 HIGHER EDUCATION

3.01. At the university stage, the Ministry of Education and Youth Services is mainly concerned with (a) the five Central uni- versities of Aligarh, Banaras, Delhi, Visva-Bharati and Jawaharlal Nehru; (b) the institutions, 'deemed to be universities', under Section 3 of the University Grants Commission Act; (c) coordination and maintenance of standards of higher education through the University Grants Commission (UGC); (d) the Rural Institutes of Higher Education; and (e) a few other programmes of higher education.

A: CENTRAL UNIVERSITIES

3.02. Aligarh Muslim University:

The present enrolment of the University is 8227 (7086 boys and 1141 girls). A three year diploma course in business management and a one-year diploma course in secretarial management were started during the year in the Faculty of Commerce. It is proposed to establish a science museum and Sir Syed Academy during the forthcoming Golden Jubilee Celebrations of the Universities. The M.B.B.S. degree awarded by the Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College of the University received the recognition of the Indian Medical Council.

3.03. Banaras Hindu University:

The Banaras Hindu University Inquiry Committee, which had been set up by the Visitor in December, 1968, under the chairmanship of Dr. P. B. Gajendragadkar, submitted its report in July, 1969. Its recommendations fall into two major categories. The first contains those for immediate implementation so that an atmosphere of normalcy could be introduced in the University. These have already been implemented. The other category of recommenda-

tions which is of a long-term character is under consideration of the Government.

The total number of students on rolls during the year under report is 11,334-9,268 boys and 2,066 girls. Six new departments have been created under the Faculty of Agriculture. Preparations are being, made, for the creation of a Department of Electronic Engineering. The scheme for the diploma course in business management in the Faculty of Commerce has received the approval of the UGC this year. Two schemes, "Earn While You Learn" and Pathya Pustak (Textbook) Bank have been initiated for student welfare and a concerted drive to improve the health of students is being organized.

3.04. University of Delhi:

Dr. K. N. Raj assumed charge as Vice-Chancellor from 7th October, 1969.

At the commencement of the current session (as on August 1, 1969), the enrolment in the University stood at 75,621. There are 44 colleges/institutions in the University. During the year, the University granted affiliation to Shyama Prashad Mukherjee Mahila Mahavidyalaya opened by the Delhi Administration and to the Institute of Home Economics for its B.Sc. home science (pass) course. It permitted Shyam Lal College to start evening shift with B.A. (pass) and B.Com. (pass) courses from the current session. For the first time, the School of Correspondence Courses and Continuing Education of the, University started correspondence courses in the sciences with 267 students in B.Sc. (pass) course.

On October 28, 1969, a memorandum was signed between the Government of India and the Government of Japan for the establishment of a Centre for Japanese Studies. The main object of the Centre is to encourage the people of India to undertake academic study of Japanese affairs and culture as well as the Japanese language. The Government of Japan will provide the teaching staff and necessary educational materials for the Centre until such time as the local teaching staff is able to take full responsibility for the courses.

3.05. Visva-Bharati:

Two new two-year certificate courses, one in tabla (music and dance) and the other in Pali (language) have been introduced from 1969-70 academic session. During the year, the University organised two important seminars. The first was on 'Concept of Man in Gandhiji's Philosophy' and the second on 'Gandhiji on Education with special reference to Secondary Education'.

3.06. Jawaharlal Nehru University:

The developments in this university have already been described in Chapter I.

B. INSTITUTIONS DEEMED TO BE UNIVERSITIES

3.07. Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi; Gurukul Kangri Vishwavidyalaya, Hardwar; Gujarat Vidyapith, Ahmedabad; Kashi Vidyapith, Varanasi; Indian School of International Studies, New Delhi; and Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Bombay receive maintenance grants on a cover-the-deficit basis and matching share on development schemes approved by the UGC.

C: UNIVERSITY GRANTS COMMISSION

3.08. Expansion:

There has been a phenomenal expansion in the field of higher education in recent years. There are now 78 universities, 10 institutions deemed to be universities and about 3,100 colleges. The total enrolment at the university stage is estimated at about 28 lakh for 1970.

3.09. Postgraduate Centres :

The Commission agreed to the development of centres of postgraduate studies at Anantpur (Sri Venkateswara University), Guntur (Andhra University), Mangalore (Mysore University), Rohtak and Simla (Panjab University), and Warangal (Osmania University). The Commission has under consideration proposals for the establishment of such centres at Coimbatore and Tiruchirapalli (Madras University), Imphal (Gauhati University) and Gulbarga (Karnatak University).

3.10. Review Committees :

The review committees on anthropology, history and statistics have completed their work.

Committees or panels recently appointed include: (i) review committees for physics and biological sciences; (ii) an advisory committee on the development of legal education and research; (iii) advisory panels in the physical sciences, biological sciences and earth sciences and humanities & social sciences.

3.11. Examination Reform:

A report on examination reform in the Central universities and a note on the credit system of organising studies have been prepared and circulated among the universities, while a brochure outlining the principles and mechanics of the semester system is under preparation. A committee has been appointed to encourage selected universities to undertake specific measures of examination reform. A number of universities have already introduced changes in the system and pattern of their examinations. Nineteen universities have modified or reconstructed their courses and introduced the semester or trimester system in one form or the other. Some universities have adopted the system of sessional assignments and devised methods of continuing assessment.

3.12. Centres of Advanced Study:

As in previous years centres of advanced study received assistance from Unesco (mainly from the USSR Government) and from the UK Government through the British Council.

3.13. Improvement of Universities:

The development pro- grammes of the universities were examined and assessed by visiting committees appointed by the Commission. In the light of their recommendations, grants amounting to Rs. 47.26 crore have been allocated to 60 universities and 7 'deemed' universities. The grants are available for additional staff, library and laboratory facilities, equipment, building accommodation, research programmes including publication of research papers and doctoral theses and development of workshop facilities in science departments. A few selected universities were also assisted to develop area studies.

3.14. Improvement of Colleges:

Committees consisting of representatives of universities and State Governments were

appointed to visit the non-professional colleges affiliated to the Rajasthan, Kerala and Calicut Universities to examine the problems and difficulties faced by them and to make suggestions for their further improvement. Sixty-four colleges in Rajasthan and 85 in Kerala were visited. The reports of the committees have been sent to the concerned universities and State Governments for consideration. Within the available resources, the Commission has been providing assistance to colleges for the development of their physical and academic facilities. Besides, the Commission has continued to provide maintenance grants to non-government constituent/affiliated colleges of the Delhi University,

3.15. Summer Institutes, Seminars, etc. :

The programme of summer institutes and schools, seminars and conferences is intended to acquaint teachers with new developments in their field of work and thereby help them to improve their professional competence. Summer institutes organised in 1969 are :(i) 60 in mathematics, physics, chemistry and biology for 2321 secondary school teachers in collaboration with the NCERT and USAID; (ii) 54 for 1,813 college teachers in science subjects in collaboration with the National Science Foundation, USA and USAID; and (iii) 11 in English language teaching in collaboration with the British Council for 590 college teachers. Besides, the Commission provided financial assistance to 45 universities for conducting refresher courses, research seminars, symposia and academic conferences. Besides, the Commission also continued to operate a number of schemes designed to provide facilities and incentives for the teaching profession.

3.16. Programmes for Students:

The Commission has been endeavouring to provide the essential amenities for the student community in the universities and colleges. The programmes developed in this regard are briefly outlined below:

(i) Scholarships and Fellowships.-Besides the scholarships and fellowships provided at the various centres of advanced study and for approved research programmes, senior and junior fellowships-each of the

value of Rs. 500 p.m. and Rs. 300 p.m. respectively-were made available for research in the humanities, science and social sciences. Fellowships, each of the value of Rs. 400 per month, were also given for advanced study and research in various fields of engineering and technology. Further, five hundred research scholarships, each of the value of Rs. 250 per month, were placed at the disposal of the universities for advanced studies in the humanities, social, sciences and science subjects.

(ii) Residential Accommodation.-The Commission con- tinued to provide assistance to the universities and colleges on a sharing basis for the provision of resi- dential accommodation for students. Assistance is also provided for student homes or non-resident student centres.

(iii) Health Centres.-The proposals of 41 universities have so far been accepted by the Commission for the construction of health centres.

(iv) Student Aid Fund.-Student aid funds: in universities and colleges offer needy students financial assistance for paying their tuition or examination fees, purchasing books or meeting other related expenses. A grant equal to the total amount of aid fund subscribed by the students and collected from other sources is provided to a university subject to a maximum of Rs. 10,000 per annum. Grants ranging between Rs. 500 and Rs. 3,000 on the basis of student enrolment are given to colleges for the student aid fund.

(v) Student Welfare Programme.-Grants ranging between Rs. 2,000 and Rs. 7,000 on the basis of student enrol- ment are sanctioned to arts, science, commerce, teachers' training and law colleges for improving facilities in existing hostels, student common rooms and canteens,

(vi) Visiting Studentships.-The Commission has agreed to institute a limited number of studentships to enable selected students to visit places of interest such as those of cultural, historical or educational importance or having important developmental projects. Assistance for this purpose has been offered to the universities.

3.17. Student Participation in University Affairs:

The Commission has been emphasising the necessity of careful and sympathetic consideration of the genuine needs and difficulties of students and of devising a suitable consultative machinery to discuss them periodically with students and take expeditious remedial action. The question of student participation in academic and administrative affairs of universities and colleges was discussed in two important conferences held in the Capital, namely, Conference of the Vice- Chancellors and Conference of Student Representatives. The matter is also being considered in depth by a UGC committee on the governance of universities and colleges.

D: RURAL HIGHER EDUCATION

3.18. At present there are fourteen Rural Institutes, twelve of which are affiliated to the National Council for Rural Higher Education. The remaining two, namely, Jamia Rural Institute, New Delhi, and Vidya Bhawan Rural Institute, Udaipur, are affiliated to Jamia Millia Islamia and Udaipur University respectively. During the year, the number of candidates who took the annual examinations conducted by the National Council for Rural Higher Education in 1969 was 1,268. Of these 802 were declared successful.

3.19. A committee was appointed in November, 1967 by the National Council for Rural Higher Education to review the progress of the scheme and to suggest ways and means for improving its working. It submitted its report in October 1969. Its recommendations have been approved by the National Council at its meeting held in November, 1969 and are now under examination and implementation.

E: OTHER PROGRAMMES IN HIGHER EDUCATION

3.20. Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute :

The object of the Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute, established in Canada, is to promote and foster the growth of research in Indian studies in Canadian universities and thereby contribute to greater understanding of Indian life and culture in Canada. As provided in its memorandum, two advisory councils have been set up, one, in Canada and the other in India, to advise the Board of Directors on all matters relating to the administration of the Institute. A local office has also started functioning in Delhi. Progress has been made (1) in the award of fellowships for research work in India to qualified scholars selected from Canadian universities and colleges and (2) in the acquisition of library materials relating to India and its distribution among the founding members of the Institute in Canada.

3.21. Indian Institute of Advanced Study, Simla:

Set up in October, 1965, the Indian Institute of Advanced Study, Simla, arranged three seminars, during the period, on (1) Union-State Relations in India, (2) Tribal Situation in India, and (3) Historical Models in the Study of Traditions and Change in India. The Institute has brought out 8 publications which include 4 monographs and 4 transactions.

3.22. Grants to institutes of Higher Learning of All-India Importance:

Grants are given to such non-statutory and non- affiliated institutions of higher learning as are, engaged in pioneer- ing work or introducing new ideas and techniques in education. The Kanya Gurukul Mahavidyalaya, the Lok Sewa Mahavidyalaya of Lok Bharati, Sanosara, and Sri Aurobindo International Centre of Education, Pondicherry, receive such grants.

3.23. Grants/Loans for Construction of Hostels:

With financial assistance from the Ministry, three voluntary organisations, namely, K. P. Trust, Allahabad, Kerala Gandhi Samarak Nidhi, and the S.I.E.T. Madras, have constructed hostel buildings at Allahabad, Trivandrum and Madras respectively. During the year assistance was also extended to the Andhra Mahila Sabha,

Hyderabad. Loans were also extended to State Governments towards construction of hostels in affiliated colleges and to universities and constituent colleges of the Delhi University for hostels and staff quarters.

3.24. Revision of Salary Scales of University and College Teachers:

The Government of India had accepted the recommendations of the UGC for the revision of pay scales of university and college teachers and agreed to give special assistance to the State Governments covering 80 per cent of the cost of implementing the recommendations with effect from 1st April, 1966, for a period of five years ending March 31, 1971. So far, the Governments of Assam, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Maharashtra, Punjab, Haryana, Gujarat, Madras, Jammu & Kashmir, Bihar, Mysore, Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh, and the Union Administrations of Pondicherry, Himachal Pradesh and Goa, Daman & Diu have taken steps to implement the revision of salary scales. While Rajasthan has also agreed to introduce the scales in the three universities in the State, Madhya Pradesh has taken a decision to introduce them from July 1, 1969. Orissa has yet to take its decision in this regard.

3.25. Financial Allocations:

The major financial allocations for the programmes of higher education described in the chapter during 1969-70 and 1970-71 are given below:

 
                                                               (Rs. in lakhs)
                                          
        S.                                 Provision for 1969-70     Budget
        No.            Scheme                                      Estimates
                                           original    Revised     1970-71
        
                                          
        
        1 Jawaharlal Nehru University       100.00      28.548       -
        
        2 Grants to Deemed Universities      52.42       53.65       60.1
        
        3 Grant-in-Aid to University Grants
            Commission                     2357.07     2411.07    3107.84