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The administrative machinery is sole responsible for the spread of education. Due to the rapid growth of scientific and technological advancement in our country, there was an increasing awareness among the people and each vibrant individual process should be based on the integrated development of the citizen.

Moreover, it was increasingly realized that all relevant instruments and agencies which are responsible for this growth should be integrated in order to ensure all-round development. Therefore, a comprehensive approach has to be adopted in science, technology, arts and crafts, and humanities for the development of the country.

In pursuance of this idea, a new Ministry has been created under a suggestive name i.e., Ministry of Human Resource Development, on 26th September, 1985. The nation as a whole should find resources for the vital area of education and in this endeavour the centre and states should play complementary roles and become real understanding-partners. It is important that, in the formulation and implementation of the policy and programmes, there should be close and continuous consultation between the Central and State Governments in the true spirit of partnership.

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Regarding the cooperation of the Centre and the States, Maulana Azad said that, “Education was of course, a State subject and the Centre have never believed in interfering. But the Centre could also not sit back and say that their responsibility was over. The centre could offer advice, give help and make efforts towards the implementation of the schemes. The reform of the education system as a whole and fulfilment of the plan-targets aimed at uniformly high standard of education throughout the country. We have, on the one hand to wipe-out the deficiencies of the past 200 years. On the other hand, we have to remove the lethargy of the people and bring to the town and countryside, a new vision and a new energy. We cannot accomplish this task unless we cooperate in this collective venture of national redemption. ”

The Indian Education Commission popularly known as the Kothari Commission 1964-65 observed, “We are convinced that the radical reconstruction of education that we have recommended in this report will not be possible less:

(1) The Government of India provides the needed initiative leadership and financial support, and 

(2) Educational administration, both at the Centre and State levels is adequately strengthened.”

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So the Central Government is an advisory and coordinating authority so far as the educational role is concerned. The constitutional provision reveals that Central Government is expected to play a significant role in the field of education. It is a fact that the centralised system of educational administration has many advantages.

These advantages are as follows:

1. A uniform system of education can be built up.

2. The needs of the entire country can be kept in the forefront.

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3. Different types of projects and experiments can be undertaken very easily because of the big finance.

But the major disadvantage of the centralised system of educational administration is that there is very danger of regions being overlooked. So it hampers the development of the small groups. The greater the decentralisation of administration, the better and quicker is the development of the individual. There should be neither complete decentralisation nor the centralisation of the educational administration.

A harmonious balance must be maintained between these two. But now, the present administrative set-up is being decentralised. For this purpose, in order to keep a balance, there is deligation of responsibilities and powers from the centre to the state in order to bring equality of educational opportunity.