The Government of India are directly responsible for education in the Union Territories. At present, there are six Union Territories- Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Manipur, Tripura, A. & N. Islands, and L.M.A. Islands.
EDUCATION IN THE UNION TERRITORIES
A. GENERAL
1. Free Education in Union Territories.
2. Confirmation of Teachers.
3. Exemption from Payment of Examination Fees by Students belonging
to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
4. Scholarships to Cadets of Union' Territories Studying
in the Rashtriya Indian Military. College (formerly Sainik School)
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97 awarded during the year under report. One more scholarship is also likely to be awarded to a cadet during the current year for the second term of 1960 and first term of 1961. A budget provision of Rs. 7,500 has been made for this purpose for 1961-62.
B. DELHI 5. Owing to a large increase in population and the rising consciousness for education among the people, there is a great increase of students annually in Delhi Union Territory and this leads to a large rush for admission at the beginning of every academic year. During the year under review, the likely increase in enrolment in July, 1960 was carefully :anticipated and adequate preparations were made for the purpose. During the year under review the Delhi Administration opened 15 new Higher Secondary schools and raised eight High and two Middle schools to the Higher Secondary Pattern. Additional educational facilities were provided in the shape of 167 additional sections in the existing schools. The local bodies in Delhi opened 120 schools. Consequently, it was possible to give accommodation to all who desired it and hardly any inconvenience was caused to parents.
6. Development of Government Schools.7. Another event of great significance in Delhi is the decision to introduce compulsory Primary education in the entire area of the Territory. For this purpose, the Delhi Primary Education Act, 1960 was passed by the Parliament and brought into force with effect from 2nd October, 1960. During the current year, four small areas have been selected for the experiment. It is proposed to introduce compulsion for the age-group 6-7 over the Union Territory with effect from the next academic year.
8. To cope with the increase of work due to the increase in the number of pupils, teachers and schools, the Education Department of the Delhi Municipal Corporation was fully reorganised during the year under review.
9. The Aided Schools Enquiry Committee set up by the Delhi Ad- ministration in 1957 had recommended certain financial reliefs to aided institutions. Due to various administrative difficulties, it was not found
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possible to grant those reliefs but in lieu thereof the Government have decided to increase the quantum of maintenance grant to aided institutions from 90 per cent to 95 per cent of the deficit. This decision has been given effect to from 1st October, 1960,
10. On the recommendations of the above Committee it has also been, decided to sanction leave reserves to aided institutions to the extent of 5 per cent of the total teaching strength. This decision will be given effect to from the next year. The Government of India have also extended the benefit of provident fund to permanent Class IV employees in aided schools who are at present not entitled to this benefit.
11. The Special Committee set up by the Ministry of Education has made tentative plans about the requirements of the schools in Delhi Union Territory during the next 20 years. The proposals of the Committee are under examination in the Ministry and are proposed to be taken into consideration in finalising the Master Plan for Delhi.
12. The integrated syllabus for Basic and non-Basic schools had been introduced in Delhi with effect from the current academic year"
13. An intensive effort was made this year to reduce the number of tents that are being used for schools. A large number of buildings were put up during the year, both for Primary and Secondary schools, with the result that in spite of increased enrolment, the number of tents in use during the current year is less than that in the preceding year.
14. Science Consultants have been appointed in the Delhi Administration and in the Delhi Municipal Corporation who are now engaged in the improvement of teaching of science in Primary and Secondary schools-
C. HIMACHAL PRADESH 15. A review of the educational developments in Himachal Pradesh held recently showed that the progress of education during the last 12 years has been phenomenal. In 1948 there was no college maintained in any of the merging States; there were 12 Government High schools,two Government (at Chamba and Sundernagar) and one private Middle school (at Solan); three lower Middle schools; nine Primary schools, five of which were in Mandi and three in Nahan and one in Mahasu District. There were no training institutes, technical schools, industrial training schools or polytechnics. As against this, at the end of the Second Five Year Plan, there will be 1,148 Elementary schools (including 73 non Government institutions) of which about 700 will be junior Basic schools. Besides, there will be 174 Middle schools (including 7 Senior Basic schools and 30 non-Government institutions). At the Secondary stage, the number of High and Higher Secondary schools will be 57 and 14 respectively including 5 private institutions. At the university stage,
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there will be 6 degree colleges (including one non-Government college), one polytechnic, one postgraduate Basic training college. There will three teacher training schools and one Central State Library with District Libraries.
16. The new schemes included in the Third Plan will take this achievement a step further. The total outlay for the Third Plan schemes is Rs. 239.45 lakhs.
17. The following important developments during the year under review may be mentioned:-
(1) Mid-day meals were introduced in 24 selected schools on an experimental basis. The cost of each meal is estimated at 10 nP. and it will be shared by the Administration and the parents in the ratio of 3:2.
(2) A Science Consultant has been appointed in a pilot project for the improvement of teaching of science in about 100 Primary schools in Chamba District.
D. TRIPURA 18. Tripura has made great progress in all sectors of education during the last 10 years. At the Primary stage, the total enrolment has risen to 81,000 (54,000 boys and 27,000 girls) which is equal to an enrolment of 64 per cent of the total population in this age-group- 83 per cent for boys and 45 per cent for girls. In the Third Plan it is proposed to enrol 50,000 additional.. children (15,000 boys and 35,000 girls) and to raise the enrolment of boys to 96 per cent and that of girls to 90 per cent. An area of 25 sq. miles round the Basic Training College, Agartala has been selected as the intensive Basic education area and all the Primary schools within it have been converted to the Basic pattern. 150 more Primary schools are proposed to he converted to the Basic pattern during the Third Plan. In 1947, Tripura had nine High schools including one for girls and a total enrolment of about 500. By 1960-61, the total number of High schools has increased to 33 (including 7 for girls), out of which nine have been converted to the Higher Secondary pattern. The total enrolment has also increased to 4,500. By the end of the Third Plan there would be 38 High schools and 66 per cent of them would be converted to the Higher Secondary pattern. It has two colleges which have been considerably improved. The three-year degree course has been introduced in the Government College during the year under review.
19. The Third-Plan for education of this Union Territory envisages a total expenditure of Rs. 230.78 lakhs.
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E. MANIPUR 20. Education in Manipur has also shown considerable progress during the year under review. About 300 additional Primary schools have been opened; two new training institutions for Primary teachers have been established; about 20 Primary schools have been converted the Basic pattern; three new High schools have been started and 60 Secondary teachers have been deputed for training; the number of students taking up science at the Secondary and collegiate stages has increased very largely; grants were given to the schools for the purchase of playgrounds; 23 High schools were given grants-in-aid for improvement of libraries and laboratories.
21. The Third Five-Year Plan of this Union Territory has also been finalised. It envisages an expenditure of Rs. 111.33 lakhs. It proposes to increase the enrolment in the age-group of 6-11 by about 30,000 additional children. 15 High schools are proposed to be converted to the Higher Secondary pattern and one Multipurpose High school would be started. Proposals to improve the Government D.M. College have also been included in the Plan.
F. ANDAMAN AND NICOBAR ISLANDS 22. Education in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands has expanded and improved very considerably during the last 10 years. The first Plan did not affect these Islands very materially. But on the recommendations of the Basu Committee which was appointed in 1955 a fairly large scale programme of educational development was taken up during the Second Plan at an estimated expenditure of Rs. 27.4 lakhs. Owing to several administrative difficulties, however, the Plan could not be implemented in full and there were considerable short-falls. It is, however, hoped that much better progress would be made in the Third Plan which provides for an expenditure of Rs. 56.76 lakhs.
23. At present, there are 75 Primary schools in the Islands with 131 teachers and 4.706 students. At the Secondary stage, there is a Higher Secondary school at Port Blair and also a separate High school for girls. A High school has also been established in Car Nicobar.
24. The main difficulty of the Islands is to secure trained teachers, most of whom have to come from the mainland. A training institution for Primary teachers has therefore been started.
25. The Third Plan for education of this Territory envisages a total expenditure of Rs. 56.76 lakhs.
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G. LACCADIVE MINICOY AND AMINDIVI ISLANDS 26. The education in this Union Territory has also made good progress. There are 15 Primary schools with 92 teachers and a total enrolment of 3,222. There is one High school which was started during the year under review. Hitherto, the students from Islands were sent to the mainland for Secondary education with the help of scholarships. As this High school in the Islands develops, these scholarships for the mainland would be proportionately reduced.
27. The islanders are, by tradition, averse to the education of girls. Even in this field, however, some progress is being made in recent Years.
28. In the Third Plan a sum of Rs. 18.83 lakhs is proposed to be spent on education. The most important schemes included in the Plan are: (1) the enrolment in Primary schools will be increased by 2,000; (2) girls, education will be expanded at an estimated cost of Rs. 0.20 lakhs; (3) the scholarships scheme will be continued at the university stage and for technical and professional education (Rs. 1.0 lakh); (4) the only Secondary school which has already started functioning will be made a fullfledged institution at a cost of Rs. 80,000 and an additional sister institution is proposed to be established at Androth at an estimated cost of Rs. 90,000; (5) the Labour and Social Service Camps and educational tours of students and teachers to acquaint them with the mainland will be organised; and (6) an amount of Rs. 10.55 lakhs has been set apart for the construction of school buildings and teachers' quarters.