PILOT PROJECTS, CLEARING HOUSE
 FUNCTIONS AND SOCIAL SCIENCE
 RESEARCH

15.01. In this chapter, are described mainly those programmes of the Ministry which represent its coordinating role and the clearing house functions of the Union Government in the field of education. With such programmes are grouped some that do not strictly fall in line with the nature of activities, described in earlier chapters.

A: PILOT PROJECTS

15.02. Following the recommendations of the conference of State Education Secretaries in May, 1969, programmes of pilot projects in the various crucial fields of education have been taken up in conjunction with the State Governments mainly with a view to promoting innovation. These programmes also include intensive educational district development projects that integrate education with economic planning in selected districts of the country, also on a pilot basis.

15.03.

Intensive Educational District Development Project:

Intensive educational district development projects have been initiated in one district each in Bihar (viz. Darbhanga). Maharashtra (viz. Jalgaon), Mysore (viz. Bellary) and Punjab (viz. Sangrur) to identify and try out concrete programmes for linking up the educational structure in the districts with their over-all economic and social development, with special reference to employment, productivity, and social justice. The Union Minister of Education & Youth Services inaugurated the project of Bellary on June 3, 1970 and that of Jalgaon on September 20, 1970.

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15.04. During 1970-71 it was proposed to conduct surveys, and studies on the basis of which the project reports would be prepared and then programmes formulated. The schedules and questionnaires relating to occupation surveys were finalised in consultation with an Expert Committee of Social Scientists under the chairmanship of Director, Asian Institute of Educational Planning & Administration. Necessary sanctions for the appointment of project staff for conducting surveys and advance action Programmes were issued. Project staff were appointed and training programmes organised.

15.05. A study on polytechnical education and work experience in schools of the GDR was made in 1969 and it was found that the system of polytechnical education, as it is being worked out in the GDR, has many good features which are relevant to the programmes of introducing work experience and vocationalisation of education in India. The services of an expert. in the field of work experience, have been obtained from the GDR, in the middle of January, 1971 to advise on the introduction of programmes of work experience in the districts selected for the projects.

15.06.

Other Educational Projects:

The Study Groups on (i) Pilot Projects in the Field of Vocationalisation of Education at School Stage and (ii) Pilot Projects at the School Stage submitted their reports in July, 1970. These reports were considered in the Conference of the Education Secretaries and D.P.I's held on August 10- 11, 1970 at Delhi. The conference, generally approved the reports of two study groups and recommended that the pilot projects might be initiated in one district in each state excluding those where the intensive educational district development projects had been introduced. The programme in each selected district should begin with the following two surveys:

(a) Surveys of the existing facilities of institutions selected for work experience programme, and

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(b) Occupational and training surveys on the lines of Osmanabad occupational surveys conducted by Maharashtra.

The Conference also decided that concrete programme of should be drawn up after the surveys are over.

15.07. In view of the urgency of fulfilling the Constitutional directive in respect of universal education for all children till they complete 14 years of age the Conference recommended that pilot projects in this behalf should also be introduced and an attempt made to enrol every child of the compulsory school age to retain him/her at school till he/she completes 14 years of age. From this point of view, the following four major programmes, in the opinion of the conference, need to be emphasised:

(a) Promoting girls' education;

(b) Reducing wastage and stagnation;

(c) Promoting education of children of schedules castes, scheduled tribes and other weaker sections like landless labourers; and

(d) part-time and continuation education.

In addition, the conference approved the setting up of a pilot project for the following programmes:

(1) School complex;

(2) Institutional planing;

(3) Intensive use of radio programme for school education;

(4) Improving science education in rural primary schools;

(5) Strengthening career and guidance service for all students at school stage;

(6) Work experience; and

(7) Vocationalization of education at the school stage.

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15.08. The Education Secretaries of States other than Mysore, Maharashtra, Punjab and Bihar were requested by the Union Education Secretary to select a district each for initiating the above pilot projects. The State Governments were informed that for the appointment of the project staff, assistance up to Rs. 20,000 and for carrying out various surveys and studies connected with the programmes of pilot projects, an assistance of Rs. 45,000 could be available. Proposals from the State Governments were in the process of being received. In the case of Gujarat and Kerala the amounts of Rs. 45,000 and Rs. 27,500 respectively were sanctioned for the project staff and survey for pilot projects. The States have selected the districts as given below: 

        
                                          

                  State                               District Selected
        
             (1) Andhra Pradesh                           Guntur
        
             (2)  Assam                                   Nowgong
        
             (3)  Gujarat                                 Baroda
        
             (4)  Haryana                                 Karnal
             (5)  Himachal Pradesh                        Mahasu
        
             (6)  Kerala                                  Trichur
        
             (7)  Madhya Pradesh                          Sehore
        
             (8)  Orissa                                  Puri
        
             (9)  Rajasthan                               Jaipur
        
             (10) Tamilnadu                               Saidapet
        
             (11) Uttar Pradesh                           Sultanpur
        
             (12) West Bengal                             Burdwan

Selection was still to be made by Jammu and Kashmir, Meghalaya, and Nagaland.

15.09. The Conference of State Education Secretaries held on December 28-29, 1970 had detailed discussions about the

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content of the various pilot project programmes particularly those relating to work experience and vocationalisation. The general concensus in the Conference was as under:

(a) It would be desirable that all the states should implement these programmes simultaneously according to a time-bound programme.

(b) State and district-level committees should be set up to advise in regard to the over-all programmes of the pilot projects.

(c) Suitable cells should be set up immediately at the national and state levels to work out the details of the pilot project programmes in terms of syllabi, prepara- tion of reading materials, training and orientation of teachers, location of institutions, requirements of equipment, etc.

(d) It is necessary to ensure the right selection of the project staff right from the beginning. Steps will also have to be taken to appoint them as early as possible so that they are given adequate orientation at the national level on the content and implications of the various programmes, surveys and studies, proposed to be taken up in the selected districts.

B: CLEARING HOUSE FUNCTIONS

15.10.

Reorganisation of the Statistical Unit:

The Statis- tical and Information Division of the Ministry, organised in 1969-70 on the basis of the recommendations of the, Committee on the Reorganisation of the Statistical Unit, is being strengthened to discharge its services mote efficiently. A new Unit on Employment Studies was set up to identify areas which required urgent studies in relation to the employment of educated persons, particularly, those who have, received secondary or university education.

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15.11. The second meeting of the Standing Advisory Committee on Educational Statistics was held on February 4, 1970 to review the work done in the Statistics and Information Division and suggest measures for improvement in the working of the Division. The committee suggested that Volumes I and II Of Education in India, may be merged into one publication for which the model design is to be prepared by the Division for the approval of the committee. A proposal for the mechanisation and computerisation of tabulation of educational statistics was suggested. A sub-committee was appointed for this pur- pose which was to study the proposal in detail. To make the current statistics available with a minimum time lag, it was suggested that an abridged, proforma, containing eight to ten selected items, might be designed in order to collect the statistics on these items quickly from the States.

15.12.

Fifth Conference on Educational Statistics:

The Fifth Conference on Educational Statistics was held at Puri on February 4-8, 1971 to discuss the problems that the State Governments/Union Territory Administrations face in the collection of educational statistics and suggest suitable measures to overcome these difficulties and thus reduce the time-lag in the collection and publication of educational statistics. It was attended by the representatives of some of the central organisations and union ministries, state governments, besides the officials of the Ministry.

15.13.

Study Group on Employment of Educated Persons:

A study group on employment of persons was set up consisting of 12 members with the Secretary, Ministry of Education & Youth Services, as chairman, and Director (Pilot Projects & Adult Education) in the Ministry as member-secretary.

15.14.

Publications:

The Statistical and Information Divi- sion brings out a number of regular publications, both printed and mimeographed, to publish the educational data and other printed Series, `Education in India' brought out yearwise, and

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`Directory of Institutions for Higher Education', brought out every two years deserve mention. A list of the titles brought out during the year is given at Annexure F.

15.15.

Publications Unit:

The Publications Unit of the Ministry is its main publishing agency although a few publications are brought out by a few other units/sections of the Ministry. The, Unit has been bringing out regularly three quarterly journals, namely, The Education Quarterly' (at present in the 22nd year of its publication), `Cultural Forum' (at present in the 13th year of its publication), and `Sanskriti' Hindi counterpart of `Cultural Forum' (also at present in the 13th year of its publication). Besides, the Unit brings out the various publications of the Ministry proper like The annual administrative report, reports of various committees, commissions, study groups, etc., set up by the Ministry, reports of important meetings, conferences, etc, convened by it and other pamphlets and brochures on the various subjects of its competence. During 1970-71, 40 such titles were brought out, among whom 8 were in Hindi and 4 were in diglot Hindi-English editions. It is proposed to bring out a Hindi counterpart of `The Education Quarterly' and Hindi versions of as many titles of English publications as possible. Necessary steps for this purpose have been taken. A list of publications brought out during the year is given at Annexure F.

15.16. The Unit sells and helps to promote the sale of the various publications and journals brought out by it. Its casual sales depot, situated, as it is, in a central place like Connaught Circus in the Capital also sells publications of the various offices/organisations. connected with the Ministry and also UNESCO publications as an agency of the UNESCO. The total sale during the year has been of, the, order of Rs. 31,430.55.

15.17.

Copyright Unit:

India is a member of International Conventions for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works known as Berne Convention and Universal Copyright Convention. The Berne Convention was last revised in Stockholm in

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1967. The new text contained, as an integral part of it, a protocol containing certain special relaxations in favour of developing countries. As these concessions have not been found readily acceptable to developed countries, discussions have been going on since 1967. It is now expected that there will be a Diplomatic Conference in July, 1971, when both the Conventions will be revised incorporating into both Conventions certain agreed relaxations in favour of developing countries.

15.18. During 1970, copyright of 961 artistic works and 416 literary works was registered with the Copyright Office. The Copyright Board under the chairmanship of Justice J. K. Tandon, retired Judge of Allahabad High Court, held several meetings during 1970 and disposed of a number of cases.

C: GAZETTEERS AND OTHER PUBLICATIONS

15.19.

History of Freedom Movement:

The History of Freedom Movement is being brought out in three volumes. The first volume was published in 1961 and the second one in 1967. The Hindi version of the first volume has also been published in 1967. The final volume of the History of Freedom Movement is expected to be completed shortly.

15.20.

Gazetteer of India:

The scheme envisages the revi- sion of the first four volumes of the Imperial Gazetteer of India. Volume 1 of the revised Gazetteer: Country and People which was published in 1965, is now being reprinted. Some of the chapters of this volume such as The Religions of India, The Physiography of India, The Languages of India, etc. are being brought out in the form of booklets as they have a wider public appeal. The booklets on `Social Structure of India' and `India-The Languages', have been published in 1970-71. "Volume II-History and Culture" is expected to be published by the end of 1971. "Volume III-Economic Structure and Activities" is being finally edited and made ready for the press. Most of the chapters of. "Volume IV-Administration and Public Welfare" have been received from the contributors. These volumes are

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expected to be published during the Fourth Five-Year Plan. It has also been decided to bring out the Hindi version of volume I of the Gazetteer of India.

15.21.

The Gazetteer of Bhutan:

The compilation of the Gazetteer of Bhutan was taken up in collaboration with the Royal Government of Bhutan. Contributors to various chapters have been appointed and the material received from them is being edited. The material received from the Bhutanese contributors is being translated into English. The manuscript is expected to be ready for the press by the end of 1971.

15.22.

The District Gazetteers:

Nearly half the work relating to the District Gazetteers has already been completed. Out of 330 and odd District Gazetteers, drafts of 167 have been completed, of which 145 have been approved for publication. The drafts of 16 more gazetteers were to be approved for publication by the end of 1970-71. The entire work is expected to be completed by the end of the Fourth Plan. The scheme was brought under the Central sector from the State sector of the Plan, from 1969-70 with 100 per cent central assistance subject to a ceiling of Rs. 60,000 (Rs. 44,000 for compilation and Rs. 16,000 for printing) per volume.

15.23.

Who's Who of Indian Martyrs:

The publication of three volumes containing brief life-sketches of those patriots who were hanged or killed during the country's struggle for freedom was taken up in collaboration with the Ministry of Home Affairs. The first volume, which includes the biographical sketches of the patriots who sacrificed their lives after the Great Revolt of 1857, till India got her independence in 1947, was published in October, 1969 to synchronise with the Gandhi Centenary Celebrations. The second volume will cover all those patriots who lost their lives in the course of the struggle for the liberation of the French and Portuguese possession in India. It Will also include the martyrs of the former princely' States. The Third volume will deal exclusively with the martyrs

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of the Great Revolt of of 1857. The material received from various sources is being edited and made ready for the press. The manuscript of the second volume is expected to be sent to the press shortly. The scheme is likely to be completed by February, 1972.

15.24.

The Cultural Heritage Series

:-The scheme for the compilation and publication of the Cultural Heritage Series in 27 volumes-one volume for each state and union territory-has been included in the Fourth Plan. The volumes are designed to help greatly in promoting the cause of national integration. The scheme is still in its preliminary stage of progress.

D:INDIAN COUNCIL OF SOCIAL SCIENCE RESEARCH

15.25. The Indian Council of Social Science Research which was established during 1969-70 for the primary objective of promoting, and coordinating social sciences research in the country, vigorously pursued its objectives during the year under report.