Essential principles of educational planning are as follows:
(1)Educational planning should be an integral part of the overall planning for national development.
(2)It is pre-eminently long-term in nature. This requires proactive, forward-looking studies to be conducted before d awing up medium and short-term national plans, programmes and projects. In other words, research is a pre-requisite to planning.
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(3)It must be comprehensive in nature, and must incorporate every level and type of education, all stages of life as well as life-long learning.
(4)It is necessarily a continuous process and not a sporadic activity.
(5)The finances required for educational development of the country should be treated as an investment and not just as social welfare.
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(6)It should focus on the structures, methods and contents of education, the qualitative and the quantitative aspects of education.
(7)There should be a policy of educational development allowing continuous and balanced expansion based on the principles of equality and equity.
(8)It should be aimed at democratization of education and educating individuals for their maximum development and full participation in social life through all-round development and through action for international co-operation and understanding.
(9)It is aimed at continuous forecasting and guidance so as to match the demand for human resources with its supply in required quantity and quality.
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(10)It requires application of economic analysis (forecasting of demand and supply of human resources, cost studies etc.) and of educational evaluation techniques in order to ensure efficient use of resources allocated to education for investment in physical plant, equipment, research, faculty development or the organization of teaching-learning process.
(11)It should emphasize on the reduction of wastage, stagnation and drop-out rates among the deprived and disadvantaged sections of society.
(12)It should be aimed at equitable distribution of educational facilities vis-a-vis the distribution of population and the level of its economic development.
(13) It should provide for the special requirements of planning at the local, state and national levels.