HIGHER EDUCATION
The Ministry of Education is responsible for the maintenance of the Central universities and any other institution declared by Parliament by law to be an institution of national importance. The Ministry is also responsible for the coordination and maintenance of standards of higher education all over the country and for this purpose the, University Grants Commission was constituted in 1953. In addition to these constitutional obligations, the Ministry gives grants-in-aid to State Governments and voluntary organizations and operates several programmes, some in cooperation with the friendly foreign governments and organizations, for the development of higher education in the country. The Ministry also conducts significant pilot projects in higher education of which the most important is that of Rural Institutes.
1.2. Grants are paid, through the University Grants Commission, to the Central universities on hundred per cent basis both for their maintenance and development and to all State universities on a sharing basis for their development projects only. To the seven institutions, which have been declared as deemed to be universities under Section 3 of the U.G.C. Act of 1956, grants are at present given, inter alia, by the Ministry of Education and the University Grants Commission-to Jamia Millia on cover-the-deficit basis and to the others on an ad hoc basis. In the case of other institutions of higher education also grants are given, on an ad hoc basis, by the Ministry of Education directly on the recommendation of the advisory committee or the council concerned in each field. Schemes of loans for various purposes are operated only by the Ministry of Education.
1.3. During the year under review, the Ministry of Education continued its assistance in the development of higher education in the country on these lines, with the two-fold object of enabling universities and other institutions of higher education to meet the challenge of unprecedented expansion on the one hand, and of the urgent need to improve the quality of education on the other. A brief account of the projects and activities undertaken by the Central universities, the University Grants Commission, and the Ministry of Education, during the year 1963-64, to meet this challenge is given below.
A. CENTRAL UNIVERSITIES 2. There are four Central Universities-Aligarh, Banaras, Delhi and Visva-Bharati-which receive hundred per cent grants for maintenance as well as development from the Union Government, through the University Grants Commission. Each of these universities reported good progress in the implementation of their various development projects and programmes during the year under review. Some of the main significant achievements made by the Central universities in both directions of expansion and improvement of quality of. education are indicated here.
3. Aligarh Muslim University.-The University completed a number of buildings : the Kashmir House consisting of 100 single rooms, the Central
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Block of Engineering College, the Faculty of Arts, Auditorium and Women's College, Health Centre, Hobbies Workshop, and additional accommodation for the Department of Education and N.R.C. Club. The laboratories of three Pre-Clinical Departments of Anatomy, Physiology and Bio-Chemistry were equipped and 50 students admitted to the M.B.B.S. course. The intake capacity of the College of Engineering and Technology was raised from 120 to 240; and 2 additional professors, 5 readers and 46 lecturers were sanctioned for the increased capacity. The various Departments of the College were strengthened by the appointment of 23 teachers.
3.2. For the purpose of qualitative improvement of education, the University introduced a number of measures. A new course of Indian Humanities consisting mainly of the principal elements of Sanskritic and Islamic cultures was instituted. A novel experiment of introducing the Roman script as associate script for teaching Hindi and Urdu to students, whose mother-tongue is neither Hindi nor Urdu, was initiated. And, a new scheme of tutorials was introduced to reduce the load of lectures. Under this scheme, synopsis of lectures for the whole term are distributed to students in advance.
4. Banaras Hindu University-The University nearly completed the new building of the International Students' Home, the Guest House, the Postgraduate Building, the Vivekanand Hostel and the Ramakrishna Hostel. The construction of the Olympic Swimming Pool, a Multipurpose Hall and the College of Medical Sciences was started.
4.2. The University introduced several new courses during the year, to enlarge the scope of its educational facilities. These include M.A. in Sociology, M.D. (Medicine, Physiology and Pharmacology), M.S. (Anatomy and Surgery) and postgraduate courses in Agricultural Botany and Agricultural Chemistry. The two-year diploma and degree courses in Music and Fine Arts were developed into three- year degree courses. The Postgraduate Research Institute in Indian Medicine was inaugurated on August 15, 1963 offering a three-year course leading to the degree of M.D. in Ayurveda; the Institute will also prepare teachers, eminent specialists, consultants and research workers.
5. University of Delhi.-The University continued its efforts to tackle the problem of admissions to meet the increasing demand for college education due to rapidly growing population in the city. The Dayal Singh College was allowed to start a second unit with a maximum intake of 690 to admit such students as were unable to secure admission to the B.A. pass course in other local colleges. Preliminary steps were also taken to make plans for opening some new colleges and establishing a second university in Delhi.
5.2. The University made considerable expansion in the scope of its educational facilities. A large number of new courses of study were introduced in the various faculties from July, 1963. The include : Diploma in Modem Persian; Diploma in Linguistics; B.A. and M.A. (Hons.) in Bengali and D. Litt. in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences; D.Sc. and M.A./ M.Sc. in Operational Research in the Faculty of Science; Courses in Otolaryngology, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Medical Radio Diagonosis, Medical Therapy, Radiation Medicine and Ophthalmology in the Faculty of Medical Sciences; M.A. in Hindustani Music in the Faculty of Music and Fine Arts, and D.C.L. in the Faculty of law. The University also started a one-year certificate (part-time evening) course in Modern India Languages, namely Bengali, Gujarati, Marathi Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada. A new Department of Linguistics was also established.
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5.3. The Directorate of Correspondence Courses which started functioning from July, 1962 continued to meet the educational needs of those who, for one reason or another, are unable to attend any college. Enrolment for B.A. (pass) course increased from 1088 in 1962-63 to 1410 in the year under report. The facilities of taking examinations through the Directorate of Correspondence, Courses have also been extended to the personnel working in India Missions abroad but on the condition that they appear for such examinations at centres in India.
5.4. The tutorial scheme introduced in 1958 on an experimental basis for a period of 5 years terminated in July, 1963. On the basis of the Report. of the Committee on Preceptorials and Tutorials, appointed by the University,. preceptorials and tutorials have been made compulsory for all undergraduate students.
6. Visva-Bharati University.-The University undertook a massive programme of construction to house its various departments and activites. The buildings completed, during the year, include 45 staff quarters at Andrewspalli, a Community Hall containing a stage and an auditorium to seat about 500 persons, an additional storey over the existing Girls' Hostel at Sriniketan, additional buildings with a spacious hall for exhibiting the handicrafts manufactured at the Silpa-Sadana (Cottage Industry Training School), nine buildings, mostly financed by the Government of West Bengal, for housing the different units of the Palli Sangathana Vibhaga on a more rational basis, new Press Building, two new wings to the Purvapalli Guest House, and Science Laboratory at Santiniketan. The Administrative Building is expected to be completed shortly and work on the Naba Nandan (KalaBhavan Library, Museum and Studio) and Hostel for Vidya- Bhavana (College of Postgraduate Studies and Research) is progressing satisfactorily.
6.2. As a progressive step towards the development of a Department of Science. the University started the B.Sc. honours course in Physics with, Botany and Zoology as subsidiary subjects. Other new courses of studies introduced during the year include : (i) B.A. honours in Chinese Studies, (ii) M.Ed. and (iii) M.A./M.Sc. in Mathematics. The University has also approved a proposal to start degree courses in (i) Music and Dance and (ii) Fine Arts and Crafts.
6.3. The University also recognised its Rabindra-Sadana (Tagore Memorial Museum) as an academic department and redesignated it Rabindra-Bhavana (Institute of Tagore Studies and Research), which now forms a constituent college of the University and provides facilities for the study of and researches into Rabindra literature.
6.4. The University closed down the Rural Institute and instead established the Palli Siksha Sadana to provide a three-year degree course in Social Sciences, and a four-year degree course in Agricultural Science.
B. INSTITUTIONS OF ALL-INDIA IMPORTANCE 7. Institutions deemed to be Universities.-In consultation with and-on the advice of the University Grants Commission, the Ministry of Education has declared seven institutions of all-India importance, as deemed to be universities within the meaning of Section 3 of the University Grants Commission Act of 1956. These are : (1) Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, (2) Gujarat Vidyapeeth, Ahmedabad, (3) Gurukul Kangri, Hardwar, (4) Kashi
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Vidyapeeth, Varanasi, (5) Indian School of International Studies, Sapru House, New Delhi, (6) Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, and (7) Indian Agriculture Research Institute, Hillside Road, New Delhi. The Department of Education deals with the first five of these institutions. Of them, the Indian School of International Studies is maintained mostly by grants from the University Grants Commission.
7.2. Jamia Millia.-The recognition accorded to the Jamia Millia Islamia is for a period of 3 years in the first instance, and is limited for the present to courses corresponding to B.A. and B.Ed. degrees. During the year 1963-64, the Jamia Millia continued to receive grants from the Ministry of Education on a cover-the-deficit basis. The institution provides education from the nursery stage to the graduate level and in addition maintains a Teachers' College and a Rural Institute.
7.3. As regards the other three institutions deemed to be universities the Ministry of Education paid them the following grants for development purposes during 1963-64 :
1. Gujarat Vidyapeeth, Ahmedabad Rs. 50,000
2. Gurukul Kangri, Hardwar Rs. 30,000
3. Kashi Vidyapeeth, Varanasi Rs. 1,31,250
The question of payment of maintenance grants and matching contributions for development projects approved by the U.G.C. to these three institutions for the next financial year is also under consideration of the Government of India.
7.4. Grants were paid by the Ministry of Education also to non- statutory, non-affiliated institutions of higher education of all- India importance on the basis of recommendations made by an Advisory Committee of Educationists. Kanya Gurukula Mahavidyalaya, Dehra Dun and Lok Bharati, Sanosara were given maintenance grants of Rs. 12,500 and Rs. 16,635 respectively during the year under review. Applications of some other institutions for similar grants are under consideration.
C. UNIVERSITY GRANTS COMMISSION 8. The University Grants Commission set up in 1953, to ensure the coordination and maintenance of standards of higher education all over the country, continued, during the year, its valuable contribution to the fulfilment of these objectives. The Central universities were given full grants for their maintenance and also for the various development projects approved by the Commission. The State universities too were given suitable assistance for their development projects. Besides assisting the development of existing postgraduate departments and the establishment of new ones in various. universities and colleges, the Commission contributed liberally towards the improvement of salary scales of teachers, construction of students hostels and staff quarters, and the institution of fellowships and scholarships for postgraduate work. A brief account of the various projects and schemes. for expansion and improvement of higher education assisted by the U.G.C.during 1963-64 is given below.
9. Development Projects.---On the recommendations of the Visiting Committee appointed by the University Grants Commission to scrutinise and assess the development schemes of universities, the Commission has so far allocated development grants amounting to Rs. 28 crore (approximately) to 49 universities including 3 institutions deemed to be universities. Grants
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amounting to Rs. 2.88 crore were sanctioned to 17 universities for the development of their existing postgraduate departments and establishment of new science departments. The Commission approved the establishment of postgraduate centres in 21 affiliated colleges and allocated a sum of Rs. 21.64 lakh for the development of science departments in 19 postgraduate colleges.
10. Centres of Advanced Study.-With a view to maintaining standards of higher education in the country, the University Grants Commission has instituted an important scheme of setting up Centres of Advanced Study attached to different universities. These centres are carefully planned to maintain high standards of advanced studies thereby raising the level of advanced studies in universities and colleges all over the country. Twenty four such Centres of Advanced Study 14 in Science and 10 in Humanities have since been set up, vide Annexure IV. Grants amounting to Rs. 164 lakh were allocated to these centres during 1963-64.
11. Improvement of Salary Scales of Teachers.-During the year about 14,000 teachers in more than 450 colleges benefited under this scheme of the University Grants Commission. It is expected that the total assistance from the Commission to the universities and colleges for the revision of salary scales of teachers during 1963-64 will be about Rs. 69 lakh. Fourteen universities have implemented the scales of pay recommended by the All-India Council for Technical Education for technical teachers. The Commission provides hundred per cent assistance towards the revision of salary scales of such teachers. The estimated expenditure on this account during the current year is Rs. 14 lakh.
12. Construction of Hostels.-Approval was accorded for construction of hostels by the Universities of Agra, Aligarh, Bhagalpur, Baroda, Burdwan, Bombay, Jadavpur, Karnatak, Patna, Panjab, Punjabi (Patiala), Magadh, North Bengal, and Roorkee, and Gurukul Kangri, Indian School of, International Studies, and Jamia Millia Islamia. The total cost of the hostels is estimated at Rs. 1.28 crore of which the Commission will pay Rs. 0.80 crore. Besides, grants amounting to Rs. 10.09 lakh were sanctioned to 12 affiliated colleges for men's hostels. Grants amounting to Rs. 9.57 lakh were also given to teen colleges for women's hostels.
13. Utilisation of the Services of Retired Teachers.-The Commission has, since 1961-62, instituted an interesting and useful scheme of assisting, by way of re-employment and grants, selected teachers who have retired after distinguished service in the teaching profession. Under this scheme 63 teachers have been selected for assistance during the current year and an amount of Rs. 4.25 lakh is likely to be utilised for the payment of honoraria and contingent grants to such teachers. This brings the total number of teachers who have benefited from the scheme so far to 137.
14. Travel Grants.-The Commission allocates funds to universities for awarding travel grants to teachers and research scholars to enable them to visit and work at different centres of research, and also provides financial assistance to university and college, teachers to the extent of 50 per cent of the approved expenditure for participation in international conferences abroad.
15. Exchange of Teachers.-The Commission decided to give limp- sun grants ranging from Rs. 10,000 to Rs. 15,000 to each university for inviting. reputed professors or experts from other centres of learning for short periods
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not exceeding 6 months to deliver courses of lectures, conduct seminars and offer advice or guidance to research workers.
16. Scholarships and Fellowships.-The Commission awarded the following scholarships and fellowships during the year :-
Scholarships/Fellowships No. Estimated
Cost
(Rs. in lakhs)
(1) Scholarships in Humanities and Science
of the value of 251 14.69
Rs. 200 p.m. each
(2) Junior Fellowships in Humanities and
Science of the value 120
of Rs. 300 p.m. each
(3) Senior Fellowships in Humanities and
Science of the value 60 25.67
of Rs. 500 p.m. each
(4) Fellowships in Engineering and Technology
of the value 30
of Rs. 400 p.m. each
D. RURAL HIGHER EDUCATION 17. Achievement of the Plan Target.-The pilot project of setting up Rural Institutes of Higher Education in different parts of the country was initiated in 1956. And, the National Council for Rural Higher Education was set up in the same year to advise the Ministry of Education on matters Concerning the development of rural higher education in the country and to conduct examinations for the courses approved by it.
17.2. With the establishment of two new Rural Institutes at Thavanur, Kerala and Kasturbagram at Indore, Madhya Pradesh during the year 1963-64, the third Plan target of establishing four new Rural Institutes, during the Plan period, has already been achieved. It is proposed to start two more Rural Institutes during the current Plan period-one in the Allahabad district of Uttar Pradesh and the other in the Visakhapatnam district of Andhra Pradesh and necessary action in this direction has been initiated. This will bring the total number of Rural Institutes in the country to 16-15 in 11 States and 1 in the Union Territory of Delhi.
18. Grants and Stipends.-Grants amounting to Rs. 16,01,412 were released to the Rural Institutes, affiliated to the National Council for Rural Higher Education, up to 31st December, 1963 towards meeting recurring and non-recurring expenditure. In the case of all Rural Institutes (except Jamia Rural Institute) these grants are sanctioned on a sharing basis at 75 per cent of non-recurring and 50 per cent of the recurring approved expenditure (75 per cent in the case of post- diploma courses). In the case of the Jamia Rural Institute grants are sanctioned on cover-the-deficit basis.
18.2. Stipends amounting to Rs. 61,396.89 were sanctioned at the approved rates to 20 per cent of the students on the rolls of the Rural Institutes during the same period. File entire expenditure on stipends is met by the Union Government.
19. Examinations.-The total number of candidates who took the annual and supplementary examinations for the various diploma and certificate courses conducted by the National Council for Rural Higher Education in April and October, 1963, was 1,177. Of these 716 were declared successful.
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20. Recognition of Diplomas/Certificates.-The postgraduate diploma, in Rural Economics and Cooperation (started in 1961) has been provisionally recognised by the Government of India as equivalent to an M.A. degree of a recognised university for purposes of appointment under the Union Government. One State Government has also accorded similar recognition to the diploma. The other postgraduate diploma (started in 1962)-Rural Sociology and Community Development-is also expected to be shortly recognised by the Government of India.
20.2. The diploma in Rural Services has been so far recognised by 23 universities as equivalent to the first degree for purposes of admission to certain postgraduate courses. The diploma has already been recognised by the Government of India and almost all State Governments for purposes of employment under them.
20.3. The Government of Maharashtra have recognised the diploma in Rural Services (Education) as equivalent to the B.A.B.T. degree for purposes of employment as teachers in secondary schools or assistant educational inspectors.
20.4. The Delhi Polytechnic and the Jadavpur University have recognised the diploma in Civil and Rural Engineering for admission to the National Diploma Course and the part-time degree course in Engineering, respectively. The Union Government and 12 State Governments have also recognised the diploma for purposes of employment under them.
20.5. The certificate in Sanitary Inspectors' Course has been recognised by eleven State Governments for purposes of employment.
20.6. Some progress was also made in amplifying the scope of educational courses obtaining in the Rural Institutes. For instance, a concurrent course in general education and teachers' training (diploma in Rural Services-Education) of three years' duration after the higher secondary examination, was started on an experimental basis, in the Karam Vir Hire Rural Institute, Gargoti, Maharashtra. This course is intended to train better teachers for higher secondary schools in rural areas, with a sound, rounding in pedagogy.
E. SCHEMES AND ACTIVITIES OF THE MINISTRY 21. Grants for Construction of Hostels in Big Cities.-The Y.M.C.A., Trivandrum which received a grant of Rs. 70,000 under this scheme last year has completed its building. The Southern India Educational Trust, Madras and Ramakrishna Sarda Mission, Calcutta received further instalments of grants to complete the construction of their hostel buildings. The construction work is progressing satisfactorily.
22. Loans for Construction of Hostels.-The Ministry of Education continued to operate three schemes for advancing loans to selected institutions of higher education for the purpose of constructing hostels. A total provision of Rs. 40 lakh has been made for these schemes out of the funds allocated to the University Grants Commission.
22.2. Under the scheme for loans to State Governments for construction of hostels by affiliated colleges a sum of Rs. 50,000 was released to the Government of Madras during the year under report. However, no
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expenditure was incurred during the year under the other two schemes, viz., Loans to Affiliated Colleges for Construction of Hostels and Loans to Universities and Constituent Colleges of Delhi University for Construction of Hostels and Staff Quarters. This was because no proposals were received for such loans.
23. Correspondence Courses and Evening Colleges.-The total provision for the scheme for the current Plan period is Rs. 2,86,950. Out of this, a sum of Rs. 60,000 has been released to the Delhi University which started the scheme from the academic session 1962-63. According to the progress report and the statement of accounts received from the Directorate of Correspondence Courses, the scheme is making satisfactory progress.
23.2. Procedural details for payment of grants to institutions to start Evening Colleges have also been finalised and the scheme is being circulated to State Governments and universities.
24. Central Institute of Advanced Studies, Rashtrapati Niwas, Simla.-The Institute will be located at Rashtrapati Niwas, Simla. It has since been decided to broaden the scope of this Institute to include the School of Humanities and the Institute of Indology and Indian and Islamic Studies which were proposed to be set up independently. The Ministry of Education has already taken over certain buildings of the Rashtrapati Niwas, Simla, and necessary arrangements are being made for the transfer of the remaining buildings. Steps have also been taken to appoint a Director for the Institute.
25. Vice-Chancellors' Conference.-A Conference of State Education Ministers was held this year on 10th and 12th November, 1963. The vice-chancellors of Indian universities and some other eminent educationists were also invited to the Conference. The Conference considered inter alia the question of the age of entry into universities and the duration of degree course.
26. Recruitment of Teachers for Service Abroad.-During the period, the Ministry recruited teachers for the University of Libya. Action was also initiated to recruit teachers for service in Afghanistan. However, this item of work has since been taken over by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
27. Republication of Standard Educational Works in Low-Priced Editions.-In collaboration with the Governments of the United States of America, the United Kingdom and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, the Ministry of Education is associated with a number of schemes to bring out low-priced republications of foreign standard educational works. The republication of American and British educational works in low-priced editions is well under way and 13 American books and about 30 British books were brought out during the year under review. The Ministry has also finalised a scheme to republish in low-priced editions standard educational works by Indian authors.
28. Indo-U.S. Agreement for Financing Educational Exchange Prog- ramme.-Under the United States Educational Foundation in India Programme, administered by the United States Educational Foundation in India, 172 Indian graduates went to the U.S.A. and 141 U.S. scholars came to India, during the current year. The Government of India reim- burses to the Foundation the taxes and duties paid by it to the American grantee coming to India under its programme.
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29. Inter-University Board of India.-The Inter-University Board of India is a voluntary organization constituted by the universities in India for the purpose, mainly, of serving as an authorised channel of communication between universities which are its constituent members. The Board also facilitates coordination of university work. The Board receives a maintenance grant up to Rs. 32,000 annually from the Union Government. In view of the increased activities of the Board., a budget provision of Rs. 25,000 for the current year has also been made for its development projects.
30. Deshbandhu College.-Deshbandhu College, Kalkaji, New Delhi, the administration of which was transferred to the Ministry of Education from the Ministry of Rehabilitation towards the later part of 1957-58, was recognised by the University of Delhi as a constituent college in 1958-59. The College receives grants from the University Grants Commission on the basis of usual formula of grants applicable to such colleges. The balance of the deficit of the college is met by the Union Government. A grant of Rs. 42,600 has been sanctioned to this college by the Ministry of Education in the current year.
F.FINANCIAL PROVISIONS 31. The total revised budget provision for 1963-64 covering all grants and financial assistance extended by the Ministry of Education in the field of higher education was in the order of Rs. 11.86 crore, as against similar budget provision of Rs. 11.44 crore for 1962-63. A broad break-up of the grants and financial assistance given by the Ministry of Education is given below.
Sl. Scheme Provision for 1963-64 Provision
No. Original Revised for 1964-65
1 2 3 4 5
Rs. Rs. Rs.
1 University Grants Commission
(Plan) 7,30,00,000 7,30,00,000 11,10,00,000
(Non-Plan) 2,94,31,000 3,97,89,000 4,31,70,000
2 Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi 6,00,000 8,50,000 11,00,000
(Non-Plan) (Non-Plan)
50,000 1,00,000
3 Gurukul Kangri, Hardwar 1,11,200 1,11,200 1,11,200
4 Kashi Vidyapeeth - - 1,00,000
5 Gujarat Vidyapeeth - - 1,00,000
6 Assistance to All-India Institu- 4,44,000 4,44,000 5,00,000
tions of of Higher Education
7 Low-Priced Republication of Standard 1,000 1,000 1,50,000
Educational Works and Books of
Reference
8 Indo-U.S. Agreement for Financing 7,50,000 13,41,000 -
Certain Educational Exchange
Programmes
9 Rural Higher Education 29,87,700 27,66,900 50,71,600