a view to reducing the domination of the matriculation examination, the committee recommended— a) The introduction of a more diversified curriculum in the middle vernacular schools,, b) The diversion of more boys to industrial and commercial careers at the end of the middle stage, for which provision should be made by alternative courses in that stage. The students should be encouraged to offer these courses as they would be of great help in practical life. Improvement in the training and service conditions of secondary teachers: In this regard the committee said— a) Remuneration and conditions of service of the secondary teachers are for from satisfactory. Therefore, the salaries and service conditions of the teachers should be improved so as to attract really capable persons into the job. Teachers should be provided with better service conditions, higher salary and better social status. b) The committee noted that there was no security of service for the teachers. Teachers were frequently sent away at short notice. Many schools recruit teachers for nine months only and thus avoiding the payment of vocation salaries and increments. The salaries of teachers are paid very irregularly. The committee recommended the removal of such evils for the improvement of secondary education. c) The training facilities of the teacher should also be improved.

Recommendations on Higher Education

Already you have learnt about the recommendation of the Hartog Committee regarding primary and secondary education. The committee gave some important suggestions for the university education as well. But before suggesting recommendations it evaluated the condition of higher education, as prevalent in India in those days. The committee looked at the defects and suggested for their remedy.

A)	Defects in Higher Education: Low standards: The committee praised the growth in the number of affiliated college but criticised the falling standards of education due to the worsening of environment in these colleges. The committee also stated that the lowering of standards is also due to indiscriminate admissions and poor work culture in secondary schools. Failure to achieve purpose: The main aim of higher education is to inculcate a taste for learning in the students and to prepare the right type of person for the society. But the universities have failed to produce leaders of society both from the qualitative and quantitative points of view. Overcrowding: The universities are over-crowded with students who are not exactly for university education. Neglect of Honours Course: The universities have not properly organised the Honours courses. This led to an unbalanced growth in the field of education. Inadequate Libraries: Libraries are ill equipped. Laboratory equipment and teaching aids are unsatisfactory which are so essential for higher educations are not up to the mark. Unhealthy competition: The committee felt that there was unhealthy competition among the universities. They paid more attention to increasing the number of students than to raising the standard of education.
B)	Recommendations: The Hartog Committee made the following recommendations for the improvement of higher education in India. Unitary as well as teaching universities: The committee recommended the establishment of affiliated universities alongwith the unitary, residential and teaching universities, keeping in view the great demand for higher education in India. It admitted that the standard of education in the affiliated colleges of these universities would be poorer than in the teaching universities, but under the circumstances affiliated colleges alone could meet the demand for higher education of the people. Appointment of teachers: The committee recommended that the teachers for affiliated colleges should be appointed by the universities. This procedure will raise the standards of education. Provision for Honours course: The honours course should be of more advanced nature than the pass courses and these courses should be instituted only at the universities. Employment: Provision should be made for technical education by the universities. Graduates should not suffer from unemployment and Employment Bureau should be opened in the universities to help the students get suitable employment. Improving the standard of secondary education: In order to improve the standard of higher education, the standard of the secondary examination should be raised. Restricted admission: The admission in the universities should be made on the basis of abilities and aptitudes of students. Libraries: There should be a well equipped central library in each university in order to enable the teachers to keep themselves upto date in the field of education. Examination for administrative services: Departmental examinations should be held to recruit the graduates in administrative services. Improvement in university work: Efforts should be concentrated on improving university work cluture, on confining the university to its proper function of providing good advanced education to students, who are fit to receive it and to make the university a more fruitful agency in the life of the community.

Women Education

The Hartog committee observed that vast discrepancy exists between the education of boys and that of the girls. The condition of women education was deplorable. The committee recommended that—

	Equal importance should be given to the education of the boys as well as girls.
	More primary schools for the girls should be established in rural areas where convenient, girls should also be allowed to study in the schools meant for boys.
	Curriculum for girls should include home science, hygiene, music etc. in secondary schools.
	Greater attention should be paid towards the training of women so that sufficient numbers of trained lady teachers could take up the teaching jobs.
	The number of inspecting staff should also be raised.
	The education of the girls at the primary level should be gradually made compulsory.
	Priority should be given to education of women in India.

CONCLUSION

In 1929, the Hartog Committee submitted its report. This Committee was appointed to survey the growth of education in British India. It “devoted far more attention to mass education than Secondary and University Education”. The committee was not satisfied with the scanty growth of literacy in the country and highlighted the problem of ‘Wastage’ and ‘Stagnation’ at the primary level.It mentioned that the great waste of money and efforts which resulted because of the pupils leaving their schools before completing the particular stage of education. Its conclusion was that “out of every 100 pupils (boys and girls) who were in class I in 1922-23, only 18 were reading in class IV in 1925-26. Thus resulted in a relapse into illiteracy. So, it suggested the following important measures for the improvement of primary education.

I. Adoption of the policy of consolidation in place of multiplication of schools;

II. Fixation of the duration of primary course to four years;

III. Improvement in the quality, training, status, pay, service condition of teachers;
IV. Relating the curricula and methods of teaching to the conditions of villages in which children live and read;
V. Adjustment of school hours and holidays to seasonal and local requirements;
VI. Increasing the number of Government inspection staff.

In the sphere of secondary education the Committee indicated a great waste of efforts due to the immense number of failures at the Matriculation Examination. It attributed that the laxity of promotion from one class to another in the earlier stages and persecution of higher education by incapable students in too large a number were the main factors of wastage.

So it suggested for the introduction of diversified course in middle schools meeting the requirements of majority of students. Further it suggested “the diversion of more boys to industrial and commercial careers at the end of the middle stage”. Besides, the Committee suggested for the improvement of University Education, Women Education, Education of Minorities and Backward classes etc.

The Committee gave a permanent shape to the educational policy of that period and attempted for consolidating and stabilizing education. The report was hailed as the torch bearer of Government efforts. It attempted to prove that a policy of expansion had proved ineffective and wasteful and that a policy of consolidation alone was suited to Indian conditions. However, the suggestions of the Committee could not be implemented effectively and the educational progress could not be maintained due to worldwide economic depression of 1930-31. Most of the recommendations remained mere pious hopes.