National Education Day - 11th November

National Education Day in India is celebrated on 11th November every year. Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, the first Education Minister of India's birthday, is celebrated as National Education Day. National Education Day this year celebrates the 125th birth anniversary of a politician, scholar, and Bharat Ratna Maulana Abul Kalam Azad.

Acknowledging the occasion, the Ministry of Human Resources and Development introduced new initiatives for the country's prosperity of the education system. The new initiatives framed were Pragati, Saksham, Samavay, Unnat Bharat Abhiyan, and Know Your College.

When is National Education Day?

The National Education Day is celebrated on 11th November every year, on the birthday of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, the first Education Minister of India. There are various campaigns and programs organized on this day to provide information about the importance of education in our lives. Azad was born on 11th November 1888.

On this day, there are so many campaigns and programs organized to make everyone literate in the country. MHRD, the Ministry of Human Resource Development, had first decided to celebrate National Education Day on 11th September 2008, later confirmed to celebrate on 11th November as National Educational Day every year. The latest National Education Day theme is "Education given from the heart can revolutionize society." National Education Day 2020 aims at making people aware of the importance of education and literacy.

Maulana Abul Kalam Azad became India's first Education Minister and established the University Grants Commission after India's independence. He served as the youngest president of the Indian National Congress. Maulana Azad used to write poems in Urdu. Therefore, people know him as a warrior of a pen. Maulana Azad established higher education institutions and also worked for free education in India.

On 28th December 1953, Abul Kalam Azad established UGC, IISC, and Architecture and Planning. The modern-day IITs are considered as Maulana Abul Kalam. Later in 1953, he also established the Sangeet Natak Akademi, Sahitya Akademi in 1954, and Lalit Kala Akademi in 1954 to promote its culture.

History of National Education Day

National Education Day is celebrated across the country on 11th November every year as the birth anniversary of India's First Education Minister- Maulana Abul Kalam Azad. He was the man behind well-established institutes like IITs and many such key institutes in India.

Education is one of the fundamental human rights given to all citizens by the constitution of India. Without knowledge and education, society cannot progress, which hampers the nation's overall progress. Therefore, the National Education Day is important and has great significance for two reasons. The first reason being Abul Kalam Azad's birth anniversary, and the second reason being appreciating the importance and improvements of the national education system in the country.

About Maulana Abul Kalam Azad

Azad was a poet, a scholar, a journalist, and a freedom fighter who contributed to the formation of India with many great leaders of India. But his biggest gift to India is Education. From independence, Maulana Azad was committed to setting up the education system in the country and believed in education as a fundamental block of the growth of human civilization. So Maulana Azad in 1920 became a member of the foundation committee of Jamia Millia Islamia at Aligarh in Uttar Pradesh.

As India's first education minister, he was responsible for developing the Central Institute of Education in Delhi. He later established the Department of Education under the University of Delhi. He was also responsible for creating and setting up the University Grants Commission in 1953 and emphasized setting up the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore.

Maulana Azad's largest contribution to the country was the Indian Institute of Technology. It was under Azad's leadership the first IIT Kharagpur was set up in 1951. He was confident in the ability and potential of IITs. He said that 'I do not doubt that the development of IIT's will give great success to higher technological education and research in the country.' And it's true enough as IITs have created a niche market for themselves. Moreover, IITs are looked upon as a great educational system nationally and internationally. Hence, to honour the memory of the man behind India's education, he celebrates his birthday as National Education Day every year.

National Education Day Slogans

National Education Day is celebrated every year as the birth anniversary of India's First Education Minister. He served as the country's education minister from 1947 to 1958, but he was also a freedom fighter who fought for the country's independence. He was awarded the Bharat Ratna in 1992 for his contribution as an educationist and freedom fighter of the country.

Here are some inspirational and motivational quotes by Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, which motivate all.

• Educationists must build the capacity and the ability of spirit of inquiry, entrepreneurial, creative, and moral leadership among students and become their role models.
• Climbing to the top demands strength, whether the top of Mount Everest or your career.
• Slavery is always the worst, even if it bears beautiful names.
• Dream before your dreams can come true.
• The education imparted by heart can bring society's revolution.
• To succeed in a mission, one must have single-minded devotion to the goal.
• Teaching by the tongue can be perspired, but good deeds can stay stronger.

Motivational quotes by Maulana Abul Kalam Azad are,

• "The one who is not moved by music is unsound of mind and intemperate; is far from spirituality and is denser than birds and beasts because everyone is affected by melodious sounds."
• "Science is neutral. Its discoveries can be used equally to heal and to kill. It depends upon the outlook and mentality of the user whether science will be used to create a new heaven on earth or to destroy the world in a common conflagration."