 CHAPTER VI
YOUTH WELFARE, NATIONAL
 INTEGRATION, SPORTS AND GAMES
 AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION

The activities of the Ministry of Education & Social Welfare in the fields of Youth Welfare, National Integration, Sports and Games and Physical Education covered the following :

A : Youth Welfare programmes meant for students and non- student youth, and international cooperation in youth matters.

B : National Integration programmes like inter-State camps for school children and national integration samitis in Universities and Colleges.

C : Sports and Games for which financial assistance is given to the Institute of Sports, Patiala; the Lakshmibai National College of Physical Education, Gwalior, National Sports Federations, State Sports Councils and sports development programmes like Rural Sports Tournaments, Coaching Camps, provision of sports facilities and Sports Talent Scholarships.

D : Physical Education which includes Lakshmibai National College of Physical Education, Gwalior, National Physical Efficiency Drive and promotion of Yoga.

E : Other Programmes such as Mountaineering, Hiking, Scouting and Guiding.

While most of these are a continuation of the activities of the earlier years of the IV Plan, on the basis of experience gained during the past few years some notable deviations have been attempted in this last year of the IV Plan, for fuller implementation during the Fifth Plan. Some of these are :

(i) the holding of youth work camps oil an all-India basis for specific tasks like the Youth Against Famine campaign conducted by the students of the National Service Scheme;

(ii) emphasis in National Service Scheme being given to non-formal education for the most productive section of the community viz., those in the age-group of 15-25;

(iii) enlarging the scope of activities of Nehru Yuvak Kendras to include in a coordinated manner programmes covering education, agriculture and health;

(iv) modifying the Planning Forum scheme to enable University students to plan development projects for selected communities based on need, priority, aug- mentation of productivity etc. and to execute some of these projects as part of their work experience;

(v) Youth exchange programmes which will be the fore- runner for a regular Scheme of visits of youth at inter- State and international level;

(vi) holding of special sports meets for rural and tribal youth, as a means not only of spreading sports in rural areas but also of spotting latest sports talent and developing them to compete at the national and university level;

(vii) Financially, two novel schemes formulated by Youth leaders themselves and being implemented in one of the Universities, which will serve as a pilot project for the Scheme of- National Service for one year by fresh graduates.

The following paragraphs give a short account of activities during 1973-74 under each of the heads mentioned above.

Youth Welfare : Programmes mainly meant for students. National Service Scheme

The National Service Scheme originally contemplated as an alternative to the National Cadet Corps, to cover all University students, was started during the IV Plan as a pilot Scheme, owing to lack of experience and limitation of financial resources, by selecting College students on a voluntary and selective basis. It envisages the utilization of the leisure time of the students for two years of their college studies, in various items of social service which will not only help the community but also provide opportunity to the under- graduate to appreciate the lot of the community, inclucate in him the sense of social consciousness and dignity of labour.

The N.S.S. strength has increased gradually from 40,000 in 1969- 70 to over 1,50,000 in 1973-74. On the basis of an assessment of the working of the NSS for the past few years it is proposed that during the V Plan emphasis on NSS activities will be on

(a) engaging students in literacy projects, each making 5 persons literate.

(b) including practical training in on the job, field training in the curriculum of studies in the first degree course of as many disciplines as possible.

(c) field camps during vacation should, as far as possible, be of all-India character to tackle specific issues on as wide an area as possible.

For establishing liaison at the State and University level, and for coordinating the increasing number and sizes of various youth programmes, four NSS Zonal Centres are functioning at Madras, Chandigarh, Calcutta and Ahmedabad and 11 NSS Regional Centres, at Delhi, Lucknow, Poona, Hyderabad, Bhopal, Bangalore, Patna, Bhubaneswar, Trivandrum, Gauhati and Jaipur. Most course centres are already liaising with the State Governments regarding the NSS and other youth programmes.

As part of the NSS activities, the Government of India launched a "Youth Against Famine" campaign in which university students from all over India worked side by side with local non-student youth in camps organised to mitigate famine conditions in drought-affected and drought-prone areas. This scheme provided an opportunity to student youth to supplement their education with practical experience in the field and to work along with non-student youth in activities which they accepted needed a national effort, such as digging of irrigation tanks and wells, repairs of canals, construction of contour bunds, levelling of land, afforestation, construction of roads, etc. This programme also included lectures, discussions and debates on agricultural practices, study of the impact of national programmes like Bank Nationalization, Land Ceiling, Food Procurement, Adult Literacy, Family Planning, Small Savings etc. on rural economy. The entire expediture on the holding of about 745 camps under this programme involving about 65,000 participants, estimated at about Rs. 83 lakhs was borne by the Ministry. Funds permitting, it is proposed to hold another all-India Programme during 1974-75 entitled "Youth against Dirt and Disease".

As an adjustment of the NSS Programme, two schemes under which

(a) selected students continue studies while living with, and serving, a rural community for 4 months; and

(b) selected graduates of various disciplines serve for one year in specified villages, in an attempt to coordinate development of these villagers, are being tried by one University. On the basis of the experience gained, it is proposed to launch in 1974-75 a new scheme for providing opportunities to Volunteer graduates for work on a full-time basis in rural areas for a period of twelve months, on a monthly stipend. They will carry out specified activities, such as nonformal education, health care, child care etc. The cost of stipend is expected to be met from the different programmes relating to the subjects on which they will be engaged. The Ministry of Education & S.W. will provide orientation training and other incidental expenses of the programme.

Planning Forums

The Scheme initiated by the Planning Commission in 1965 and transferred to the Ministry of Education and Social Welfare in 1968 has since been revised to create an awareness of the need for planned development of the country, both among the students and the non- student community, and involve them in the national development effort right from the planning stage. The revised scheme envisages the utilisation of student potential firstly to help formulate Plan development projects for selected villages and thereafter to execute some of these projects as part of student service to the community. Under the revised scheme, grant will be paid directly to the Universities for meeting the expenditure on both types of activities.

Nanak Bhavans

The budget provision of Rs. 3 lakhs for 1973-74, towards centre's share of balance of contribution to State Governments for Nanak Bhavans could not be utilized due to financial stringency. This sum of Rs. 3 lakhs has been provided in the non-Plan budget for 1974-75.

Youth Welfare Boards and Committees

Under this scheme, financial assistance is given to cover 50 per cent of the administrative expenditure incurred by Universities

on the employment of a whole-time Director or Dean of Students Welfare and a small complement of staff to assist him, besides miscellaneous contingent expenditure on certain approved items. 40 Universities have set up such Boards and Committees under this Scheme. The provision of Rs. 0.75 lakhs made for the year 1973-74 was revised to 1.50 lakhs. During the year 1974-75, a Non Plan budget provision of Rs. 1 lakh has been made to meet the committed expenditure.

Programmes for Non-Student Youth

Of the many schemes recommended by the National Advisory Board of Youth, two schemes relating to development of Play fields and establishment of work-centres, was started in 1971-72. Two more schemes viz., the Establishment of Youth Centres at District level and financial assistance for Training of Youth Leaders launched in 1972-73 were continued.

Playfields in Districts

Under the scheme for the development of play-fields, Central financial assistance is given to State Governments/U.T. Adminis- trations, for developing play-fields in urban areas at Rs. 50,000 per district, to cover approximately 50%. of the cost of developing any number of play-fields in the district. Requests for financial assistance under this scheme have not been received from the States during 1973-74. With the establishment of Nehru Yuvak Kendras in 94 Districts so tar and of more such Kendras in 1974-75, it is hoped that a large number of districts will benefit by this scheme in 1974-75.

Work Centres

The basic objective of the Work Centre is to train the out-of- school youth with potential for self employment in various occupa- tional skills and help them to establish themselves in a productive vocation after training in work centres. Central financial assistance is available to cover 50% of the non-recurring expenditure, subject to a maximum of Rs. 1 lakh per work centre project per State and 50% of the recurring expenditure, subject to a maximum of Rs. 60,000/- per year per project. A grant of Rs. 1 lakh was sanctioned in 1972-73 to the Calcutta Youth Self-Employment Centre (CYSEC), a voluntary organisation sponsored by representatives of industries, business enterprises, social service organisations and financial institutions, which has undertaken a number of projects offering facilities for self employment to unemployed youth. A grace of Rs. 48,500/- has been sanctioned to A & N Islands for the establishment of a work Centre at Port

Blair, during the year 1973-74. Proposals from Tamil Nadu and Orissa are at present under consideration of the Central Government.

Nehru Yuvak Kendras

The Nehru Yuvak Kendras currently established and sanctioned to cover 94 districts are intended to provide a base for youth activities in such districts. They are also. designed to motivate youth and to coordinate the activities of various governmental and non-governmental agencies for a balanced all-round development of the community in, the district. The annual budget of each Kendra is Rs. 40,000/which has also to cover the pay and allowances of the Youth Coordinator and his office and office expenses. It is proposed to set-up similar additional Kendras in other districts within the availability of financial resources for the purpose during 1974-75.

Youth Leadership Training Courses

Central financial assistance for short-term training not exceeding one month to non-student youth in the techniques of organising youth welfare activities is limited to the actual cost of board and lodging of the trainees, subject to a maximum of Rs. 8.00 per head per day. During 1973-74 Rs. 74,250 has been sanctioned for schemes of such training of youth leaders.

National Integration

The Scheme of "Inter-state Student-teacher Camps & Our India Project" and "Language Environmental Camps" were continued during 1973-74. National Integration Samitis also continued to function in Universities/colleges.

Inter-State Camps and "Our India" Project

Under this scheme students in the age group 12-16 from schools from 4 or 5 different States, work, play and live together in a school in a sixth State for 10 to 15 days. Provision- also exists 'for giving financial assistance to selected schools to prepare "Our India" exhibitions, showing graphically and with pictures and samples, the unity in diversity of Indian culture and habits and the interdependence of various regions of the country.

Language Environmental Camps

The Central Institute of Indian Languages, Mysore, has organised Language Environmental Camps as part of the scheme for

promoting, National Integration during 1972-73. Under this scheme students learning the language of another region, are required to camp in the region, in order to get first hand knowledge of the culture, habits and manner of speaking and writing of that language in its own home environment.

National Integration Samitis

The National Integration Samitis established in Universities and Colleges continued their programmes for promoting national integration during the period under report. There are 61 Samitis functioning in Universities, and 57 in affiliated Colleges.

Committee of Educationists and Student Leaders

The Committee of Educationists and Students Leaders, which was set up on the recommendation of the Standing Committee of the National Integration Council for advising the Ministry on programmes of national integration in University/College campuses, was reconstituted during the year. The first meeting of the reconstituted Committee was held on June, 11, 1973. The Committee discussed among other things, ways and means of combating divisive forces that impede national integration in educational institutions and campuses. The recommendations of the Committee are being processed.

Sports and Games

Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports, Patiala

The National Institute of Sports, Patiala which was established by the Government of India in the year 1961, was renamed "Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports" on 23rd January, 1973 as a befitting memorial to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.

By the end of the academic session 1972-73, the Institute has produced 2268 qualified coaches in 13 different games and sports. 257 students are undergoing training during the 1973-74 session, in regular and condensed courses. Those admitted include 12 ex- International players and a large number of National players.

The 6 week Orientation Course run by the Institute during the 1973 summer vacation, was attended by 611 Physical Education Teachers. The course was run simultaneously at Patiala, Madras, and Gwalior.

The Institute organised a number of coaching camps to prepare Indian teams for participation in International events abroad.

Special efforts were made to prepare the Hockey team for participation in the World Cup Tournament at Amsterdam in August, 1973. The team was put on rigorous conditioning training on scientific lines to achieve a high level of physical fitness.

The Sports Medicine Department at the Institute, besides im- parting essential knowledge of the subjects to the NIS trainees, carried out practical and research studies which included fitness tests of the Indian Youth Football Team, and the Indian Senior Football Team bound for Asian and Merdeka. Tournaments. The Department offered 3 Sports Medicine Research Fellowships to Medical and physical Education Graduates who undertook research studies in Sports Medicine. It is proposed to hold an international Symposium on 'Exercise. and Sports Physiology' in October, 1974. So far 15 eminent specialists in Sports Medicine from all over the world have agreed to participate.

Under the National Coaching Scheme about 100 additional coaches are being employed during the year 1973-74 thus raising their cadre to 404. These coaches are working all over the country at the NIS Regional Coaching Centres and are also helping the State Sports Councils in running District Coaching Centres. 65 Coaches are attached to Nehru Yuvak Kendras and are responsible for the promotion of sports programmes at the grass-root level through the Kendras.

The Institute received during the year 2 expert coaches one each in Football and Tennis through the courtesy of the British Council. During the same period the Institute has deputed its coaches in Hockey, Football, Volleyball and Table Tennis to Nigeria, Singapore, Nepal and Mauritius respectively. The Institute also deputed 8 of its coaches for advanced specialised studies abroad; 4 of them to the Federal Republic of Germany and 4 to the German Democratic Republic.

Under its publication programme, the Institute issued regularly the NIS Journal, Sports Medicine Journal, Athletic Asia, Asia International. The Hindi edition of NIS book on Kabaddi has also been published. The Hindi editions of some other publications are, under print.

CHAPTER VI YOUTH WELFARE, NATIONAL INTEGRATION, SPORTS AND GAMES AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION