Why India celebrates National Education Day on November 11 ?

NP NEWS 24 ONLINE –  India celebrates National Education Day today. National Education Day commemorates the birth anniversary of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad who was also the first Union Minister of Education for India. Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad believed that education was for one and all. He was responsible for setting up of apex bodies such as AICTE and UGC. IITs, IISc and School of Architecture and Planning were also his brainchild.

Maulana fought for country’s freedom and in 1912, he started a weekly journal in Urdu called Al-Hilal to increase the revolutionary recruits. For his contribution – both as an educationist as a freedom fighter – he was awarded the Bharat Ratna in 1992.

Not just primary education and literacy but, Azad was also instrumental in the promotion of culture and literature through education. Most of the cultural and literary academies we see today such as Lalit Kala Academy, Sahitya Academy etc. were established by him.

Since this morning dignitaries, ministries, and people from all walks of life have taken to social media to pay their tributes to the man who envisioned equal opportunities in education for everyone.

Maulana was an eminent scholar of Urdu, Persian and Arabic. He also advocated the retention of English language for educational advantages. He also believed that primary education should be imparted in the mother-tongue.

To celebrate the National Education Day, CBSE had asked all its affiliated schools to organize various programs to emphasize the importance of education and the nation’s commitments to all aspects of education. The events for National Education Day can be organized by schools any day as per their schedule. CBSE has also asked schools to send a report on or before November 20, 2018.