Social Developments and Education Under Nehru
Modern History › The Nehru Era, 1947-64 · Topic 31.5
In 1951 only 16.6 per cent of Indians were literate. Under Nehru the Radhakrishnan Commission (1949), the University Grants Commission (1953; Act 1956), the Mudaliar Commission (1952) and NCERT (1961) shaped education, and the number of universities rose from 18 to 54. Social reform included the Anti-Untouchability law of 1955, reservations, and the Hindu Code Bill passed as four Acts.
5 min read · UPSC Prelims · History · The Nehru Era, 1947-64
At a Glance
- Literacy, 1951 16.6 per cent of the population
- Universities 18 in 1947; 54 by 1964
- UGC Set up 1953; UGC Act 1956
- Hindu Code Bill Moved 1951; passed as four Acts
- Exam link UPSC Prelims, Modern History: The Nehru Era, 1947-64
Where Does It Fit?
This is the fifth topic of the category on the Nehru era. The previous topic covered planning, science and technology. This topic covers social developments and education under Nehru. The next topic covers India and Pakistan from 1947 to 1964. Previous topic: Planning for Economic Development and Progress in Science and Technology.
What Happened in Education?
In 1951 only 16.6 per cent of the population was literate, and the figure was lower in rural areas. Between 1951 and 1961 school enrolment doubled for boys and tripled for girls. Through Nehru’s personal interest several policies were introduced to improve the position, and by 1964 the number of universities had grown from 18 in 1947 to 54. The colonial background of education is in Education Under Company Rule: Charter Act of 1813 to Macaulay’s Minute and Education 1913-1947: Saddler Commission, Hartog Committee, Wardha Scheme and Sargent Plan.
| Year | Body or step | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| 1949 | Indian University Education Commission under Dr S. Radhakrishnan | Review of university education; on its recommendation the University Grants Commission was set up in 1953 and the UGC Act passed in 1956 |
| 1952 | Mudaliar Commission under Dr A. Lakshmanaswami Mudaliar | Improvement of secondary education |
| September 1961 | National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) | Established as a literary, scientific and charitable society to assist and advise the Centre and states on academic matters related to school education |
What Social Changes Followed the Constitution?
The Constitution ensured that social organisation changed, leading to the social liberation of the backward and suppressed sections. In 1955 the government passed the Anti-Untouchability Law, making untouchability punishable and a cognisable offence. The constitutional provisions for reservations in educational institutions and government employment for weaker sections were implemented. The background of the struggle against caste is in Struggle Against Caste-Based Exploitation and the settlement of 1932 in Separate electorates for the depressed classes Seats…">Poona Pact and Its Impact on Dalits. A note on the name: the 1955 law is usually cited as the Untouchability (Offences) Act, 1955, and it was later renamed the Protection of Civil Rights Act in 1976.
What Was the Hindu Code Bill?
For women’s equal rights the Hindu Code Bill was moved in Parliament in 1951. Despite sharp opposition from conservative sections, it was passed in the form of four separate Acts. These Acts introduced monogamy and the right of divorce for both men and women, raised the age of consent and marriage, and gave women the right to maintenance and to inherit family property. In the absence of a uniform civil code, this revolutionary step benefited only Hindu women, and much more remained to be done even for them. A note on dates: the Bill was moved in 1951 and the four Acts were passed in 1955-56, the Hindu Marriage Act and the Hindu Succession Act among them, while the resignation of Ambedkar, the law minister who piloted the Bill, in 1951 is in First Day of Independent India and the First Government. The reform movements on women are in Reform Movements and the Position of Women.
As an analytical point, the Nehru government approached social change through law and reservation, and the Hindu Code Bill shows both the method and its limit: reform could be carried through Parliament only for one community, and was delayed and divided into parts to meet opposition. The state could change the form of the family and of caste in law faster than society could change in practice, a gap that the next decades had to address. The school and college system built in these years supplied the personnel for the planning described in Planning for Economic Development and Progress in Science and Technology.
Why Is This Topic Important?
- Education bodies Commissions and dates are standard Prelims facts
- Hindu Code Bill A frequent question on women’s legal rights
- Reservation and anti-untouchability Constitutional social justice in practice
What Came Next?
The next topic covers India and Pakistan from 1947 to 1964: Kashmir and the Indus waters. Next topic: India and Pakistan, 1947-64.
Key People and Terms
- Radhakrishnan Commission University Education Commission of 1949
- University Grants Commission Set up in 1953; Act of 1956
- Mudaliar Commission Secondary education commission of 1952
- NCERT Set up in September 1961
- Hindu Code Bill Reform of Hindu personal law, passed in four Acts
- Anti-Untouchability Law 1955 law making untouchability an offence
Exam Corner
Points to Remember
- Literacy 16.6% in 1951; universities 18 to 54.
- Radhakrishnan Commission 1949; UGC 1953; Act 1956.
- Mudaliar Commission 1952; NCERT September 1961.
- Anti-Untouchability Law 1955.
- Hindu Code Bill moved 1951; four Acts.
Do Not Confuse With
- Radhakrishnan and Mudaliar Commissions University versus secondary education
- UGC set up and UGC Act 1953 versus 1956
- Hindu Code Bill and uniform civil code Reform for Hindus only versus one law for all
Memory Hook
Universities up, schools wider, untouchability an offence, Hindu women with rights.
Mains Angle
Questions ask about social change and education. These points add depth.
- Education Commissions and institutions
- Caste Law and reservation
- Gender Hindu Code Bill and its limit
A Question You May Face
An original practice question, not a past paper question.
“Discuss the social reforms and educational developments of the Nehru era.”
How to Answer
- Education Bodies and growth.
- Caste 1955 law and reservations.
- Women Hindu Code Bill.
- Conclude Limits of law.
GS Relevance
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the literacy rate in 1951?
Only 16.6 per cent of the total population was literate in 1951, with a much lower rate in rural areas, and between 1951 and 1961 school enrolment doubled for boys and tripled for girls under policies Nehru took a personal interest in.
What did the Radhakrishnan Commission lead to?
The Indian University Education Commission under S. Radhakrishnan, set up in 1949, recommended the creation of a University Grants Commission, which was set up in 1953, and the UGC Act was passed in 1956; universities rose from 18 to 54 by 1964.
What was the Mudaliar Commission?
Appointed in 1952 with A. Lakshmanaswami Mudaliar as chairperson, it was the commission on secondary education, and NCERT was set up in September 1961 as a society to advise the Centre and states on academic matters of school education.
What did the Hindu Code Bill achieve?
Moved in 1951 and passed as four separate Acts after sharp opposition, it introduced monogamy and divorce for both sexes, raised the age of consent and marriage, and gave women maintenance and inheritance rights, though only Hindu women benefited.
What did the Anti-Untouchability Law of 1955 do?
It made the practice of untouchability punishable and a cognisable offence, and along with the reservation provisions in education and government jobs it helped the social liberation of the hitherto backward and suppressed sections of society.
PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis
1 Only 16.6 per cent of India's population was literate in 1951.
The figure was lower in rural areas.
2 The University Grants Commission was set up in 1953.
The UGC Act followed in 1956.
3 The Mudaliar Commission dealt with university education.
It dealt with secondary education.
4 The Hindu Code Bill was passed in the form of four separate Acts.
It applied only to Hindus.
5 NCERT was established in 1949.
It was established in September 1961.
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