The Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) on Sunday nominated former National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) Director JS Rajput to represent India on the Executive Board of UNESCO.
The Executive Board, which is one of the constitutional organs of UNESCO, is responsible for all policies and programmes. The Board Members — examine the work of the organisation and the corresponding budget estimates — consist of 58 representatives are elected by the General Conference, UNESCO, and the term extends for a period of four years.
UNESCO Executive Board Members play a pivotal role in shaping and reviewing the policies and programmes corresponding to five major programs: education, the natural science, the social and Human Sciences, Culture and Communication & Information.
According to MHRD statement, the elections of UNESCO Executive Members took place on 8 November, last year, of which India won with 162 votes in Group IV during the 39th session of the General Conference which was held from 30 Oct-14 Nov 2017.
2014 Padma Shri awardee JS Rajput brings with him years of experience and known for reforming country’s education sector, especially school education and teacher education. As the first Chairman of National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE), Rajput regulated B.Ed correspondence courses and introduced two-year B.Ed course.
His previous assignments include Regional Institute of Education Bhopal Principal (1977-88), MHRD Joint Educational Adviser (1989-94), NCTE Chairman (1994-99), NCERT Director (1999-2004).
Rajput recently completed the project aimed at achieving religious amity through education and his edited book “Education of Muslims in India” was released by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 15, 2015.
For his exemplary contribution to educational reforms in India, UNESCO honoured JS Rajput with ‘Jan Amos Comenius Medal’ in 2004. In 2010, Madhya Pradesh Government awarded Rajput with ‘Maharshi Veda Vyas Award’ for lifelong contributions in Education.
Rajput’s earned his professorship at the age of 31 after publishing several research papers in Physics and education. “Encyclopaedia of Indian Education”, “Education in a changing world: fallacies and forces”, “Contemporary Concerns in Education”, “Universalisation of Elementary Education: Role of Teacher Education and Teacher Education in India” are some of his notable works.
The next meeting (Session 204) of Executive Board of UNESCO has been scheduled to be held in UNESCO Headquarter in Paris, from 4 – 17 April, this year.
