CELEBRATIONS AND PROGRAMMES OF NATIONAL INTEGRATION
10.01. The most important and extensive celebration during the period was the observance of the 'International Education year (1970)' as part of the world-wide programme at UNESCO'S instance to mark the beginning of the UN Second Development Decade. Besides this, the centenaries of international and national celebrities like V. I. Lenin, C. R. Das and C.F. Andrews were observed with celebrations on a country-wide scale. Following the decisions of the National Integration Council, a well-drawn up programme of promoting national cohesion has been launched by the Ministry in the educational field. The present chapter attempts to outline briefly these activities in so far as they pertain to the year 1970-71.
A:INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION YEAR 1970 10.02. The world-wide observance of 1970 as the International Education Year, in accordance with the resolution passed by the General Assembly of the UN and the General Conference of UNESCO, afforded educationists in India, as elsewhere, an opportunity to review the present position of education and to assess the requirements of the future. The main key-note of our participation in the IEY programme was: "Education in the Nineteen Seventies: the Challenges of the Future and How to Meet Them".
10.03. In planning a programme of activities to be undertaken for the observance of the International Education Year, a Central Committee under the chairmanship of Prof. V. K. R. V. Rao, Union Minister of Education & Youth Services,
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was constituted. The Committee met on April 27, 1970, and draw up a broad framework of activities to be implemented at various levels, as a programme of the Year. An appeal was addressed to all State Governments, Union Territory Administrations, universities, other educational institutions, and teachers, parents and students' organisations and the interested public to participate fully in the observance of these programmes, to further strengthen the urge for educational reform and reconstruction.
10.04. Inauguration: Although the UN General Assembly had designated the calendar year 1970 as the International Education Year, India decided to inaugurate the year programme on July 18, 1970, Which marked the commencement of the academic session in this country. On account of the delayed commencement of this programme in India, it has been decided to spread over India's programme of the IEY activities during the entire academic session. 1970-71. At the national level, the Year was inaugurated at a largely attended public function on July 18, 1970 at New Delhi by the President of India. On this occasion, messages were received from the Secretary-General of the United Nations and the Director General of UNESCO.
10.05. Similar inaugural functions were held all over the country. In various universities and colleges, meetings were held to mark the inauguration of the IEY. These were addressed by vice- chancellors, principals and other leading teachers and public men. In all these meetings the emphasis was to evolve suitable measures to improve education and develop concrete and intensive programmes for expanding educational facilities.
10.06. Public Discussions: The All India Radio arranged a programme of broadcasting discussions, over the air, among eminent educationists on various themes of education.
10.07. Seminars, Meetings of Experts and Celebrations: A significant item in the programme for the IEY was the organisa-
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tion of seminars on important educational problems. The following seminars were held at the national level:
(i) Life-long Integrated Education: The Asian Institute of Educational Planning and Administration, with assistance from UNESCO and the Government of India, organised a Meeting of Experts on Life-long. Integrated Education on August 10- 18, 1970 at New Delhi. The main purpose of the meeting was to clarify the concept of life-long education and indicate a practical course of action for achieving the goal of life-long integrated education, with. special reference to developing countries.
Experts in the field of educational planning and life-long integrated education from the USA, Canada, Japan Philippines, Malaysia, India and representatives of UNESCO as well as observers from important national agencies participated in the meeting.
(ii) Birth Centenary of Dr. Maria Montessori and the Related All India Seminar: The National Montessori Centenary Committee, in collaboration with the Indian National Commission for Cooperation with UNESCO arranged a function in commemmoration of the birth centenary of Dr. Maria Montessori on August 31, 1970 at New Delhi. The Department of Posts and and Telegraphs issued a special com- memorative stamp on this occasion. An All-India Seminar on Montessori Methods of Education with particular reference to Maria Montessori's contri- bution to educational thought and practice was organised at Delhi on October 5-8, 1970 by the National Montessori Centenary Committee, with financial assistance from the INC for UNESCO. On this occasion, an exhibition of the Montessori materials and equipment manufactured in India was organised. Children's works and photographs of children at work from different Montessori Houses
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of Children and Montesssori primary institutions in this country and certain foreign countries, were also exhibited.
(iii) Adult Education in the Seventies: A National Seminar on Adult Education in the Seventies was organised at Bangalore on September 8-18, 1970 in pursuance of a resolution adopted by the National
Board of Adult Education. An account of this seminar has been given later in the chapter on `Adult Education and Libraries'.
(iv) 75th Birthday of Acharya Vinoba Bhave: A public function was organised on September 11, 1970, at New Delhi to celebrate the 75th Birthday of Acharya Vinoba Bhave, with special reference to his work in the field of education and in bringing together all Indian languages. The function, which was presided over by the Vice-President of India, was also addressed by the Union Minister of Education and Youth Services and the Chief Justice of India. An exhibition of Vinobaji's works was displayed at the venue of the function.
(v) Primary and Work-Oriented Education: At the request of the INC for UNESCO, the National Council of Educational Research and Training organised at New Delhi, a seminar on "Primary and Work-Oriented Education" on November 9-11, 1970. On this occasion, the NCERT brought out a publication containing all the papers which were to form the basis of discussion at the seminar.
(vi) Tri-Centenary of John Amos Komensky (Comenius):The Tri-Centenary of this great Czech humanist was celebrated all over the country on November 15, 1970. The life and work of Comenius was widely covered over All India Radio and Television. The teacher-training institutes all over the country celebrated the occasion suitably.
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(vii) Application of Modern Management Techniques to Educational Systems: The Asian Institute of Educational Planning and Administration, New Delhi, organised a regional seminar on the theme of "Application of Modem Management Techniques to Educational Systems" on November 2-11, 1970. The seminar was attended by educational planners, administrators and experts from nine countries of the Asian region including India and by management specialists and experts from various UN agencies. The seminar recommended that a continuing and meaningful dialogue be conducted among member- States of UNESCO leading to collaboration between educational administrators and exponents of modern management techniques for identifying and evolving such principles, methods, techniques and aids as are conducive to better management of education in developing countries.
(viii) Educational Statistics: A Regional Training Seminar in Educational Statistics was organised at New Delhi by the Asian Institute of Educational Planning and Administration in conjunction with UNESCO'S Regional Office for Education in Asia, Bangkok, on December 7-18, 1970. Representatives from 17 countries in the Asian region participated in the seminar. A number of specialists and experts acted as resource persons for the seminar who not only contributed papers in the fields of their own specialities but also initiated discussion on important topics.
(ix) Seminar on Open University: The Ministry of Education & Youth Services, in collaboration with the University Grants Commission, organised a seminar on `Open University' at New Delhi on December 16-18, 1970, as a part of the programme of the International Education Year. It was presided over
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by Dr. D. S. Kothari, Chairman, UGC. Apart from vice-chancellors of Indian universities, and other distinguished educationists numbering about 55, five experts from USA and UK also attended the seminar and contributed papers. The seminar was of the view that the time was ripe for India to venture on the experiment of an `Open University'. This could be part of our efforts to improve academic, standards, and to democratise access to higher education. The open university should be conceived of and designed as a quality institution, with the objective of making higher education available to those with the capacity for it but unable to benefit from existing facilities for higher education. The university's standards will not be tailored to suit any low-level capabilities amongst students. The concessions will be limited to entrance requirements; from then on, the requirements of performance will be exacting, and of high quality. In doing this, it would be a means of ensuring equality of educational opportunity and of implementing, in some measure, our commitment to social justice. The seminar recommended that a committee be appointed by the Government of India to examine such problems as the costs involved in instituting an open university, the stages at which different media and methods should be worked into the system, the categories of students that could be served, and even the question whether the objectives outlined could be achieved through one open university for the whole country or more than one.
(x) Conference on Continuing Education: The Indian University Association for Continuing Education, in collaboration with the University of Madras, and with financial assistance from UNESCO and the INC for UNESCO, organised at Madras on December 2630, 1970 a conference on the "Role of Continuing.
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Education in Universities of Asian and South Paci- fic Regions". About 40 vice-chancellors and educa- tionists and representatives of universities from Asian and South Pacific regions participated in it.
(xi) Seminar on Technical Education: A National Seminar on "Re-orientation of Technical Education System to Industrial Development in the Second Development Decade, 1970-80", was held at the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, on February 20-23, 1971, under the chairmanship of Dr. A. L. Mudaliar, formerly Vice-Chancellor, Madras University. The seminar discussed, in the main, qualitative improvement of polytechnic education, including curriculum development, preparation of instruction materials, pre-service and in-service training of teachers and laboratory development.
(xii) Seminar on Mass Media in Education: A national seminar on Mass Media in Education was held at New Delhi, on March 23-25, 1971. It discussed Indian plans and programmes to use mass media, such as radio, film and T. V. for educational purposes and especially for the general education of the youth and the adult. Experts in mass media discussed the connected problems including modifications and extensions of radio, film and T.V. to give them a new direction and meaning in furthering the cause of education in this country.
(xiii) Unesco Regional Asian Seminar for Leaders of Youth Science Activities and General Assembly of the Internatonal Coordinating Committee for the Presentation of Science and the Development of Out-of School Scientific Activities: The NCERT assisted in organising the Unesco Regional Seminar for Leaders of Youth Sciences Activities and the General Assembly of the International Coordinating Committee
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for the Presentation of Science and the Development of Out-of-School Scientific Activities. The UNESCO Regional Seminar for Leaders of Youth Science Activities was held at New Delhi on December 14-18, 1970 in which 14 participants from the Asian member states participated. Besides this, some observers from the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, British Council and NCERT also attended the seminar. Immediately at the close of the Regional Seminar, the General Assembly of the International Coordinating Committee for the Presentation of Science and the Development of Out-of-School Scientific Activities held its session on December 19-21, 1970. The General Assembly was inaugurated by the Union Minister for Education & Youth Services. Thirty delegates from various parts of the world and about 20 observers from various international organisa- tions and the NCERT attended the session of the General Assembly. The General Assembly located some short-term and long-term prorgrammes in the field of presentation of science and the develop- ment of out-of-school science activities. Concrete projects for the Asian, Latin American, African and the European region were also developed by regional groups. The Assembly approved the financial esti- mates for the ICC for the coming two years and also decided that the next meeting of the General As- sembly would be held in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 1972.
10.08.
Other Programmes: (1) Seminar on Cultural Content in Education: It is proposed to organise a seminar in April-May, 1971,
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to evaluate the role of the cultural organisations like museums, art galleries, libraries, archaeological institutions, and institutions dealing with dance, drama, music, etc. The seminar, it is hoped, will help, enrich the cultural content of education.
(2) National Seminar on Education in the Seventies: This seminar will be held in Delhi after the recommendations of all the other seminars become available. This seminar will sum up the work done by the various seminars in different fields and assist in evolving a synthesis of ideas and thinking which will create a sound foundation for planning specific and concrete programmes for educational development in the seventies.
B: CENTENARY CELEBRATIONS 10.09.
Lenin Centenary Celebrations: