CABE meeting: Raju calls for excellence in education

The crucial meeting of the Central Advisory Board of Education, expected to discuss issues such as a national testing agency, began today with HRD Minister M M Pallam Raju stressing the need for focusing on expansion, equity and excellence in education.
Raju emphasised on a participatory approach in which the central and state governments, academics and autonomous institutes should join hands for a greater cause of education in the country.
"Focus should be laid on the need for focusing on expansion, equity and excellence in all levels of education," he said at the meeting attended by state education ministers, university vice-chancellors, heads of different education boards and academicians.

The Central Advisory Board of Education is expected to deliberate on the need for a national testing agency, which will conduct a host of national level examination such as UGC Net, GATE, AIEEE and IIT Main.
According to officials, the centralised body could be created through a special purpose vehicle and it would not be binding for the different examination bodies to join in it.
The agency could be "on a voluntary basis", officials said.
Apart from reviewing the implementation of the Right to Education and ICT in higher education, the meeting would also discuss the proposed education commission, the setting up of which was announced by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during his speech on Independence Day in 2011.

A draft note has already been prepared about the contours of the proposed body as well as the terms and reference.