The National Knowledge Commission was constituted by the Government of India in June, 2005 to advise the Government in matters related to institutions of knowledge production, knowledge use and knowledge dissemination and to recommend reforms in the education sector. The following are the objectives of the commission
1. To build excellence in the educational system to meet the knowledge challenges of the 21st century and increase India’s competitive advantage in the fields of knowledge.
2. To promote creation of knowledge in science and technology laboratories.
3. To improve the management of institutions engaged in intellectual property rights.
4. To promote knowledge applications in agriculture and industry.
5. To promote the use of knowledge capabilities in making Government an effective,
transparent and accountable service provider.

The first annual report consisted recommendations relating to higher education facilities suggesting top priority to two aspects, namely expansion and excellence. While giving importance to the knowledge, the commission has completely ignored values which are a serious omission. Today there is more and more need for inculcation of values today and it is a pity that less and less importance is given to it now. Criminalization of politics, cheating is all symptoms of erosion of values in the society. The remedy for that is value based knowledge and not knowledge without values.

The National Knowledge Commission has done well in focusing on the expansion of educational facilities to raise the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) from the present level of 7% to 15% by 2015. For that the educational system shall have to be expanded at least by two fold by setting up new universities and colleges. The GER can be improved only when eligible students are available and for that we have to strengthen the school education. The real expansion involves an integrated development of schools, colleges and universities. NKC has recommended for up gradation of deserving colleges into deemed universities and establishment of new universities by the Centre and State Governments and private providers.

It is the duty of the Government of India to formulate policies for private participation in establishing colleges and universities. Higher Education is not serving the cause of young people of India. Necessary steps to improve the quality of education are the need of the hour. Expansion education facilities need to be implemented. NKC is of the view that affiliating system is the cause of poor quality of education and has thus recommended abolition of this system which surely will create hue and cry as there are more than 18000 affiliated colleges in the country.

The NKC has suggested for creating one independent regulatory authority for higher education (IRAHE). This will be an autonomous statutory authority that will determine eligibility for setting up new institutions of higher learning and will be only agency to accord degree granting power to higher education institutions.