Report to the Nation 2006

India, National Knowledge Commission Report to the Nation 2006., 2006 [Report]

This is the latest version of this item.

Preview

PDF
NKC_Report_to_the_Nation_2006.pdf
Download (15MB) | Preview

English abstract

Foreword As the National Knowledge Commission (NKC) presents its fi rst annual report to the nation, we feel a sense of excitement at the potential that India has to emerge as one of the leading knowledge societies in the world. The Commission was set up by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to prepare a blueprint to tap into the enormous reservoir of our knowledge base so that our people can confidently face challenges of the 21st century. We are conscious that this is a daunting task, which requires not only resources and time but also a vision and a long term view. At the same time, we are happy that we have taken this fi rst important step. At the heart of the NKC’s mandate are fi ve key areas related to Access, Concepts, Creation, Application and Services. We have addressed the question of how to build a knowledge society from these perspectives with a particular focus on access to knowledge. Of the nine sets of recommendations made by the NKC in 2006, six deal directly with access. We have done so consciously in conformity with the UPA government’s philosophy of building an inclusive society. The emerging knowledge society and associated opportunities present a set of new imperatives and new challenges for our economy, polity and society. Our future prosperity depends upon the policies, programmes and people that can foster continuous generation and application of knowledge in the pursuit of learning. We have addressed a wide range of subjects including a comprehensive reform of higher education, overhaul of public libraries, creation of a Knowledge Network, setting up of national portals, transformation of vocational education, re-engineering of government processes and making E-governance citizen-friendly. The impact of what we have proposed would be felt over the next decade and beyond. We have taken particular care to keep the entire process democratic, transparent and participative. In doing so, we have consulted a wide range of stakeholders in government, parliament, politics, academia, industry, civil society and the media. Our recommendations refl ect and incorporate the concerns and aspirations of experts and persons from the concerned spheres. The Commission members have worked painstakingly on every aspect of our recommendations. I want to thank all members for the exceptional dedication they have brought to their mandate even though they all know that the impact of their work will be felt only in the long-term. We have had our agreements and disagreements on many issues on the table but their expression has always been in the highest traditions of democracy. I would also like to thank the members of various working groups and the secretariat for their contribution and support. I would like to particularly acknowledge the support and guidance of the Prime Minister’s Office and the Planning Commission. We hope that the work we have done during our fi rst year will be of value to the government and will fi nd the enthusiasm and support of the administration in its implementation. We also hope that our recommendations will receive the attention they deserve and create necessary public discussion, debate and dialogue to shape and mobilize public opinion. We say this with a focus on the 550 million people below the age of 25 who will benefi t the most from the new knowledge initiatives. The destiny of India is in their hands. While making the recommendations we have been guided by how knowledge will impact the lives of people, ordinary people, of India. We are conscious that knowledge is about farmers having access to accurate information about water resources, land quality and fertilizers, students having access to schools and colleges of high quality relevant education and good jobs, scientists having access to well equipped modern libraries and laboratories, industry having access to a skilled workforce and people feeling empowered with good governance in a vibrant democracy. The recommendations of the National Knowledge Commission are really a call to action. It is time to act here and now.

Item type:	Report
Keywords:	Information Management; Knowledge Management; Information Infrastructure; ICT for Development
Subjects:	L. Information technology and library technology H. Information sources, supports, channels. B. Information use and sociology of information
Depositing user:	AK Das
Date deposited:	08 Aug 2007
Last modified:	02 Oct 2014 12:08
URI:	http://hdl.handle.net/10760/9945