THE INDIAN NATIONAL COMMISSION
 FOR COOPERATION WITH UNESCO AND
 UNESCO PROGRAMMES IN INDIA

INDIAN NATIONAL COMMISSION

The tenth meeting of the Executive Board of the Commission was held in New Delhi in June 1960. It recommended a revised draft constitution for the Commission.

The fourth conference of the Commission was held in New Delhi on 25th and 26th October 1960. It considered the revised constitution of the Commission, Unesco's draft programme and budget for 1961-62 and the Secretary-General's report for 1958-60. The Conference also approved a number of resolutions to be sponsored by the Indian delegation at the eleventh session of the Unesco General Conference. These resolutions pertained to decentralisation of Unesco's work for a more effective implementation of programme activities, increased resources for the implementation of the Major Project on the Mutual Appreciation of Eastern and Western Cultural Values, promotion of activities of the National Commissions cooperating with Unesco, a more representative set-up in, the Unesco Secretariat, adequate financial assistance to the National Commissions, cheap production of scientific and technical books in the underdeveloped countries and increased allocation for compulsory Primary education in Asia.

The Commission established and strengthened its relations with, other National Commissions. It also participated in the Regional Con- ference of Representatives of National Commissions held at Manila in, January, 1960.

The Commission received a number of Unesco officials during 1960- and was particularly honoured by the visit of Dr. Vittorino Veronese, Director-General, Unesco to New Delhi in January 1960 at the invitation, of the Government. He was accompanied by Dr. M. S. Adiseshiah Assistant Director-General.

The Commission also received a number of educational leaders and scholars visiting India on Unesco awards under its various programmes and arranged their programmes of study and travel in India.

Delegation to the Unesco General Conference.

-The Government of India sent a delegation to the Eleventh Session of the General Conference of Unesco which was held in Paris from 14th November to 16th December 1960. The delegation was led by the Union Minister of Education. 77

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Representation on the Executive Board of Unesco.

-On the expiry of Mrs. Hansa Mehta's term as India's representative on the Executive Board of Unesco, the Government of India proposed the candidature of Smt. Indira Gandhi. She was elected at the eleventh session of the General Conference of Unesco held in Paris in November- December, 1960.

UNESCO ACTIVITIES

The Union Government and the National Commission continued their cooperation and collaboration with Unesco in implementing the organisation's programme of activities in the fields of education, science and culture. Some of the important activities during the year under review are reported in the paragraphs that follow.

EDUCATION

Primary and Compulsory Education in Asia.

-In implementation of a resolution of the tenth session of the General Conference, Unesco undertook a general survey of Primary and compulsory education in Asian countries. The results of this survey were placed at the disposal of a Regional Meeting of Representatives of seventeen Asian Member-States held at Karachi in December 1959-January 1960. Out of this meeting emerged a work plan for compulsory Primary education in Asia which aims at providing universal, compulsory and free Primary education in this region within a period of twenty years. The recommendations and the work plan adopted by this meeting have been included by Unesco in its revised work plan for 1961-62 with a budgetary allocation of $ 1,045,884. On a resolution sponsored by the Indian delegation, Unesco agreed to an increase of $300,000 in the allocation. The assistance that India will get under this programme will be known a little later.

Celebration of U.N. Day.

-The Commission continued to participate in the celebration of the U.N. Day and gave an assistance of Rs. 11,000 to the All-India U.N. Day Committee.

Reading Materials Project.

-The Commission participated fully in the various activities and programmes proposed by Unesco through its Regional Centre at Karachi. These included organisation of training courses, provision of Fellowships, award of prizes for best books and translation and publication in Hindi of Unesco publications.

International Bureau of Education.

-The Government have decided to become a member of the International Bureau of Education, Geneva which works in close collaboration with Unesco. in the field of education.

NATURAL SCIENCES

Unesco South Asia Science Cooperation Office.

-The Commission collaborated with this office in implementing the Natural Science Programme

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of the Unesco through the organisation of seminars, symposia and training courses for the region.

Arid Zone Research.

-India continued to participate in the Major Project on Scientific Research on Arid Lands. Assistance. including Fellowships and services of one expert, was received for the Central Arid Zone Research Institute, Jodhpur. A National Cooperating Committee was also established for this project under the Union Ministry of Food and Agriculture and India participated in the Symposium on Arid Zone Problems held in Paris in May 1960.

SOCIAL SCIENCES

Unesco Research Centre on the Social Implications of Industrialisation in Southern Asia.

-This Centre has been functioning since January 1956 as a joint Unesco-Government of India enterprise. A sum of Rs. 1.66 lakhs was paid by the Government of India as its annual contribution towards the local costs of the Centre during 1960. Unesco and the Government of India have decided to continue the Centre for a further period of four years beginning from 1st January 1961 on existing budgetary arrangements. It has also been decided to shift the Centre from Calcutta to Delhi with effect from January 1961. It will function within a wider scope as the Unesco Research Centre on Social and Economic Development in Southern Asia.

CULTURAL ACTIVITIES

Major Project on Mutual Appreciation of Eastern and Western Cultural Values.

-India has been actively participating in the implementation of this project launched by Unesco, in 1956 for a ten- year period. The Commission has undertaken a number of activities for furthering the objectives of the project at the school and university levels and for the general public. These activities were implemented in collaboration with suitable agencies in the country With assistance from the Commission.

Among the important activities is the Associated Schools Project in Education for International Understanding and Cooperation. This project continued to function with ten Secondary schools and thirteen teacher training institutions. A National Seminar on Educational Methods most likely to develop international understanding was held at the Vidya Bhavan Teachers' College, Udaipur during December 1960 and was attended by representatives of participating institutions, nominees of State Governments and the Indian National Commission and a representative from the Unesco Secretariat.

The Commission has also undertaken the preparation of a book on National Culture and Present Day Life in India and assembling of a kit of visual materials for use in schools participating in the Associated Schools Project in other countries.

Universities in India have been requested to set up groups of scholars to study ways and means of implementing this project and incorporating some of its activities with their regular academic programme. Two universities have availed themselves of the financial assistance from the Commission. Six universities have organised Orient-Occident Weeks which consisted of exhibitions, cultural programmes 'and lectures on the culture of six countries, the United Arab Republic, the United States of America, Russia, Indonesia, France and Germany.

A survey of national institutions working within the framework of the Major Project has been undertaken by the Commission with the idea of assisting these institutions in developing projects in furtherance of the Major Project. The Commission has also developed a bilateral project with the United States National Commission for developing mutual understanding between the peoples of the two countries. A paper on the Traditional Values of Modern Life in India is expected to be out by March 1961.

The Commission continued to participate in the translation of representative works programme of Unesco. Adi Granth-Sacred Writings of the Sikhs-was added to the list of Indian classics translated into Western languages.

India also participated in two regional seminars organised by the Unesco under this project at Wellington (New Zealand) and Tokyo (Japan).

Asian Theatre Institute.

-The Asian Theatre Institute, which has been amalgamated with the National School of Drama, aims at conducting research in the dramatic forms of India and other Asian countries. As a step towards enlisting the cooperation of all Asian countries and for defining the programme of the Institute, Unesco gave financial assistance of $500 for convening a meeting of Asian experts in dramatic art. This meeting was held at New Delhi on September, 7, 1960. Unesco's assistance for 1959-60 consists of 2000 dollars worth of equipment and $7500 for four study grants to Asian scholars for study and research in Indian theatre art at the Institute. With the latter assistance, the Institute is organising a theatre workshop in January 1961 which is to be attended by scholars from Indonesia, Japan, the Philippines and Thailand.

Establishment of a Museum of Western Art in India.

-At the instance of Unesco, the Ministry of Scientific Research and Cultural Affairs have agreed to house a gallery of Western Art in the National Museum at New Delhi. The collection for this gallery will consist of original works obtained on exchange, long term loan basis, as gifts or by purchase. Unesco will assist in bringing together this collection and render technical advice.

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MASS COMMUNICATION

Tagore Centenary Celebrations.

-Unesco has agreed to adopt several measures which will make it possible for people throughout the world to pay a full and fitting tribute to the memory of the poet. These measures go much beyond those normally provided for by Unesco for the commemoration of centenaries under its mass communication pro- gramme and, in fact, form a part of the framework of the Major Project for the Improvement of Mutual Understanding between Cultures of the Orient-Occident.

Besides the issue of a circular letter to member-states and National Commissions inviting them to join in the commemoration of Tagore by observing a Tagore Week', Unesco has proposed the following measures:

(a) the publication during 1961 of an anthology in English of the best works of the poet and a French translation of his novel Gora;

(b) publication in 1961 of a special issue of the Unesco Courier; and

(c) contribution to the travel expenses of delegates to a literary symposium that may be organised by the Indian authorities.

Unesco will also assist in the circulation of an exhibition of Tagore's paintings among member-states.

Unesco Coupon Scheme.

-The sale of Unesco, Coupons by the Ministry was continued and $34,460.41 worth of coupons were sold during 1960. This scheme forms part of Unesco's programme to promote the free flow of information throughout the world.

ASSISTANCE FROM UNESCO

U.N. Expanded Technical Assistance Programme.

-Aid received under this programme during 1960 consisted of 24 experts, 4 Fellowships and equipment worth $254,500. The programme is now formulated on a two-year basis and the following requests were submitted for the years 1961 and 1962: 
                                          

        
        Year           Experts        Fellowships              Equipment
                                          

        
        
        1961           33                  5                   $ 570,800
        1962           25                  7                   $ 174,000

The aid is earmarked mainly for principal technological and research institutions of India, the major portion being allocated to the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay.

Participation. Programme of Unesco.-Under this Programme, the projects approved by Unesco for assistance for 1959-60 were implemented

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during the period under review After consulting the various Ministries concerned, India's proposals for assistance under the 1961-62 were forwarded to Unesco. These included, among others, re- quests for services of experts in the fields of teaching materials for education for international understanding; science museum, and arts and crafts and Fellowships for the training of Indian personnel in different

U.N. Special Fund.

-Unesco has been nominated, as the Executive agency for two, out of the nine Indian projects approved by the Governing Council of the Fund. The projects and the amounts approved are:

1.Power Engineering Research Institutes at Bangalore and Bhopal $1,928,800

2. Central Mechanical Engineering Research Institute, Durgapur $691,400

CONFERENCES AND SEMINARS

The following seminars, symposia and training courses were organised by Unesco. in India during the period under review:

(i) International Training Course in the use of Radio Isotopes in Agricultural Research in collaboration with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and the International Atomic Energy Agency,-New Delhi, January-February, 1960

(ii) Regional Training Course on High Vacuum Techniques in collaboration with the National Physical Laboratory-New Delhi, January-February, 1960

(iii) Regional Symposium on Termites in the Humid Tropics in collaboration with the Zoological Survey of; India,- New Delhi, October, 1960

(iv) Regional Seminar on Library Development in South Asia in collaboration with the Ministry of Education,-New Delhi, October, 1960. (v) First Regional Science Seminar on Physics and Chemistry Training in the University, and Science Teaching in the Upper Secondary level in collaboration with the Ministry of Education,-New Delhi, December, 1960

(vi) Regional Seminar on Public Administration Problems of New and Rapidly Growing Towns in Southern Asia in collabora- tion with the Institute of Public Administration, New Delhi,-New Delhi, December, 1960

India participated in a number of international conferences and meetings organised by or under the auspices of Unesco. Some of these are:

(i) Committee of Experts to prepare Draft Recommendation on International Relations and Exchanges in Education, Science and Culture,-Paris, February, 1960

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(ii) Expert Committee Meeting for the Preparation of. International Agreement concerning Rights of Performers, Recorders Broadcasting,-Geneva, May, 1960

(iii) Expert Committee Meeting regarding Draft International convention on Discrimination in Education,-Paris, June,

(iv) XXIII International Conference on Public Education,- Geneva August, 1960

(v) World Conference on Adult Education,-Montreal, August, 1960

(vi) Fifth Meeting of the Inter-Governmental Copyright Convention,-London, October-November, 1960

A pamphlet entitled, "National Commission for Cooperation with Unesco-Work and Programme-1958-60" by-ought out by the Ministry gives detailed information in respect of the activities of the Indian National Commission.