ADULT EDUCATION
Being the first year of the Fifth Five Year Plan, the main emphasis during this year was on formulating schemes, defining new approaches, and working out programme details. Continuing schemes were strengthened.
Adult education programmes in the Fifth Plan will push forward on three major fronts, the sub-schemes lending necessary support. These are : Non-formal Education programmes for the age-group 15-25; functional literacy programmes related to developmental activities for the age-group 15; and non-formal education programmes for urban situations
Non-formal Education Programme This represents one of the major plans of educational strategy in the Fifth Plan. Since full time institutional education is unable by itself to meet the major educational objectives, nonformal ways of imparting and acquiring education need to be developed for all categories of learners and at all levels of education. During the Fifth Plan, a beginning is being made with the youth in the age-group 15-25, which has an important role to play in society, being by and large productively engaged, capable of rendering socially useful service, involved in many community activities and above all being dynamic and alert. Priority will be given to the illiterate group of youth, and attempts will be made to reach a target of around 6 million. The programme will be multi-faceted, diversified and closely related to the needs, interests and environment of youth. It will be organised in about 100 centres in each district, each centre enrolling 30 young people. During the current year, it is hoped that the programme will be started in one or two selected districts in each State.
Functional Literacy Programme The Farmers Functional Literacy Programme represents the single largest on-going country-wire programme of out-of-school adult education built around a major developmental objective, namely of increased agricultural production.
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Of the three components : Farmers Training, Functional Literacy and Farm Broadcasting, the Ministry is responsible for functional literacy. The project is in operation in 107 districts in different States in the country. Up to the end of the Fourth Plan, over 3 lakh illiterate farmers had been brought within the ambit of the programme. In the Fifth Plan, the programme will be expanded and strengthened.
During the year 1974-75, emphasis has been directed towards strengthening the project through training of personnel at various levels, preparation of adequate learning and teaching materials, and coordination, supervision and guidance. The Directorate of Adult Education organised three training courses for all the district project officers. The coordination machinery at various levels was revitalised.
The highlight in the project was the try-out of experimental problem-oriented materials in selected centres in Jaipur district. This project arose out of a major need for curricular materials which would provide answers to the specific problems confronting farmers in implementing modem agricultural practices in these areas. The materials delveloped through several scientific stages consist of a first book, a set of 10 charts and a teacher's guide. Thirty centres were selected, the teachers oriented to the use of the new materials, and the experiment was started in November. The results are awaited.
Non-formal Education Programmes for Urban Situations The programme of adult education for urban workers constitutes another major area of non-formal education. Two experimental programmes have been in operation; the Polyvalent Adult Education Centre in Bombay, and the Workers' Social Education Institutes at Indore and Nagpur. The Polyvalent Centre in Bombay, conducts a variety of integrated vocational-cum-general education programme for groups of workers in the organised and unorganised sectors. The programme is being continued in the Fifth Plan; the existing centre will be strengthened and new centres will be opened.
The two Workers Social Education Institutes at Indore and Nagpur continued their activities.
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Documentation Services The Directorate of Adult Education was nominated as a Documentation Centre in the area of adult education. The Docu- mentation Unit initiated action on the collection and compilation of various kinds of data relating to adult education and annotated bibliographies on different aspects of adult education.
Production of Literature for Neo-literates The scheme consists of the following components
(i) National Prize Competition of Books for Neolitera- tes;
(ii) Grants-in-aid to the State Governments for the production of literature for neo-literates;
(iii) Production of literature for Neo-literates through the Directorate of Adult Education;
(iv) Supply of literacy material for eradication of illiteracy through National Service Scheme.
(i) National Prize Competition of Books for Neo-literates
The result of the XVII Competition was announced and 28 winning entries in different languages were awarded prizes of Rs. 1,000/- each.
(ii) Grants-in-aid to State Governments for the Production of li- terature for Neo-literates
During the year 1974-75 Central grant amounting to Rs. 2.5 lakhs was released to the State Governments for this programme.
(iii) Production of Literature for Neo-literates through the Directorate of Adult Education
The Directorate of Adult Education purchased and supplied literacy and follow-up materials worth Rs. 4 lakhs, to various Adult Education Centres.
(iv) Supply of Literacy Material for Eradication of Illiteracy through NSS Programme
Sets of literacy materials were also supplied to NSS units in different universities.
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Assistance to Voluntary Organisations Working in the Field of
Adult Education Financial assistance continued to be provided to various orga- nisations taking up projects in adult education, non-formal education, eradication of illiteracy, and post-literacy programmes. Being the International Women's Year, special emphasis was placed on programmes for women.
Publications During the year under Report, the Directorate of Adult Education brought out publications on various aspects of adult education.