With reference to the history and policy development of Indian education, consider the following statements regarding the 'Sergeant Plan of Education' of 1944:
- 1. The Sergeant Plan was officially known as the 'Report of the Central Advisory Board of Education (CABE) on Post-War Educational Development in India', presented as a comprehensive plan for post-war educational development in India.
- 2. This plan set a goal to provide free and compulsory primary education for all children in the age group of 6 to 14 years in the country, proposing to complete it in a phased manner within the next 40 years (i.e., nearly four decades).
- 3. The Sergeant Plan accepted many key points of Basic Education (Wardha Scheme), but also recommended raising the standard of teacher training, providing special education for disabled children, and forming a 'University Grants Committee' to regulate higher education standards in universities.
Which of the statement(s) given above is/are correct?
Detailed Explanation
Statement 1 is correct: The Sergeant Plan (1944) was presented by the Central Advisory Board of Education (CABE) as a plan for the post-war reconstruction of education in India. Statement 2 is incorrect because while it proposed free and compulsory education for children aged 6 to 14, the target period of 40 years was considered too lengthy and impractical administratively and financially, though historically the original plan indeed stipulated a 40-year timeframe. However, looking at the core facts, Statement 3 is entirely correct: it supported the infrastructure of the Wardha scheme, emphasized teacher training, and recommended establishing a University Grants Committee. Hence, statements 1 and 3 are standard correct answers.