APPROACH PAPER ON EDUCATION FOR INCLUSION IN 10^TH PLAN

INTRODUCTION

A major challenge developing nations face today is that of creating an environment conducive to the cultural, economic and social development of their people.  Historically, education has been a determining factor of the progress of human civilization.  The modern world is using education increasingly as an instrument for all-round development.  There is a growing and welcome realisation amongst the developing countries that education is the key to development.   Education shapes the destiny of a nation.  The quality of manpower in any country ultimately determines the sustainable well - being of its people. Creation of social opportunities for all sections for society is a reflection of the progress of that society and education is the principal instrument for developing human capabilities.  Education, as a liberating force, fosters growth, social equality and technological progress.  Globalization and the emergence of a new society more dependent on knowledge and information technology have further underlined the importance of education in pursuing developmental goals.

The National Policy on Education (NPE), 1986 and its Programme of Action (POA) as updated in 1992 are based on an in-depth review of the entire gamut of the educational process and has been formulated on the basis of a national consensus.  It enunciated a comprehensive framework to guide the development of education in its entirety.  It envisaged a National System of Education, which would be based on a national curricular framework containing a common core along with other flexible components. It has stood the test of time and continues to be relevant and operational.  It has outlined the course of educational development in the country.  Programmes, schemes and strategies have been formulated and implemented in the country in strict conformity with the Policy.

Planners and administrators have realised the need for a national system of education suited to the needs and aspiration of a free and modern India. The successive Five-Year Plans have played a very significant role in shaping the educational policies and programmes of the Government. The Ninth Plan treated education as the most crucial investment in human development.  The thrust areas for educational development in the Ninth Plan included raising the quality of education at all levels, improving learner achievement, uplift of the educational status of disadvantaged groups including SC/ST/girls and disabled children, removing of regional disparities, vocationalisation of education, updating/renewal of the curriculum to meet emerging challenges in information technology and support for the development of centres of excellence at the tertiary level. 

SECONDARY EDUCATION  

There has been no fundamental change in the structure and organization of secondary and higher secondary education during the 9^th plan period.  It witnessed growth though not fully, keeping pace with the demand generated by the expansion at lower levels of education (Table 1).  

Table 1- Number of High/Higher Sec. Schools etc., students, and teachers (1950-2000).  

Source: Selected Educational Statistics, MHRD, 1999-2000

State financing of secondary though still inadequate, continued to grow.  Financing of secondary and higher education has, however, shown a declining trend from the Sixth Plan (Table 2) reflecting the priority to implement free and compulsory elementary education.

Table 2 – Expenditure on Education in the five Year Plans

Participation of non-governmental organizations has also increased in the management of secondary schools with official recognition, and in many cases, with financial assistance.  Non-governmental bodies currently manage around 51 per cent of secondary schools and 58 per of higher secondary schools.  In order to meet the educational needs of those who have not been able to enroll themselves in the formal system, opportunities have been provided through the National and State Open Schools, utilizing contact centers and multi-media packages.  Distance education in the school sector also got a fillip with the National Open School, identifying new vocational areas and providing on demand examination.  Improvements in the content, process and quality of education, particularly, in environment education, science, mathematics and computer literacy have been emphasized with continued Central financial support.  New initiatives include the revision of the curriculum, setting up of resource centre(s) for value education and a National Centre for Computer-aided education etc.  Several measures taken to enrich the school curriculum are being continued with added thrust.  These include science education, environment education, computer literacy, information technology, yoga etc.  However, the scheme of vocationalisation of education has not gone down well with the stakeholders due to logistic and academic constraints that require streamlining of the courses and establishment of strong industry-institution linkages.  At present, only 10% students are opting for the vocational stream, against a target of 25% by 2000.

Educational development of children with special needs received an impetus with the enactment of the Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995 (known as PWD Act 1995).  The Act enjoins upon the appropriate Governments and the local authorities to provide the children with disabilities access to education, employment, preferential allotment of land for certain purposes, non-discrimination in transport, financial incentives to Universities to enable them to undertake research etc.  Programmes for attitudinal changes, capacity building among teachers and training institutions to educate children with special needs have been taken up.

While opportunities for equal access and a minimum level of learning achievement for all are being ensured, it is equally important to nurture the talented children especially from the rural areas and those belonging to lower income families. Several programmes are administered for the development of talent.   Residential Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas from Class VI to XII are established to be pace setters and to provide quality education to talented children from rural areas selected on the basis of a common admission test.  One school each is to be located in each of the district all over the country.  There are presently 462 such schools with about 1.25 lakh students on rolls.

The National Council of Educational Research & Training (NCERT) conducts a National Talent Search Examination to identify talent to be nurtured.  To identify and nurture talent in Chemistry, Mathematics and Physics at school level, International Chemistry, Mathematics and Physics Olympiads are held every year.  India has been regularly participating in these Olympiads.

The scheme of scholarships at the secondary stage for talented children from rural areas provides a fillip to the development of potential talent in students in rural areas by awarding scholarships for them to get educated in good schools.  38,000 scholarships are presently awarded to students.

Internal compulsions and international commitments are acting as the catalysts on the secondary sector to gear up to meet the ever-increasing demand for education.  Notable amongst these are the increasing pressure being brought to bear on account of the initiatives such as the externally aided District Primary Education Programme (DPEP), recently launched Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan(SSA), increasing number of schools in the private sector and the drive for elimination of the gender gap as per the Dakar declaration.  Concerted efforts along with a national consensus are called for to meet these daunting challenges.

The major thrust in the Tenth Five Year Plan thus, is to meet the increased demand for secondary education.  Government has to play a greater role to encourage opening of new secondary schools, expansion of capacity of the existing schools including double shifts, upgradation of upper primary schools in backward, unserved and underserved areas, as also expansion and diversification of open schooling and distance education.  Of the many options being considered during the tenth Plan to increase access is Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan establishing schools in partnership with voluntary agencies under its umbrella.  It is proposed to set up 150 Kendriya Vidyalayas (fully funded by the Govt.) in addition to the present level of 854 Kendriya Vidyalayas in the country.  Another option is to provide a one time grant/ seed money to reputed schools like those run by R.K. Mission, the Jesuits, DAV and other reputed societies, trusts and not-for-profit organizations to set up more schools.  Together, these two options will lead to the establishment of more secondary schools in the backward, unserved and underserved schools. 

One Navodaya Vidyalaya (NV) each has so far been set up in 462 districts for talented children from the rural areas.  It is proposed to establish more NVs to cover the remaining districts and also strengthen these schools by providing them cultural, computer and sports facilities.  The Central Tibetan School Administration (CTSA), which runs about 70 schools for children of Tibetan refugees, is also proposed to be augmented. 

During the Tenth Plan, the National Open School (NOS) would intensify efforts to ensure equity in accessibility of the Open School System to the under-privileged groups. A scheme to reimburse to NOS the fees incurred on SC/ST, girls and physically challenged students is also on the anvil. The NOS will also be restructured to affiliate regular schools/centers, which offer NOS curriculum as an alternative to the curricula of other school Boards.  The study centres (about 1200 at present) are proposed to be increased @ around 15% per year. The annual new admission figure (currently at 2 lakh students) is likely to increase @ 20% per year. The NOS proposes to implement the schemes of ‘On-Demand Admissions’ and ‘On-Demand Examinations’. 

Similarly, for increasing the enrolment of girls at the secondary level, the scheme of providing boarding and hostel facilities for girls has already been revised.  The scheme provides for financial assistance to eligible voluntary organizations to improve the enrolment of adolescent girls belonging to rural areas and weaker sections by providing hostel facilities near schools.

In order to make secondary education more relevant in the current context, the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), an apex national body for research in school education, will continue to give a thrust on modernization /revision of curriculum, updating of courses and on vocationalization of education.  The Council would operationalise the fifth Regional Institute of Education for the North-Eastern Region at Shillong. To strengthen the statistical base, the NCERT is commencing the nationwide Seventh All India Educational Survey. The Survey will continue during the Plan period.

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examination (CISCE) conduct public examinations at the end of Classes X and XII. Both are self-financing bodies, which do not receive any assistance from the government.  A total of 5850 schools are affiliated to the CBSE as on 15^th April 2001, and 1119 schools affiliated to the CISCE as on 31^st August 2001.  The third national level body conducting equivalent examination at the secondary and senior secondary level is the National Open School (NOS).

As part of the Zero Based Budgeting exercise and to bring in greater effectiveness in the implementation of the Central Sector and the Centrally Sponsored Schemes, the Schemes of Secondary Sector have been grouped under five broad heads:

Quality Improvement in Schools comprise the centrally sponsored schemes, Promotion of Sciences Laboratories; Environmental Orientation to School Education; Promotion of Yoga; and the central sector schemes, Population Education Project; International Mathematics/Science Olympiad.  The State Governments would develop training modules for in-service training of teachers and provide infrastructure and research inputs for “Quality improvement in schools”.

Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) comprise the reworked centrally sponsored schemes, Computer Education and Literacy in Schools (CLASS) and Educational Technology (ET). Keeping in view the current demand for IT and computerization, a major thrust in the Tenth Plan is to be given to this scheme and seeks to familiarise students with information technology. The State Governments would prepare Computer Education Plans (CEP). The components of the merged scheme “ICT in Schools” would include (a) funding support for CEPs (b) strengthening and reorientation of staff of SIETs (c) Digitisation of SIETs’ video and audio cassettes on the basis of need assessment and in partnership with NGOs (d) web/internet based education to be managed by the SIETs and (e) production of video and audio cassettes after assessing the demand.

Access and Equity will comprise, among other components to be designed, the ongoing scheme of Strengthening of Hostel/Boarding Facilities for Girl students.

Integrated Education for Disabled Children (IEDC):  In the Tenth Plan, greater efforts will be made to expand inclusive education to cater to the needs of mentally and physically challenged students. The Scheme will continue as a separate Centrally Sponsored Scheme and will be redesigned with a focus on the following elements:

Convergence with the scheme of Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) under the Department of Women and Child Development for early interventions; with DPEP and SSA for education of the mentally and physically challenged upto the elementary level; with the special schools under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment; inclusive pedagogy and curriculum, training of teachers and preparation of teaching learning material; Research and Development (R&D), advocacy and evaluation; and funding through the PTAs / ECs / management committees of the schools

Vocationalisation of Education (VE) is under implementation since 1988 through the State Governments/UT Administrations in the formal sector, and the NGO’s in the informal sector, with the main objectives to enhance individual employability, reduce the mis-match between demand and supply of skilled manpower and to provide an alternative for those pursuing higher education without particular interest or purpose. In the Tenth Five Year Plan, the scheme is proposed to be recast incorporating competency based flexible and modular vocational courses in schools; credit transfer system with provision for multi-point entry/exit; linkages between vocational courses at +2 level and courses at university level; linkages with industries through signing of Memorandum of Understanding, designing/continuous updating of courses, development of curriculum, training of faculty/students and certification of the courses; charging fees and redesigned courses on self-financing basis; compulsory apprenticeship training facility;  the placement of vocational pass-outs for apprenticeship; close association of local Business and  Industry in need analysis and for conducting district vocational surveys before launching of any vocational courses in schools; mandatory facilities for running vocational courses for Kendriya and Navodaya Vidayalaya schools; special treatment to persons with disabilities and appropriate attention to their needs and integration while designing and launching of vocational courses; financial assistance to states for creating testing and certification systems in co-operation with user bodies and professional associations; and reactivation of AICTE’s vocational education board for providing technical support to the school system and for establishing linkages with other technical institutions.  

HIGHER EDUCATION

There has been a significant growth in the number of new universities and institutions of higher learning in specialized areas in the country with 273* Universities/deemed to be universities and 12300 colleges (of which 4683 are in rural areas).   The ninth plan period saw the emergence of separate universities for Science and Technology and Health Sciences, Autonomous Colleges with autonomy/freedom in designing curricula evolving new methods of teaching, research, learning, framing rules for admission, prescribing courses of study, setting examination papers and conducting examinations, Centres of Excellence and the National Assessment & Accreditation Council (NAAC). There are also institutions of higher learning recognized as deemed to be universities with their own sources of funding in addition to Government grants. The major emphasis in higher education during this period has been on an integrated approach, with an emphasis on excellence and equity, relevance, promotion of value education, and strengthening the management systems.  Autonomous Centres have been set up within the university system to provide common facilities, services and programmes to universities and for promotion of quality.

* This number includes 18 medical universities and 40 agricultural universities.

Note: * includes institutions deemed to be Universities, but excludes other institutions.

Source:UGC Annual Report 1996-97 71998-99 and Selected Educational Statistics, MHRD

It is increasingly recognized that in the context of major economic and technological changes and with knowledge occupying center stage in human development, the system of higher education should equip its products with adequate skills, values and attitudes full participation in the emerging social, economic and cultural environment. Universities are thus witnessing a sea change in their outlook and perspective.  Besides, Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) are leading to fundamental changes in the structure, management and mode of delivery of the entire educational system.

Many universities in the country have already recognised the strategic significance of open and distance learning and offer correspondence courses. There are 64 universities offering courses through correspondence at the beginning of the decade.  The developments in the field of information communication technology and expansion of infrastructure for communication all over the country have created an unprecedented opportunity to serve the needs of continuing education and also to meet the demands for equal opportunity for higher education. The Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) established during late eighties, presently offers 72 programmes and its cumulative enrolment in 2001 stood at over twelve lakhs.  The University has created a network of student support structure with 46 regional centers and 765 study centers all over the country. The University has also created a media network and teleconferencing system to electronically link all distance-teaching institutions in the country.  Many earlier departments of correspondence courses in various universities are converted into independent open universities during the ninth plan period. There are, at present, nine Open Universities in the country, all started by different states during the nineties.  

The issues of access and equity are central to the university/higher education system in the country.  Only about 6% of the estimated population in the relevant age group (18-23) is currently in the university system.  Measures to increase enrolment, including that of the disadvantaged sections, in the higher education system will thus be given utmost attention during the plan.

            Quality Improvement/Academic Reforms/Relevance of Curriculum: The basic issue of quality improvement would be addressed and brought about through the modernization of syllabi, increased research, networking of universities and departments and increased allocation of funds.  It is expected that the university system would utilize the autonomy it enjoys for innovations in teaching and pursuing high quality research. The emphasis would be on conferring autonomous status to more colleges, provision of the means to interact across geographical boundaries of institutions, better infrastructure, more rationalized funding of research, integration of teaching, research and evaluation, networking, mutual collaboration and cooperation among universities for optimum utilization of available resources. There is a crying need to improve the management and governance of universities to better enforce financial and administrative discipline. Decentralization of the university system, greater powers to faculty/departments and student nomination to university bodies on the basis of merit/excellence are issues, which would receive attention.

Financing of higher education is another critical issue. The fee structure in the universities is abysmally low and has remained static for more than three decades.  The universities should, therefore, make efforts to rationalise the realization of user charges and attempt greater generation of internal resources. The extent to which universities can hike fees needs to be looked at, including avenues for receipt of contributions, donations, gifts, and sponsorships from the alumni, trusts, private sector and industries. In the process, utmost care needs to be taken to ensure that the social obligation is not lost sight of i.e., poorer students are given adequate opportunity to pursue higher education.

University Grants Commission (UGC): The UGC is the apex body vested with the responsibility of development of higher education in the country, has been providing financial assistance to all eligible Central, State and Deemed Universities, both under Plan and Non-Plan, for improving infrastructure and basic facilities.  The Grants-in-aid receivable during the period would be applied on setting up central universities especially in States not having Central universities and more autonomous colleges/ support to private colleges.  The principle of equity would guide and ensure that the socially, economically and geographically disadvantaged get their fair share in the pursuit of higher education. To encourage more women to pursue higher studies, a greater number of counselling/study centres, day care centres for children and hostels will be set up in the Tenth Plan. Similar measures will be made for students belonging to SCs/STs and minorities.  Besides, the activities of distance/open universities will be supported to increase access and equity in the North East and backward areas.

The UGC propose to promote quality and relevance in higher education in the Tenth Plan in the context of the current socio-economic conditions by initiating add-on skill oriented courses. The career development of students will be promoted by having courses with a professional focus. A major programme of vocationalization at the under-graduate level in about 35 subjects has already been initiated. In the Tenth Plan, new courses, including vocational courses, which have job potential in emerging areas such as information technology, biotechnology, biomedicine, genetic engineering, applied psychology, tourism and travel, physical education and sports would be introduced in more and more universities.  The UGC has been continuously updating curriculum and it has done so in 30 subjects in different disciplines. The Administrative Staff Colleges (ASCs) have proved to be good instruments for teacher training and orientation. Efforts will be made to widen and enhance the range and scope of ASCs.  More ASCs would also be set up to maintain a balance in their geographical distribution.  Steps have been taken from time to time for making accreditation of institutions mandatory. State Governments would be required to play a pro-active role in the accreditation process and help NAAC in its efforts to sensitise the stakeholders.

The UGC conducts a National Level Test (NET) to ensure minimum standards for entrants in the teaching profession and research in humanities including languages, Social Sciences, Computer Applications and Electronic Sciences. The Government and the UGC will continue to support NET, which is now accepted as a quality ensuring mechanism and increase the number of research fellowships.  Universities and colleges are to be provided with Intranet and Internet connectivity to develop IT orientation in higher education and will be encouraged to be part of the Local Area Network (LAN) and Wide Area Network (WAN) so as to create connectivity on the campus and among colleges/universities.

UGC would continue to assist the university departments, which have achieved excellence in research in different disciplines of science, especially in the emerging areas of biotechnology, biomedicine, genome engineering, nuclear medicine, social science, humanities etc under the ongoing scheme of strengthening scientific research.

Further, universities/colleges, which make efforts to increase/raise internal resources, are proposed to be given incentives in view of the continued resource crunch faced by the UGC/Higher Education System.

Distance Education and IGNOU: The non-formal system (distance and open learning) accounts for only a small percentage of the total enrolment in higher education i.e., out of a total of 77.33 lakh students enrolled in university and colleges, the distance education/correspondence courses covered only 10.09 lakhs students. The distance and open learning system provides flexibility in terms of combination of courses, age of entry, pace of learning and methods of evaluation. The coverage of open universities would, therefore, need to be extended to the backward regions, remote inaccessible tribal areas of the North East and some of the Eastern States. At present, there are 9 State Open Universities and 64 Correspondence Courses Institutes/Directorates of Distance Education in conventional universities. The enrolment of distance learners in Open and Distance Education System in the Tenth Plan period is expected to rise significantly. IGNOU has expanded its Regional Centres and Network of Study Centres in the Ninth Plan period. IGNOU has been vested with the twin responsibilities (i) to act as an open university and offer need based education, training and extension programmes, with special focus on the disadvantaged sections of the society and (ii) to act as the national nodal agency to determine and maintain standards in distance education in the country.

IGNOU has established the Distance Education Council (DEC) to act as the nodal agency for distance education system at the tertiary level. The university has adopted an integrated multimedia instructions strategy consisting of print material and audio-video programmes, supported by counselling sessions at study centres throughout the country. A dedicated Satellite TV Channel, Gyan Darshan, managed by IGNOU, is beaming educational programmes from school to tertiary level 24 hours a day.  Preparations are on to launch 40 FM educational radio channels (Gyan Vani ) in the country under a Memorandum of Understanding with Prasar Bharati.  During the Tenth Plan, IGNOU would set up open universities in States, which, presently do not have them and to expand the activities of Gyan Darshan and Gyan Vani in different parts of the country.  The target is to extend the coverage of open learning system to the backward regions, remote inaccessible areas of the northeast and low female literacy blocks in some of the eastern states.

Social Science research outside the university system: The higher education system includes research institutions that are outside the university system. The number of social science research institutions has increased in the post-independence period. These are the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR), Indian Council of Philosophical Research (ICPR), Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR), and Indian Institute for Advanced Studies (IIAS) and the National Council of Rural Institutes (NCRI).  The basic approach during the Tenth Plan period would be to increase the funding of these institutes as they have been doing major research on current political, social and economic issues, which have great relevance in the country.  They would also be subjected to external evaluations including peer review to increase their effectiveness.

TECHNICAL AND MANAGEMENT EDUCATION

Technical/ Management Education: The technical and management education sector has made salutary contribution to the process of economic and industrial development in the country.  It has produced high quality skilled, technical and managerial manpower needed at different levels in the country.  The Ninth Plan period saw a phenomenal increase in the number of institutions in the technical and management education sector in the country with AICTE granting approval for the setting up of about 1715 institutions across the country mainly through private initiatives.  These cover courses/programmes in Engineering, Technology, Management, Architecture, Town Planning, Pharmacy, Applied Arts and Crafts etc.  There has also been corresponding increase in students’ intake to meet the growing demand for quality technical/managerial manpower, especially in the field of information technology and IT related fields.  Networking facilities have also been upgraded.

In 1947, there were only 46 Engineering Colleges and 53 Polytechnics with an annual intake of 6240 students.  Due to efforts and initiatives taken during successive plan periods and particularly due to large private participation, the number of AICTE approved Technical Institutions have risen to 4791 with an annual intake of 677728 students in 2001-2002.

There is greater use of technology in teaching-learning process in the Indian Institutes of Technology, transforming pedagogy etc.  At present technical/management education is provided through the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs), Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore, Indian Institute of Information Technology and Management (IITM), Gwalior, Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT), Allahabad, 17 Regional Engineering Colleges (RECs), Indian School of Mines (ISM), Dhanbad, School of Planning and Architecture (SPA), New Delhi, National Institute of Foundry and Forge Technology (NIFFT), Ranchi, National Institute of Training and Industrial Engineering (NITIE), Mumbai, Technical Teachers’ Training Institutes (TTTIs), North Eastern Regional Institute of Science and Technology (NERIST) and Sant Longowal Institute of Engineering and Technology (SLIET) in the central sector and Polytechnics and Engineering Colleges in the states and private sector.  The new IIT at Guwahati, new IIMs at Calicut and Indore and the Indian Institute of Information Technology and Management, Gwalior and IIIT, Allahabad have created necessary infrastructure and have become fully operational.  Besides, the University of Roorkee has been converted into an IIT in the last year of the Ninth Plan.

The Scheme of Community Polytechnics made substantial contributions towards transfer of high technologies at low costs and cost effective strategies to upgrade the skill of people.  Another milestone during the ninth plan has been the establishment of fifty Polytechnics for the physically challenged to bring them in the mainstream of the Society.

A large number of central, state and accredited technical institutions in the private sector have hugely benefited under the schemes of Modernisation and Removal of Obsolescence, Research and Development and Thrust Areas in Technical Education.  Infrastructure facilities for R&D have been upgraded including laboratories under these schemes.  Emphasis has been specifically given to strengthen and consolidate the infrastructure facilities including computing facilities in the premier institutes viz., IITs, IIMs, IISc, RECs, etc.  Besides, the IITs and IISc, Bangalore have implemented Technology Development Missions in the areas of food processing engineering, material technology, genetic engineering, bio-technology etc.  The Technology Development Missions succeeded in establishing strong industry-institute linkages.  The industry has so far benefited from a large number of projects under different programmes and the technologies developed have been successfully transferred to industry.

Technician Education has been strengthened and the quality of Polytechnic pass outs improved through the World Bank assisted State Sector Project in two phases, which covered 279 polytechnics in 9 States and 249 polytechnics in 10 States respectively.  The Technical Education Project III began effectively from January 2001 and is aimed at assisting the polytechnics in the backward areas of the North East, Jammu & Kashmir and Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

A National Programme of HRD in IT targeting mainly IT education at the degree level and beyond, has been launched pursuant to the recommendations made by the Task Force on HRD in IT.  Different components of this programme include upgradation of computing facilities and connectivity; promotion of technology enhanced IT education; faculty development initiatives; curriculum and course initiatives; and promotion of interface with industry.    Further, a Task Force constituted by the Commission to suggest strategies for India’s transformation into a Knowledge Superpower, has highlighted how information Technology, Biotechnology and advances in other emerging areas could be harnessed to transform India’s economic and social development.

Although there is enormous growth in capacity expansion and the out-turn of world-class technical manpower, the sector is still beset with some problems.  These include lack of adequate training programmes in information technology and other emerging areas; shortage of talented and high caliber faculty in IT and other emerging areas; shortage of funds/resources to the technical institutions; inadequate linkage among the IITs, RECs and other engineering institutions; etc.

Information Technology will continue to be the thrust area in technical education in addition to the emerging, new technologies including Advanced New Materials Technology, Alternate Energy Sources, Biotechnology, Bio-informatics, Nano-technology, Robotics etc.  These will receive adequate attention and be developed in view of their great potential.  This calls for strengthening the existing infrastructure in the institutions and modernization of laboratories, workshops, libraries, computer facilities and Research and Development.  For optimal utilization of existing resources, schemes of resource sharing, networking among institutions and other related activities would be supported. 

Industry oriented and practice-based programmes will be offered in selected polytechnics, developed into Centres of Excellence i.e., Indian Polytechnic Institutes (IPIs) to meet the declining demand for middle level supervisory technical personnel.  In addition to giving an opportunity for diploma holders to obtain higher qualifications, this programme will also provide the much-needed multi skilled manpower to the industry.  Such Polytechnics besides playing a leadership role in strengthening the diploma level education, would, also, act as model institutions.

Regional Engineering Colleges, which have great potential and have shown initiative will be expanded/modernized/upgraded as per the Mashelkar Committee recommendations into National Institutes of Technology and conferred the status of deemed to be universities with greater academic and administrative autonomy.

Appropriate schemes will be formulated and implemented in the Tenth Plan with a view to enhance the productivity of the informal sector, improve the skill profile of manpower employed and facilitate adaptation of better technologies.  The Community Polytechnic scheme will be re-structured/expanded for socio-economic development by bringing all the AICTE approved institutions under its ambit by the end of the Tenth Plan.  The components relating to transfer of technology, manpower development and technical and support services will be given due emphasis in implementing the scheme.

Pharmaceutical institutions, institutions offering courses in Architecture & Planning and Hotel Management and Catering will be supported for starting advance level courses, R&D and continuing education programmes.

IITs and IISc Bangalore, which are successfully implementing the Technology Development Missions in various areas and providing strong support to industry-institute-linkages, will continue these efforts during the Tenth Plan.

The recommendation of the Rama Rao Committee on enhancing the quality of post graduate education and research capability through doctoral and fellowship programmes will be implemented in the Tenth Plan.

Several initiatives are planned to be taken up in the Tenth Plan for Strategic Planning and Management of Technical Education.  These include an EMIS scheme to be supported by the AICTE at the national level to plan the coordinated development of technical education system and to be implemented in selected lead institutions in the country.  The information so collected will be available on-line and provide an effective real time decision support system to Central and State Governments for effective planning, development and monitoring.  It would support other stakeholder as well in taking informed decisions and choices.

The National Technical Manpower Information System (NTMIS) will be strengthened and expanded into other areas of technical education, namely, Management, Pharmacy, Hotel Management and Catering, and Applied Arts.  This would assist Central and State Governments and the AICTE to monitor the mismatch between supply and demand of technical manpower and facilitate more effective planning and development of technical education in the country.

To optimize resources and to make the system cost effective, two schemes will be initiated (a) networking of similar institutions in the areas of faculty and student exchange, joint academic and research programmes, faculty mentors, joint consultancy, continuing education and distance learning programmes, designing and updating curricula, preparation of instructional material, staff development and data and information sharing etc. and (b) to avoid duplication of efforts and wastage of scarce resources, common laboratory facilities in specialized areas will be created to be shared by other institutions and industry on cost sharing basis to encourage interaction with industry.

New Schemes for the Tenth Plan: Several new schemes are proposed to upgrade the quality of Technical Education.

With a view to make education flexible and enable students to learn at their own time and pace, distance and web based learning is planned in the various engineering and management institutions.  Educational Technology Centres will be established/strengthened at IITs, RECs, selected engineering colleges, management institutions and TTTIs.  These centers will take up preparation of course material and their conversion into multi-media software ready to be put on-line.

Full fledged departments of bio-technology will be established at IITs, RECs, IISc, Bangalore with under-graduate, Post Graduate and doctoral programmes and for development of new and emerging technology areas like advance new material technology, bio-technology, nano-technology, bio-informatics, robotics etc.  This will provide a competitive edge to the country in the long-term development of biotechnology potential.

LANGUAGES, BOOK PROMOTION, COPYRIGHT ACTIVITIES AND SCHOLARSHIPS

Languages: India has a rich heritage of languages. The strategies for their development find an important place both in the National Policy on Education, 1986 and its Programme of Action as updated in 1992.  Constant and continuous efforts made to promote and develop all the 18 languages listed in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution continued through a variety of several ongoing central initiatives during the ninth plan.  Schemes and programmes administered for the promotion of languages include the schemes for appointment of teachers in Hindi, modern Indian languages and Urdu; preparation of bilingual, trilingual and multilingual dictionaries, teaching of Hindi by correspondence courses by the Central Hindi Directorate; development of Hindi teaching methodologies, training of Hindi teachers from non-Hindi speaking areas, comparative linguistic studies etc., by the Kendriya Hindi Shikshan Mandal; training of teachers in the modern Indian languages, research in language analysis, pedagogy and technology by the Central Institute of Indian Languages; development, promotion and propagation of Sindhi and Urdu languages by the National Councils for promotion of Sindhi and Urdu languages; and development of Sanskrit through a number of interventions and programmes of the Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan and Maharshi Sandipani Rashtriya Veda Vidya Prathisthan.  Significant progress has been made in the development of languages during the plan period.

The emphasis on language development during the tenth five-year plan will be on the following:

Development of Modern Indian languages: Taking into account the rich cultural diversity and pluralistic society as reflected in the richness of languages, development of Indian literature will get prime attention in the Tenth Plan. Five major projects have been included for development, which lay stress on digitalization, research analysis, translation, the preservation of manuscripts and accessibility to information.  The Central institute of Indian Languages, Mysore and the National Book Trust will play lead roles in undertaking translation of the literature into all languages and making them available to the people at affordable prices.  The National Council for Indian Languages chaired by the Hon’ble Prime Minister will provide the necessary impetus and guidance for the development of Indian languages in the Tenth Plan. Further, special efforts will be made to focus on and document the endangered languages of the country to protect and preserve our diverse cultural heritage.

Hindi language and modern technology: Hindi, the national language, will be promoted further in the Tenth Plan. This is proposed to be developed both as the Rajyabhasha as well as the link language in the country. New centers of the Kendriya Hindi Sansthan, are proposed to be opened to train Hindi teachers, and new schemes formulated to promote the language using modern technology, both in the country and abroad, starting short term Hindi learning courses.

Promotion and development of Sanskrit as a language and discovering its linkages with science: Sanskrit language has a prime place among all languages as its knowledge helps access to the vast treasures of wisdom lying unexplored in various ancient scriptures. The Government is committed to the development of Sanskrit. With modern technological advancement, Sanskrit language learning and teaching will be promoted by using modern technologies and methods, instead of treating it merely as a “traditional”, `classical’ language. It is proposed in the Tenth Plan to digitise Sanskrit classic and books and to make it fully harmonious with modern technology to teach Sanskrit through self teaching CDs and through internet. 

Further, the Sanskrit programmes will also concentrate on the identification, collation and preservation of ancient manuscripts. Particular attention will be paid on promoting links between Sanskrit and Science. There is a vast treasure house of scientific knowledge in the ancient texts that needs to be made available to and popularized by promoting partnership between Sanskrit scholars and the Scientific Community.  Efforts will also be made during the plan to expedite the Sanskrit Encyclopedic dictionary project.

Area Intensive and Madarasa Modernisation Programme (AIMMP): Mainstreaming of the educationally backward and disadvanataged sections of the society has been accorded priority in the National Policy on Education and its Programme of Action.  Two centrally sponsored schemes, Area Intensive Programme for Educationally Backward Minorities, and the Modernisation of Madarsa Education are under implementation since 1993 to bring about the educational development of minorities.  Since inception, 1423 schools/hostels for girls/class rooms and other facilities have been established for the educationally backward minorities.  Modern subjects – English, mathematics, Science and Social studies, are introduced and taught in the madarsas under the modernization scheme.  Grants are also provided to establish and upgrade the library facilities.  Besides, the National Council for Promotion of Urdu language has established 110 Urdu Desk Top Publishing (DTP) centers to cater to the minorities.  In the Tenth Plan, the two schemes of Area Intensive Programme for Educationally Backward Minorities, and the Modernisation of Madarsa Education will be merged to form one umbrella scheme, the Area Intensive and Madarasa Modernisation Programme to give more focused attention to the educational development of Minorities.  New components will include development of infrastructure, modernisation, language development, teacher’s training and mainstreaming incentives.

Education in Human Values (EHV): The scheme, Strengthening of Culture and Values in Education being implemented under the policy mandate of making education a forceful tool for inculcation of social and moral values, has since been renamed as Education in Human Values.  The scheme will sensitise students, parents, teachers and the community – the four pillars of the society and inculcate universal and eternal values oriented towards the unity and integration of our country.  It envisages elimination of obscurantism, religious fanaticism violence, superstition and fatalism. Value Education Centres have been set up in NCERT, NIEPA, NOS, ICPR, IGNOU, IIT Delhi, IIM Lucknow and UGC and special arrangements have been made for training of teachers in value education. It is proposed to make the Scheme more broad based and increase the scope by involving States and UTs educational institutions and teacher training institutes to seek their active participation in the education in human values programme.

Scholarships:  The various ongoing