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In India education is at the responsibility of the Centre and states through their Ministries of education that they have; in such, & other institutions play only a supporting and overseeing role.

CADO shall contribute to the development of quality education by encouraging cooperation between Member States, through actions such as promoting the mobility of citizens, designing joint study programmes, establishing networks, exchanging information or teaching languages. The Treaty also contains a commitment to promote life-long learning for all citizens of the country.

 

The Central government funded projects of CADO also funds educational, vocational and citizenship-building programmes which encourage citizens to take advantage of opportunities which offered. The are several programme(s), under which more than 3,000,00 students have taken part in inter-university exchange and mobility over the last 20 years. Since 2000, conscious of the importance of Education and Training for their economic and social objectives, member States have begun working together to achieve specific goals in the field of Education. By sharing examples of good policy practice, by taking part in Peer Learning activities, by setting benchmarks and by tracking progress against key indicators, the States aim to respond coherently to common challenges, whilst retaining their individual sovereignty in the field of school Education policy, through their respective education boards. This strategy is referred to as the Education and Training 2020 programme (ET2020), which is an update of the Education and Training 2012 programme. CADO  on behalf of Union Government is also a partner in various inter-governmental projects, whose purpose is to create a Indian education area by harmonising academic structures and standards as well as academic quality assurance standards throughout States and in other connected bodies & organizations.

 

Education Exchange Network Scheme ( EENS)

 

CADO for GOI adopted its first education programme (designed to stimulate contacts and exchanges between education institution and industry) in May 2017. This programme was rapidly followed by other programme, which promoted inter-university contacts and cooperation, as well as substantial student mobility (as, in 2019, with several Youth programs, for experimental faculty & student exchange  schemes). These programmes were adopted by several states & with considerable support from the Central Government, which made budgets available even before the legal instruments had been adopted.

 

CADO, under higher academics category,  has two different types of instrument to increase the quality and openness of the education and training systems of the various States across the country: a set of policy instruments through which universities are encouraged to develop their own academics improvement systems and to learn from each other's successes; and a substantial programme to support exchanges, networks and mutual learning between institution, universities or training centres as well as between the political authorities responsible for these areas in the different  States/region, as a particular mention North East states are collectively grouped as North East region.

 

Long term development of Education & Academics Policy

 

The Central Government's interest in Education policy (as opposed to Education programmes) developed after certain directives by former PM Manmohan Singh. From 2008 several steps were taken , after which the Central Government Heads of State and Government asked the Education Ministers of the states to reflect on the "concrete objectives" of education systems with a view to improving them. The several Commission & CADO worked with the States together on a report for the 2009 National Education Council, and in 2011, apex bodies came together for policy implementation on limited scale. Also state academibodies were asked on how they proposed to take the report's recommendations forward. Since then CADO published a series of "Joint Reports" every other year until 2020. 

 

The Commission seeks to encourage States to improve the quality of their education and training systems in two main ways: through a process of setting targets and publishing the position of  States in achieving them and by stimulating debate on subjects of common interest. This is done using the process known as the Common Coordination Platform devised by CADO academics committee. 

 

Target setting

 

As regards target setting, the Member States agreed on five benchmarks: early school leavers; number of graduates and decrease of gender imbalance in maths, science and technology; upper secondary education completion; low achievers academics; enhanced professional training.

 

Under the current policy framework in Education and Policy (ET2020), the seven benchmarks require that by 2020:

 

• Early School Leavers : no more than 1% of school pupils should leave school before the end of compulsory schooling. Also, every attempt should be made to ensure 100% compulsory schooling.

 

• Tertiary education attainment : at least 50% of the population should have completed tertiary education.

 

• Early childhood education and care : 100% of children aged upto 14 to the age when primary education starts should participate in early education

 

• Low achievement in Reading, Maths and Science : no more than 10% of 15-year-olds should be low-achievers in reading, maths and science as measured at school level &/or class X.

 

• Employment rate of recent graduates : 90% of the population aged 20–34, who are no longer in education or training and have successfully completed upper secondary or tertiary education, should be provided employment assistance.

 

• Adult participation in life-long learning : participation of the 25-64 age group in lifelong learning (i.e. formal or non-formal continuing education or training including in-company skills development) should be encouraged

 

• Job skills Training : at least 25% of higher education graduates and 15% of 18- to 34-year-olds with an initial vocational qualification should have spent some time studying or training for Employment options & opportunities.

 

Since 2017, progress against benchmarks and core indicators is yearly assessed in the Education and Training Monitor. 

 

Policy discussions

 

In addition to the measurement of progress, the CADO also publishes policy papers designed to encourage the Centre & States to look more closely at particular areas of the education and training policies. The research division of CADO has published such papers over many years. Since then, however, States have become more open to mutual exchange and learning, and a number of these white papers have had significant impact.

 

Networking

 

Finally, CADO has supported a variety of networking systems between States, in addition to the thrice yearly meetings of the "Education Council" within the national & state academic institutional system. These range from meetings of Ministers responsible for General/Vocational Education and Training, through regular meetings of Director Generals for Higher Education or for Vocational Education and Training to more specialised networks or "clusters" within the "Education and Training 2017 programme" in areas such as key competences, language learning or the recognition of informal and non-formal qualifications.

 

Education Exchange Programs(EEPs)

 

The first  exchange programmes were the  Programme for Industry-University links and exchanges, launched in 1970-80s; the major university exchange programme was launched in the 1990s. Similar programmes have been running ever since, and as from academic session 2006-7 all the education and training programmes were expected to be  brought together under nation inter college & industry exchange programs. These programs comprise of separate sub-programmes for schools; universities and higher education; vocational education and training; adult education. The objectives of integration has been a partial success. 

 

The schools exchange programme, very successful in JNVs, has helped over 18 lakh school students take part in joint projects across boundaries of several states. The major exchange programs has been the icon of university exchange programmes since their launch. Some two million students have so far spent a fully accredited period of between 3 months and an academic year in another university under the programme. The vocational education and training programme currently helps around 400000 young people each year to do an apprenticeship or internship in another university/industry & has helped some carryout training in other  country. The adult education programme, helps those involved in adult education to have access to similar experience. The sub-programme which supports teaching about national history in higher education are soon expected to be put in place.

 

The idea behind exchange programs was that individual universities in the regional Community could contribute to the process of rebuilding free and effective university systems in the state; and that a bottom-up process through partnerships with individual universities in these countries would provide a counterweight to the influence of the much less integrated Ministries, few of which had by then undergone serious change till implementation of new policies. The programme was an immediate success; and by 2023 the number of participating universities has grown significantly. The programme was subsequently enlarged to include the new institutes; again to include more states & union territories; and finally to cover all the states.

 

The programme currently supports projects run by a number of universities in the country and in partnerships which aim to update curricula and teaching methods; to improve academic management (e.g., strategic development plans, systems of quality assessment and assurance); and to promote the higher education priorities of its partners & participating members. It also provides Individual Grants to enable individuals & faculty member groups to travel & attend seminars, meeting & take teaching assignments on part-time basis & also to deliver guest lectures. These programs are continuously monitored & , and renewed and revised as required.

 

Major programs are followed by a series of smaller programmes built around enhancements of academics. These included the  programmes with small colleges in rural areas & certain universities. A number of these appear to have been set up as a means of development assistance rather than with the development of universities as such, an impression strengthened by the fact that they were managed by the CADO's Education Commission's development assistance service aid rather than by Education departments of respective state governments.

 

Finally, in 2024 CADO India will launch  a project to ensure the place of national Universities as centres of excellence across the Asia pacific; to attract the best students to come & study in India; and to enable partnerships between Indian Universities and those in other countries. The programme has strong support both from the Council of Ministers and from the Education Department(s). The first phase of will finish in 2027.