Department Of Adult And Continuing Education And Extension

The Department of Adult and Continuing Education and Extension (DACEE), Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) has a long-standing tradition of connecting education with society and community development. The Department began its journey in 1982 as the Centre of Adult & Continuing Education & Extension (CACEE). In 1990, with the introduction of the Master's programme in Extension Education, the Centre was elevated to the status of a Department under the Faculty of Social Sciences. JMI's Department was also the first among the CACEEs/DACEEs in the country to introduce a Master's degree in Extension Education. Over the years, the Department has evolved in response to the changing needs of society. While its early work was strongly rooted in adult literacy, continuing education and extension activities, its academic focus has gradually expanded towards development, community engagement, lifelong learning, research, skill development and social transformation. Today, the Department's work can broadly be understood through three interconnected dimensions—teaching, research and extension/community engagement.

The Department currently offers M.A./M.Sc. in Development Extension as a regular four-semester Master's programme and Ph.D. in Development Extension as a regular doctoral programme. In keeping with the changing needs of the development sector, the Department has also expanded its academic offerings by introducing a Post Graduate Diploma in NGO Management from the academic session 2026–27 This reflects the Department's transition from the earlier focus on Extension Education towards a broader understanding of development and extension in contemporary society.

Research has been an important part of DACEE's identity since its early years. The Department has undertaken research on a wide range of social and development concerns, particularly those related to education, women, rural and urban communities, training needs, empowerment, indigenous knowledge and development. The research of the Department has continued to develop with changing social realities. Faculty members are engaged in academic research, publications, curriculum development, doctoral supervision and interdisciplinary academic activities. This research orientation is particularly significant because development problems today cannot be understood through a single discipline. Issues such as unemployment, inequality, skill gaps, sustainability, gender, community participation, indigenous knowledge and technological change require a combination of education, research, field experience and community perspectives.

Extension has always been one of the distinctive features of the Department. Since 1983, DACEE has been involved in programmes related to continuing education, adult education and population education. Its extension philosophy has traditionally focused on taking education beyond the university campus and creating opportunities for learning among different sections of society. In its earlier years, the Department organised programmes for university and professional groups, including teachers, health workers, project personnel, NGO functionaries and other professionals. At the same time, it conducted skill- and knowledge-oriented programmes for unemployed, underemployed and out-of-school youth. These activities reflected an effort to make education more accessible and relevant to people who could not necessarily benefit from conventional university-based education. Community outreach has also remained an important component of the Department's work. Traditionally, DACEE has worked with communities around Jamia Millia Islamia, including slums and urbanised villages, using approaches such as community programmes, awareness activities, street-corner plays, puppet shows, Community talks and other participatory methods. Such activities demonstrate the Department's belief that education is not confined to classrooms; it can also become a means of building awareness, skills, participation and collective action within communities.

Adult Education and Literacy

Adult education forms an important part of the historical legacy of DACEE. From 1984–85 to 1991–92, the Department organised adult literacy programmes through adult education centres in communities surrounding Jamia. It also implemented the Mass Programme for Functional Literacy (MPFL) from 1986 to 1990. Recognising that literacy should not end with learning to read and write, the Department established Jan Shikshan Nilayams (JSNs)—reading room-cum-libraries—to support neo-literates and provide opportunities for post-literacy learning. These centres continued until March 1997. This phase of the Department's work illustrates an important principle of adult education: literacy becomes meaningful when learners are provided with continued opportunities to learn and use their knowledge in everyday life.

Field Work and Student Engagement

Field engagement continues to provide an important bridge between academic learning and real-life development challenges. Students of Development Extension are exposed to communities and development organisations as part of their academic experience. Faculty members supervise students' fieldwork in communities as well as in NGOs, allowing students to observe social realities, interact with community members and understand how development interventions are planned and implemented. This field-based approach gives the Department a distinctive character. Students are encouraged not simply to study communities as subjects of academic inquiry but to interact with people, understand their experiences, identify problems and explore possible development responses. In this sense, fieldwork becomes an important space where classroom knowledge, research and community experience come together.

Contemporary Orientation of the Department

The evolution of DACEE reflects the changing meaning of adult and continuing education itself. From its early emphasis on adult literacy, functional literacy, continuing education and population education, the Department has moved towards a broader development-oriented perspective. Its present academic programmes in Development Extension place greater emphasis on understanding development processes, community institutions, human resources, skills, research and contemporary social challenges. The Department's current academic activities also show an engagement with emerging educational and development priorities. Faculty members are involved in curriculum development, research, fieldwork coordination, Academic Bank of Credit (ABC), NEP-related responsibilities, SWAYAM and other academic activities. Therefore, DACEE, JMI can be understood not merely as a department concerned with adult education, but as an academic and field-oriented space where education, research, development and community engagement come together. Its long history, continuing academic programmes and field-based orientation make it an important centre for understanding how education can contribute to individual empowerment, community development and wider social transformation.