ADULT EDUCATION, LIBRARIES AND
 GAZETTEERS

14.01. This chapter deals with (1) Adult Education; (2) Libraries; and (3) Gazetteers.

A: ADULT EDUCATION

14.02. The National Board of Adult Education:

The most significant development during the year relates to the constitution of the National Board of Adult Education. The Board consists of representatives of the concerned Ministries of the Union Government including representatives of the Planning Commission, University Grants Commission, Inter-University Board and the Central Social Welfare Board. It also includes 20 persons nominated by the, Chairman of the Board to represent educationists, organisations of industrial workers and farmers and voluntary organisations engaged in the field of adult education. The Union Minister for Education and Youth Services is its chairman. Its functions are: (1) to advise the Union and State Governments and the Union Administrations on all matters relating to adult education; (2) to promote education, to draw up policies and programmes in these fields and to review their progress from time to time; (3) to ensure co-ordination between the different agencies, official and nonofficial, working in the field of adult education; (4) to promote the production of literature and other teaching materials for adult education; (5) to act as a clearing house of ideas, information and experience in the field of adult education and to mobilise manpower and resources for promoting adult education (6) to promote research, investigation and evaluation in adult education ; and (7) generally, to advise, assist or undertake all allied activities and programmes which will promote adult edu- cation.

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14.03. Worker's Social Education Institute :

The functioning of the Workers' Education Institute, Indore, which was set up in 1960 was reviewed and the recommendations of the review committee are under examination. A second Institute set up at Nagpur in 1968 has completed most of the preliminaries and has started its activities by conducting adult education and music classes in different localities of Nagpur.

14.04. Assistance to Voluntary Education Organisations Working in the field of Social Education :

Voluntary educational organizations have played a significant role in the development of education in this country. It is felt that such organizations can still play a very vital part in the reconstruction of education if their financial handicap is obviated through special assistance. A more liberal and comprehensive scheme of assistance to them has been prepared and is now under examination.

14.05. International Literacy Day:

The International Literacy Day this year was observed throughout India on September 8, 1969. An exhibition of books for neo-literates and the new reading public was also held on the occasion.

14.06. Kisan Saksharta Yojana (Farmers' Training and Functional Literacy Project):

Kisan Saksharta, Yojana (Farmers' Training and Functional Literacy Project) is operated jointly by three Central Ministries, viz., the Ministry of Food, Agriculture, Community Development & Co-operation, the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting and the Ministry of Education & Youth Services, with the aid of UNDP (Special Fund). The functional literacy programme, one of the three components of the joint project, is included in the Fourth Plan of this Ministry in the Central sector. During the Plan period the scheme is expected to cover 100 districts in India, synchronizing with the coverage under the programme of the two other Ministries in selected districts where the high-yielding varieties programme of agricultural production is in operation. The scheme is operated through the State Governments/Union Administrations which are responsible for conducting functional

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literacy classes in the selected districts, on the basis of 100 per cent financial assistance provided by the Ministry. It is at present in operation in 10 districts and the programme for 1969-70 envisages its expansion to cover 15 additional districts. During 1970-71, it is proposed to extend the programme to 35 additional districts.

14.07. Prize Competition of Books for Neo-Literates:

During the year, the results of the XIV Prize Competition of Books for Neo- literates were announced. Twenty-one books/ manuscripts were selected for a prize of Rs. 1,000 each. These included six in Hindi, two each in Gujarati and Marathi, and one each in Kannada, Assamese, Kashmiri, Malayalam, Oriya, Punjabi, Sindhi, Tamil, Bengali, Telugu and Urdu. Under the XV competition about 40 prizes of Rs. 1,000 each will be awarded to the authors of the best selected books/manuscripts in all the major Indian languages. During the period, 1500 copies each of the 12 prize-winning books for neo-literates were purchased for free distribution among social education centres, adult education centres and rural libraries.

14.08. Unesco Prize Competition of Books for New Reading Public :

The VII Unesco Competition for the Best Manuscripts for the New Reading Public was held by the Ministry during the year. Fifteen manuscripts were selected for a prize of Rs. 1,400 each. These include five in Hindi, and one each in Bengali, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Oriya, Punjabi, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu and Urdu. During the period, 1500 copies each of 7 prize-winning books in various Indian languages under the Unesco Competition were purchased for free distribution.

B: LIBRARIES

14.09 National Library, Calcutta :

The principal activities of the Library are indicated below :

(a) Acquisition.

- The total number of books accessioned during the period between April 1 and December 12, 1969 was

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20,103. Of these 1,414 were maps. The number of volumes received under the Delivery of Books (Public Libraries) Act, 1954, was 12,688. Besides these volumes, 2050 maps were also received under the Act. Publications received as gifts during the period numbered 10,498. The number of publications received through exchange was 1,899. The total number of issues of periodicals and newspapers recorded during the period came to 1,63,520 of which 1,24,826 were in Indian languages.

(b) Processing.

-The total number of 22,529 volumes including 3,359 maps were fully processed during the period.

(c) Readers' Services.

- The Reading Room enrolled 3,434 new members. The number of now members in the Circulation Division was 1,101. About 2,25,000 readers visited the Reading Room during April to December, 1969. The Stock Division handled 3,80,238 requisition slips submitted by the readers. In response to requests from scholars, 5614 pages of books and journals were supplied against payment. At the request of scholars, 107 bibliographies were compiled. These bibliographies included 15,795 entries.

(d) Preservation of Books.

-More than 5,83,000 volumes were disinfected with Pip insecticide; the number of volumes fumigated was 7,090 and the number of sheets laminated with tissue papers was 18,815. The number of volumes bound was 7,837. The Reprography Division started functioning from the 3rd week of May, 1969. Another progressive measure related to the opening of the Rare Books Section. An area of 2,760 sq.ft. has been air-conditioned for the purpose.

(e) Exhibitions.

- Three important exhibitions were organised: (i) an exhibition of books, journals and illustrations to mark the National Libary Week, 1th to 20th November, 1969; (ii) an exhibition of books, journals and illustrations to celebrate the Quincentenary of the birth of Guru Nanak under the joint Auspices of Sahitya Akademi and the Library, and (iii) an exhibition of recent translations in Indian languages on 19th

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December, 1969 under the joint auspices of the Translators' Society of India and this Library.

14.10. Recommendations of the Jha Committee:

The Jha Committee which was set up by the Government of India, Ministry of Education, in May 1968, to review the working of the National Library, Calcutta, and to suggest measures for the efficient functioning and future development, submitted its report in July 1969. The following are some of the recommendations which have been accepted in principle:

(1) Working hours of the Reading Room should be exten- ded and refixed.

(2) The Children's Library should continue to function.

(3) Xerox machines should be installed in the Library to provide instantaneous photo-copying for the readers.

(4) Steps to be taken in regard to acquisition, conservation and collection of printed material, acquisition of manuscripts, rendering of bibliographical and documentation services, etc.

(5) The binding and preservation facilities should be further developed.

(6) A committee consisting of one person with high judicial and administrative experience to be appointed to enquire into the strained relations among the members of the staff including those at the top level.

The Librarian has been asked to submit proposals for their implementation.

14.11. The following important recommendations are being processed in consultation with other Ministries/Departments:

(1) Setting up of a high-powered Governing Council in place of the existing Advisory Council;

(2) Appointment of a Director in place of the existing post of the Librarian;

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(3) Improvement in the salary scales;

(4) Review of policy of promotions and direct recruitment; and

(5) Increased budget allocation for purchase of books.

In pursuance of the recommendations of the Reviewing Committee, Shri Justice G. D. Khosla was appointed as oneman Committee to enquire into the strained relations among the members of the staff and to suggest remedial measures for placing the administration of the Library on a firm basis. His report has been received and is under examination.

14.12. Central Reference Library, Calcutta:

The Library continued to publish the Indian National Bibliography on a monthly basis. It also prepared and sent to the press the Five-Year Cumulated Index of the Indian National Bibliography for the period 1958-62.

14.13. Delhi Public Library, Delhi:

Delhi Public Library consists of the Central Library, 4 branch libraries, 8 community libraries (sub-branches), 17 deposit stations and 4 mobile library vans visiting 53 stations once a week. Among the special services, mention may be made of gramophone record library, a Braille library for the blind, a library for the inmates of the Central Jail, Tihar, and hospital libraries in Hindu Rao Hospital and G. B. Pant Hospital. The, Library is rendering its services at 89 points in the Union Territory of Delhi. During the period between April and October 31, 1969, 27,547 volumes were added to the Library raising the book-stock to 4,50,207 out of which 2,64.279 were in Hindi, 95,334 in English, 60,145 in Urdu, 25,689 in Punjabi, 1,333 in Sindhi and 3,427 in Braille. The registered membership of the Library stood at 1,43,933. The total number of books issued during the period was 12,92,777. About 39,871 adults and 11,621 children participated in the cultural activities organised by the Library such as lectures, discussions, dramas, film shows and television viewings, etc. The Library had 1,806 gramophone records which were borrowed about 7,269 times.

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14.14. Khuda Bakhsh Oriental Public Library, Patna :

The Khuda Bakhsh Oriental Public Library Act, 1969, which seeks to declare and financially assist it as an institution of national importance stands passed by Parliament and it will come into force from a date yet to be notified. Under the Act, the management and control of the Library will be in the hands of an autonomous board. The Union Government will meet the entire deficit of the Library over and above the annual recurring grant of Rs. 50,000 which the Government of Bihar will continue to pay to this Library.

14.15. Central Library, Bombay:

This is a recipient library under the Delivery of Books and Newspapers (Public Libraries) Act, 1954. The pattern of assistance to the Maharashtra Government to be provided during the Fourth Plan for the administration of the Act has been decided. Central assistance will include non-recurring grant for constructing additional accommodation at two-thirds of the actual expenditure but not exceeding Rs. 5 lakh and recurring grants will meet 50 per cent of the additional recurring expenditure over and above the level of expenditure in 1960-61.

14.16. T. M. S. S. Mahal Library, Thanjavur :

The question of declaring and assisting financially the T. M. S. S. Mahal Library, Thanjavur, as an institution of national importance has been under the consideration of this Ministry in consultation with the Government of Tamilnadu and the Library authorities.

14.17. Raza Library, Rampur:

The question of declaring and assisting financially the Raza Library, Rampur, as an institution of national importance has also been under the consideration of the Ministry in consultation with the Government of Uttar Pradesh and the Board of Trustees of the Library.

14.18. Central Secretariat Library:

The Library continued providing reference and lending facilities to the Government employees and catered to the needs of all Ministries, their departments, attached and subordinate offices situated in Delhi.

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The Students Information Service Unit which was placed under its control during the year, attended to about 5,629 enquiries regarding facilities for different courses of study in India and abroad. It also supplied the Students Advisory Bureaux and Employment Information and Guidance Bureaux attached to various universities with the latest information material on educational courses in India and abroad. The cyclostyled journal, 'Educational Facilities in India and Abroad' has been changed from a quarterly to a half-yearly publication during the year. It organized the Fifth National Seminar of the Representatives of Students Advisory Bureaux at Nagpur on January 27-30, 1970.

E: GAZETTEERS AND OTHER PUBLICATIONS

14.19. History of Freedom Movement:

The History of Freedom Movement is being brought out in three volumes. The first volume was published in January, 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.

14.20. Gazetteer of India:

The scheme envisages the revision of the first four volumes of the Imperial Gazetteer of India. Volume I 'Country and People' was published and 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 wide public appeal. The book. let on "The Physiography of India" was published in 1968-69. The booklet on 'India-The People' was published during 1969-70. Volume II 'History 'and Culture' was in press and was expected to be Out in 1970. Volume III 'Economic Structure and Activities' was being finally edited. Some of the chapters of Volume IV 'Administration and Public Welfare' were received from the contributors. The question of the publication of the Hindi version of Volume I of the Gazetteer of India was taken up with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

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14.21. The Gazetteer of Bhutan:

The compilation of the Gazetteer of Bhutan has been 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 sent to collaborators. The manuscript is expected to be ready for the press by the end of 1970-71.

14.22. The District Gazetteers :

Nearly half of the work has already been completed. Out of 330 and odd District Gazetteers, drafts of 152 were received, of which 137 have been approved for publication, while 15 gazetteers are likely to be approved for publication by the end of 1969-70. Twenty-three District Gazetteers are likely to be approved for publication in 1970-71. The scheme is expected to be completed during the Fourth Plan. The question of its transfer to the State sector has been under consideration.

14.23. 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 those 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 persons who lost their lives in the course of the struggle for the liberation of the French and Portuguese possessions in India. It will also include the martyrs of the former Princely States. The third volume will deal exclusively with the martyrs of the Great Revolt of 1857. Work on the second volume is in progress and the manuscript is expected to be sent to the press by the end of 1970.