Address by Dr. J. C. Ghosh Member Planning Commission at the Second Meeting of the Panel in Education Held at Poona on the 15th and 16th July 1957

Abstract

The address by Dr. J. C. Ghosh to the Panel on Education underscores the central role of education in India’s national development strategy during the Second Five-Year Plan period. Reviewing financial allocations and progress since the First Plan, the address highlights gaps between projected and actual developmental expenditure on education. Dr. Ghosh outlines ambitious targets for elementary education, particularly in expanding access, improving quality, and addressing gender disparities, while noting constraints such as teacher shortages and social resistance to girls’ education. The discussion also emphasizes reforms in secondary, university, and technical education to meet the growing demands of industrialization and skilled manpower. Overall, the address calls for urgent, coordinated action to remove structural bottlenecks and align educational expansion with India’s broader socio-economic goals.