Overview
The National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration (NIEPA), located in New Delhi, is an Indian institution specialising in capacity building, training and research in the planning and management of education. It is recognised as a Deemed-to-be University under the University Grants Commission (UGC) Act and operates under the Ministry of Education, Government of India. NIEPA caters primarily to senior educational administrators, policy makers, planners and researchers from across India and other countries.
Key facts
| Name | National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration (NIEPA) |
|---|---|
| Type | Deemed-to-be University; central institution of higher learning |
| Focus | Educational planning, policy and administration |
| Location | 17-B, Sri Aurobindo Marg, New Delhi |
| Parent body | Ministry of Education, Government of India |
| Affiliation | UNESCO partner institution in educational planning |
Background
NIEPA traces its origins to a UNESCO-assisted project for training educational planners and administrators set up in the 1960s. It evolved through successive institutional forms — first as the Asian Institute of Educational Planning and Administration, later as the National Staff College for Educational Planners and Administrators, and subsequently as the National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration. The institute was conferred the status of a Deemed-to-be University by the Government of India, after which it adopted its present name with the prefix "National University" being used in some official communications. It is unique among Indian deemed universities in being devoted exclusively to the field of educational planning and administration.
Academic activities
NIEPA conducts doctoral (Ph.D.) and Master of Philosophy programmes in areas related to educational planning, policy, finance, and management. The institute also offers an International Diploma in Educational Planning and Administration aimed at participants from developing countries. Its work is organised through specialised academic departments covering areas such as:
- Educational Planning
- Educational Administration
- Educational Policy
- Educational Management Information Systems
- Higher and Professional Education
- School and Non-Formal Education
- Training and Capacity Building in Education
- Educational Finance
Research and publications
The institute undertakes policy research, evaluation studies and capacity-building projects for the Government of India, state governments, and international agencies. It hosts the Unified District Information System for Education (UDISE) related analytical work and produces reference publications, working papers and the peer-reviewed Journal of Educational Planning and Administration. NIEPA also brings out periodic reports on school education statistics and analytical studies on issues such as access, equity, financing and governance in education.
Training and outreach
A core function of NIEPA is in-service training of senior education functionaries, including officials of the Indian Administrative Service handling education portfolios, directors of state education departments, principals, and personnel of organisations such as the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) and the State Councils of Educational Research and Training (SCERTs). It also collaborates with UNESCO, the World Bank, UNICEF and other international bodies on programmes related to education for development.
Significance
NIEPA occupies a distinctive position in Indian higher education as the apex national body for capacity building in educational planning and administration. Its inputs have informed major national initiatives, including programmes related to universalisation of elementary education, the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, the Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan, and the implementation of the National Education Policy. The institute also serves as a knowledge hub for South Asian and African countries seeking expertise in education sector planning.
Related topics
- Ministry of Education (India)
- National Education Policy 2020
- National Council of Educational Research and Training
- University Grants Commission (India)
- Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan
- UNESCO
- Deemed University
References
- Wikidata entry: Q18391618
- Ministry of Education, Government of India — institutional listings.
- University Grants Commission — list of Deemed-to-be Universities.