EQUALISATION OF EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES AND EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF SCHEDULED CASTES, SCHEDULED TRIBES AND MINORITIES
13.1.0 The National Policy on Education, 1986 as updated in 1992, lays special emphasis on the removal of disparities and equalization of educational opportunities by attending to the specific needs of those who have been denied equality so far, particularly Scheduled Castes, (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs) and Educationally Backward Minorities.
Educational Development of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes 13.2.0 The central focus in the educational development of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes is their equalization with the non SC/ST population at all stages and levels of education, in all areas in all the four dimensions rural male, rural female, urban male and urban female.
Literacy Rate 13.3.0 The steps that have been taken since independence have resulted in increase in the literacy rate of SCs from 10.27 per cent in 1961 to 37.41 per cent in 1991 and those of STs from 8.54 per cent in 1961 to 29.60 per cent in 1991. These rates are, however, still much lower than that of the general literacy.
Primary School Enrolment 13.4.0 There has been a substantial increase in the enrolment of children belonging to SCs and STs at the primary stage. The SC enrolment has increased from 1.1 crore in 1980-81 to 1.74 crore in 1992-93 accounting for 16.47 per cent of the total enrolment, Similarly, the ST enrolment at primary stage has increased from 46.60 lakh in 1980-81 to 83.64 lakh in 1992-93 accounting for 7.94 per cent of the total enrolment. The enrolment figures are by and large proportional to the shares of SC/ST population in the total population.
Drop out Rates 13.5.0 The drop-out rates of SC and ST at all stages of education have declined.
* In classes I to V the drop out rates of SCs declined from 60.16 per cent in 1980-81 to 49.03 per cent in 1989-90, and that of STs from 75.66 per cent to 63.81 per cent during the same period.
* In classes I to VIII the drop-out rates of SCs declined from 76.84 percent in 1980-81 to 67.62 percent in 1989-90 and that of STs from 86.71 per cent to 79.35 per cent.
* In classes I to X, the drop-out rates of SCs declined from 86.91 per cent in 1980-81 to 79.42 in 1989-90 and that of STs from 91.18 to 86.28 per cent.
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13.6.0 While there has been much progress, equalization of educational opportunities is still a far cry. The Department of Education, however, continued to lay special emphasis on the education of SCs and STs in all its programmes. The following special provisions for SCs and STs have been incorporated in the existing schemes of the Ministry:
* In order to enhance the access to primary education by the SC/ST children, the norm for opening of primary schools, which is generally one kilo meter walking distance from habitations of 300 population, has been relaxed in the case of SC/ST habitations in whose case the norm is to have a primary school within one kilo metre walking distance from habitation of 200 population.
* Most of the states provide assistance to students belonging to economically backward, SC and ST communities for meeting other costs of education, such as textbooks, uniforms, school bags, transport, etc; their number, however, is quite small. According to the Fifth All India Education Survey report of the year 1986, free uniforms were provided to 146,36,266 children at the primary and upper primary stages, which constitute only about 12 per cent of the enrolled elementary stage students, At all stages of school education 160,73,242 children got free uniforms. Among them, 33.04per cent belong to SC and 11.50 per cent to ST.
* A national programme of Nutritional Support to Primary Education was launched with effect from 15th August, 1995 with a view to boosting the universalization of primary education by increasing enrolment, retention and attendance and simultaneously impacting on nutrition of students in primary classes. The programme will cover, in a phased manner by the end of 1997-98, all government, local body and government aided primary' schools in all the states/UTs. A fair percentage of actual beneficiaries under the scheme is likely to be SCs and STs.
* The state government have been instructed to accord priority to areas of concentration of SCs and STs while implementing the expanded scheme of Operation Blackboard.
* In Navodaya Vidyalayas, reservation of seats in favour of children belonging to SCs and STs is provided in proportion to their population in the concerned district, provided that is no district such reservation is less than the national average. The admission figures during 1993-94 reveal that 21.593 SC and 12,100 ST students accounting for 21.52 per cent and 12.06 per cent respectively of the total enrolment, have been admitted.
* Under the National Literacy Mission special efforts are made to cover persons belonging to SC and ST communities. The enrolment figures in
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the TLCs show about 18% SCs and slightly more than 10% STs. (These are approximations.)
* In the central universities 15% of seats in all courses are reserved for students belonging to scheduled castes and 7.5% scheduled tribes.
* In admission to central universities, candidates belonging to both categories are given relaxation of 5% marks from minimum qualifying level prescribed, if any, and if the reserved seats still remain unfilled, further relaxation should be given so that all reserved seats are filled by those belonging to SC/ST categories.
* The University Grants Commission has set up special cells in universities/institutions for effective monitoring of various measures taken up for improvement in the educational level of SCs and STs. Such measures include implementation of various orders for reservation in admission to different courses and hostels and employment, introduction of remedial courses, etc. so far about 80 such special cells have been set up.
* Under Schemes of Community Polytechnics and IITs priority is given to SC/ST students. Reservation is provided to SC/ST students in technical institutions and they are admitted under relaxed norms. Remedial coaching is organised for them in many Regional Engineering Colleges and IITs.
* IITs have introduced a scheme of preparatory course for SC/ST students. Under this scheme the SC/ST candidates who marginally fail to qualify the entrance examination for IITs are admitted on a one year course after which they are admitted on the basis of a separated test for them.
* Under the scheme of National Scholarship at Secondary stage for talented children from rural areas, 13,000 scholarships are provided to SC/ST students out of the total of 43,000 scholarships annually.
* Exclusive Junior Research Fellowships (50 annually), Post Graduate Scholarships (25), Research Associateships (20), Teacher Fellowships (50), etc., are awarded by University Grants Commission.
* The Central Institute of Indian Languages (CIIL), Mysore prepares textbooks, primers, grammers, dictionaries, bilingual textbooks facilitating translation to regional languages, etc. to tribal languages. They also undertake training of tribal teachers in bilingual education, and socio linguistic surveys and research.
* Under the scheme of Community Polytechnics, during the period from 1979-80 to 1993-94, 39,920 SC persons and 11,562 ST persons have been trained. Percentage wise the SCs constitute 15.5 and the STs 4.50 per cent of the total trained.
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13.7.0 For giving a thrust to the programmes for educational development of scheduled castes and tribes, the Department of Education formulates Special Component Plan for Scheduled Castes and Tribal Sub Plan for Scheduled tribes. During the year 1995-96, the outlay earmarked under the Special Component Plan is Rs. 172.13 crore; corresponding figure under Tribal Sub Plan is Rs. 98.75 crore. These are out of the divisible outlay of Rs. 1056.20 crore. The Special Component Plan accounts for 16.30 per cent and the Tribal Sub Plan 9.35 per cent of the divisible outlay.
13.8.0 Scheme wise outlays for the schemes included in the component plans are given in the Table below:
SCP/TSP 1995-96: SCHEME WISE ALLOCATIONS
(Rs. in crores)
Sl. No. Name of the scheme 1995-96 (outlay)
Approved Flow To
out lay SCP TSP
1. Non-Formal Education 158.45 25.83 15.80
2. Operation Blackboard 279.00 48.88 20.00
3. Teacher Education 118.00 8.80
4. Vocational Education 82.00 12.30 6.15
5. Education Technology 22.88 4.58 1.83
6. Navodaya Vidyalayas 200.00 43.04 24.12
7. N.C.E.R.T. 0.20 0.02 0.07
8. Rural Functional Literacy
Projects (RFLP) 6.00 1.00 2.50
9. Special Project for
eradication of illiteracy 120.00 19.77 11.26
10. Voluntary Agencies 10.00 1.81 0.62
11. National Scholarships at the 0.60 0.16 0.02
secondary stage for talented
children from rural areas
12. U. G. C. 2.70 1.80 0.90
13. I. G. N. O. U. 12.50 1.00 0.60
14. C. I. I. L. 1.04 0.11
15. Community Polytechnics 30.00 10.00 5.00
16. Apprenticeship Training 12.50 1.88 0.94
17. N.I.E.P.A. 0.33 0.06 0.03
TOTAL 1056.20 172.13 98.75
(DIVISIBLE OUTPLAY)
Minorities Education 13.9.0 National Policy on Education, 1986, as updated in 1992, envisages paying greater attention to the education of the educationally backward minorities, in the interests of equity and social justice. Chapter 3 of the Programme of Action (POA), 1992
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groups. Pursuant to the POA, 1992, existing schemes were modified and new schemes launched.
Area Intensive Programme for Educationally Backward Minorities 13.10.0 This central scheme was launched in May 1993 with the objectives of providing basic infrastructure and facilities in areas of concentration of educationally backward minorities which do not have adequate provision for elementary and secondary education. Under the scheme, cent per cent financial assistance is provided to state governments and voluntary organisations (through state governments) for the following programmes:
i) Establishment of new primary/upper primary schools, non formal education centres where such need is felt and viability established on the basis of a school mapping exercise.
ii) Strengthening of educational infrastructure and physical facilities in the primary/upper primary schools.
iii) Opening of multi-stream residential higher secondary schools for girls where science, commerce, humanities and vocational courses are taught.
Scheme of Modernisation of Madrasa Education 13.11.0 The scheme of Financial Assistance for Modernisation of madrasa Education was also initiated in 1993-94 with a view to encouraging traditional institutions like Madrasas and Maktabs to introduce Science, Mathematics, social studies, Hindi and English in the curriculum. Under the Scheme, cent per cent assistance is given to such institutions for appointment of qualified teachers of teaching the new subjects to be introduced.
Scheme of Coaching Classes for Educationally Backward Minorities 13.12.0 The scheme of coaching students belonging to educationally backward minorities for various competitive examinations was introduced by the University Grants Commission in 1984. The scheme was revamped in March, 1992. The scheme is currently being implemented in 21 universities and 62 colleges. From 1984 to March 1995, 48856 candidates had availed the facility of Coaching Classes. The number of successful candidates is 2966.
Community Polytechnics 13.13.0 As part of implementation of the 15 point Programme, ten polytechnics were selected during 1984-85 in the minority concentration areas for upgrading them as community polytechnics. By the end of financial year 1990-91, all the 41 minority concentration districts have been covered by community polytechnics or their extension centres. Since the inception of the scheme in 1979-80 till 1993-94, 34,447 persons belonging minority community have been trained. Distribution of Employment out of total trained is 7704 (4140 men + 3564 women).
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Training of Minority Educational Institutions Personnel 13.14.0 WERT has been organising seminars and training programmes for principals/teachers of minority managed schools, in subject areas of English, Science, Mathematics, Vocationalisation of education and Educational Evaluation.
National Urdu University 13.15.0 The Government has decided to establish a National Urdu University named after Maulana Azad at Hyderabad. A Bill in this regard has been introduced in the Rajya Sabha on 24th August, 1995.
National Council for Promotion of Urdu 13.16.0 A national Council for Promotion of Urdu languages was set up on 20th June, 1994 under the chairmanship of former Minister of Human Resource Development.
National Monitoring Committee 13.17.0 A High Powered national Monitoring Committee on Minorities Education under the chairmanship of former Minister of Human Resource Development was set up on 28th July, 1995 to closely monitor the educational programmes for minorities. The Committee held one meeting on 8th November, 1995.
Externally Assisted Basic Education Projects 13.18.0 Externally assisted basic education projects like District Primary Education Programme, Lok Jumbish, etc. have been launched in 10 of the 41 minority concentration districts.
Total Literacy Campaigns 13.19.0 The total Literacy Campaigns- have been sanctioned in 37 out of 41 minority concentration districts.
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