National Education Day 2022 will be celebrated on November 11 (Friday) on the birth anniversary of India’s first Education Minister Maulana Abul Kalam Azad.
A scholar and educationist, Maulana Azad was a key architect of the education system of independent India. During his tenure, the country got top education regulatory bodies – All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and University Grants Commission (UGC).
He also contributed to the establishment of educational institutes like Jamia Millia Islamia and Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur.
The Central government in September, 2008 declared November 11 as National Education Day and it was first celebrated on November 11 that year. Then President of India Pratibha Patil inaugurated the celebrations at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.
Maulana Abul Kalam Azad is also credited setting up Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), Sahitya Academy, Lalit Kala Academy, Sangeet Natak Academy and Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).
Maulana Azad was posthumously awarded Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian award in the counry, in 1992.