 HIGHER EDUCATION

In the field of higher education, the Government of India is responsible for the maintenance of the Central Universities-Aligarh, Banaras, Delhi and Visva-Bharati. It is also responsible for the co- ordination and maintenance of standards in higher education and it is for this purpose that the University Grants Commission was constituted in 1953. In addition to these constitutional obligations, the Government of India gives grants-in-aid to State Governments and voluntary organisations for the development of higher education and operates several programmes of international cooperation for the development of higher education in India. It also conducts significant pilot projects in higher education of which the most important is that of Rural Institutes.

A. CENTRAL UNIVERSITIES

2. University of Delhi.-

The following are the principal developments. during the year under report :

(a) Introduction of Correspondence Courses.-With a view to enabling the University of Delhi to conduct correspondence courses and to confer degrees or diplomas on persons who have pursued a course of study by correspondence, a bill to amend the Delhi University Act, 1922, was introduced in the Lok Sabha and has been passed by both Houses of Parliament. It was brought into force with effect from 1st February, 1962.

(b) Opening of New Colleges.-Two new colleges, namely, the Sri Venkateswara College and the W.A.F. Memorial Shivaji College were opened in July 1961 to meet the increasing demand for admissions.

(c) The Delhi School of Social Work.-This has been taken over by the Delhi University and is being run as a university maintained institution with effect from April, 1961.

(d) New Department of Modern Indian Languages.-A new Department of Modem Indian Languages has been created In the University. It provides facilities for the teaching of Bengali, Punjabi, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu, Kanada, Malayalam, Gujarati and Marathi.

(e) New Courses.-The new courses instituted in the University during the year are: (1) A Certificate Course in Spanish, (2) A Certificate Course in Gujarati, (3) A Certificate Course in Marathi, and (4) A Certificate Course in Translation (English-Hindi).

3. Aligarh Muslim University.-

The following are the main developments during the year under report

(a) Aligarh Muslim University Enquiry Committee.-The Aligarh Muslim University Enquiry Committee submitted its Report to the University in December, 1960. All the recommendations of the Enquiry Committee have since been accepted by the Executive Council of the University which has set up an Implementation Committee to ensure that quick effect is given to them.

(b) Medical College.-The University scheme for the establishment of a medical college has been approved by the authorities concerned and ordinances for the purpose have also been framed. The posts required for the college have been sanctioned.

(c) Education Department.-In addition to its regular in-service activities the Department organised an intensive project on the teaching of English in order to work out, with the help of classroom teachers, the best and most effective method of teaching English to the VI, VII and VIII classes, without changing the prescribed textbooks.

4. Banaras Hindu University.-

The following are the main developments during the year under report:

(a) Long-Term Legislation for Banaras Hindu Universtiy.-A bill further to amend the Banaras Hindu University Act, 1915, was introduced in the Lok Sabha in May, 1961. However, due to other important items of business and for certain other reasons, the Bill could not be taken up for consideration.

(b) New Departments.-The President, in his capacity as the Visitor of the University, has approved the University's proposals for the creation of the following three additional departments:-

1. Department of Indian Languages

2. Department of Foreign Languages

3. Department of Geophysics

(c) Institute of Nuclear Sciences.-Proposals to start an Institute of Nuclear Sciences are under consideration. A committee of the Atomic Energy Commission has already visited the University in this connection.

5. Visva-Bharati.-

The following were the main developments during the year:

(a) Amendment of the Visva-Bharati Act, 1951.-With a view to removing certain lacunae in the Visva-Bharati Act, 1951, a Bill to amend the Act has been passed by both Houses of Parliament and has received the President's assent.

(b) Creation of New Departments/Courses.-On the recommendation of the Siksha Samiti (Academic Council) three new courses of studies have been introduced from the 1961-62 academic session: (i) B.Sc. Honours in mathematics with physics and chemistry as subsidiary subjects; (ii) B.A. Honours in ancient Indian history and culture; and (iii) M.A. in history. A one-year preparatory course of studies in arts subjects, intended for those who passed the school certificate or its equivalent examination after completion of the ten-year school course, was also introduced at the Siksha Bhavana for two years only with effect from July, 1960.

(c) Reorganisation of Studies.-A four-year diploma course in music and dance was introduced at the Sangeet Bhavana in place of the three-year intermediate course followed by a two-year degree course in music and dance.

The courses of study at the Kala Bhavana leading to the four-year diploma and two-year certificate in fine arts and artistic handicraft were also reorganised.

(d) Projects Undertaken and Executed.-Satisfactory progress was maintained throughout the year in the implementation of the Water Supply Scheme sanctioned by the University Grants Commission at an estimated cost of Rs. 18 lakh.

The Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Government of India, presented to the University the deep tube-well which the Exploratory Tubewells Organisation had sunk at Santiniketan. This enabled the Water Works to function from May, 1961.

Construction of the Rabindra Art Gallery which was undertaken in the beginning of 1960 progressed satisfactorily.

The building was ready for occupation during the Poet's Birthday Centenary Celebrations in May, 1961. A hobby workshop building was constructed and the extension of the Pearson Memorial Hospital was completed.

B.INSTITUTIONS OF ALL-INDIA IMPORTANCE IN EDUCATION

6. Jamia Millia Islamia.-

The Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, is one of the national educational institutions in receipt of grants from the Central Government on a 'cover-the-deficit' basis. It provides education from the nursery to the graduate level in addition to maintaining a Teachers' College and a Rural Institute.

Recently the University Grants Commission agreed to recognize for a period of three years in the first instance, the B.A. and B.Ed. degrees of the Jamia, subject to satisfactory arrangements being made for the administrative and academic set-up.

7. Assistance to ALL-India Institutions of Higher Education.-

In the Central sector, the Ministry of Education has included a scheme under the third Five-Year Plan for assistance to all-India institutions of higher education. This is a continuing scheme from the second Plan and grants under it are paid to non-affiliated institutions of higher education that are recommended for assistance by the advisory committee headed by Shrimati Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay.

The Advisory Committee has recommended the following institutions for assistance under the scheme:

(1) Vidya Bhawan Society, Udaipur, (Rajasthan)

(2) Lok Bharat, Sanosara (Gujarat)

(3) Kaivalyadham Shreeman Madhava Yoga Mandira Samiti,Lonavala, Poona (Maharashtra)

(4) Gujarat Vidyapeeth, Ahmedabad (Maharashtra)

(5) Kashi Vidyapeeth, Varanasi (U.P)

(6) Gurukul Kangri, Hardwar (U.P.)

(7) Kanya Gurukul Mahavidyalaya, Dehra Dun (U.P.)

(8) Gurukul Vishwavidyalaya, Vrindaban (U.P.)

(9) Institute of Oriental Philosophy, Vrindaban (U.P.)

(10) Sri Aurobindo International Centre of Education, Pondicherry

Of these, the Kanya Gurukul, Debra Dun and the Kashi Vidyapeeth, Varanasi were given grants amounting to Rs. 53,000 and Rs. 80,000 re- spectively during the year 1961-62. In addition, the Ministry has agreed

in principle to give a non-recurring grant of Rs. 1,00,000 to the Kashi Vidyapeeth for the construction of additional classrooms.

8. Indian School of international Studies.-

On the advice of the University Grants Commission, the Ministry has declared that the Indian School of International Studies, New Delhi, which is an institution for higher education, shall be deemed to be a university for purposes of the University Grants Commission Act.

9. Gurukula Kangri Vishwavidyalaya.-

The advice of the University Grants Commission that the Gurukula, Kangri Vishwavidalaya may be deemed to be a university in terms of the University Grants Commission Act, is under the consideration of the Ministry.

10. Kashi Vidyapeeth.-

A visiting committee under the chairmanship of Shri Jayaprakash Narayan was appointed to study the working of the Kashi Vidyapeeth, Varanasi, and to report to the Government the desirability or otherwise of declaring it as an institution of national importance. The Committee has since submitted its report which is under the consideration of the University Grants Commission.

11. Gujarat Vidyapeeth, Ahmedabad.-

The Government of India have appointed a visiting committee for this institution under the chairmanship of Dr. M. S. Mehta, Vice-Chancellor, Rajasthan University. The terms of reference for the Committee are the same as for the committee on Kashi Vidyapeeth. The Committee has since submitted its report which is under consideration.

12. Gurukul Kangri, Hardwar.-

The Government of India have fixed the maintenance grant to the Gurukul Kangri, Hardwar, at Rs. 1,11,200 per annum for 1961-62 and 1962-63 or till the institution acquires a university status under the U.G.C. Act.

13. Committee on Recognition of Diplomas of Sri Aurobindo International Centre of Education.-

A committee was appointed to examine the question of recognition of diplomas of Sri Aurobindo International Centre of Education, Pondicherry. On the basis of the report submitted by the Committee the Ministry of Home Affairs is considering, in consultation with the U.P.S.C., the question of recognition of the 'Higher Course' of the Centre as equivalent to the B.A., B.Sc. degrees of Indian universities for purposes of employment in posts under the Central Government.

C. UNIVERSITY GRANTS COMMISSION

14. Programmes.-

During the year under review a series of meetings were arranged between the University Grants Commission and the representatives of the State Governments and the State universities to find out how development schemes of a reasonable size could best is implemented.

The following schemes were processed:-

(a) Library buildings at the Universities of Vikram, Mysore, Utkal, Marathwada and Jabalpur and the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, were approved at a total cost of Rs. 55 lakh;

(b) The Universities of Aligarh, Baroda, Calcutta, Gujerat, Kerala, Mysore, Osmania, Panjab, Poona and Sanskrit University, Varanasi, were selected for assistance in the matter of collecting, preserving and utilising manuscripts;

(c) Allocations were made to all universities for the purchase of library books and, journals and building up of textbook libraries to meet the general needs of teaching and research, both in the humanities and sciences

(d) Allocations were made to all universities for scientific equipment to meet their general needs of teaching and research ;

(e) Approval was given to the establishment and improvement of printing presses at the Universities of Calcutta, Sri Venkateswara, Jammu and Kashmir, and Burdwan at a cost of Rs. 6,60,000 ;

(f) Guest houses and staff clubs for the Visva- Bharati, Delhi and Rajasthan Universities were approved at a cost of Rs. 6,60,000;

(g) Tagore Chairs were established at the Universities of Bombay, Baroda, Calcutta, Delhi, Kerala, Madras, Nagpur, Panjab and Rajasthan ; and Tagore Lecturerships were instituted at the Universities of Allahabad, Annamalai, Marathwada, Mysore and Poona;

(h) University hostels for women at the Universities of Patna, Osmania, Kerala, Bihar, Nagpur, Gujerat and Burdwan, and those for men at Saugar, Waltair, Bihar and Burdwan were approved at a total cost of Rs. 45 lakh;

(i) Staff quarters at Gorakhpur, Burdwan, Baroda, Visva-Bharati, Sri Venkateswara and Andhra Universities were sanctioned at a total cost of Rs. 34 lakhs;

(j) Gandhi Bhavans are coming up at Allahabad, Delhi, Nagpur, Panjab and Rajasthan Universities and proposals for their establishment in the Universities of Kerala, Karnatak, Mysore, Andhra, Aligarh and Jammu & Kashmir have been accepted.

(k) The centenary buildings at Calcutta, Bombay and Madras Universities are progressing satisfactorily and some of them are nearing completion;

(l) A medical college for the M.B.B.S. degree has started functioning at the Banaras Hindu University;

(m) Assistance to the Gauhati University under the three-year degree course is being given;

(n) A scheme to utilise, at university centres, services of scientists and teachers of established repute (who are active even after superannuation) both for research and teaching work (normally up to 65 years) has been accepted ;

(o) A scheme for holding research seminars and summer schools and institutes under the Commission's auspices on a larger scale than hitherto has been drawn up.

In science, apart from schemes begun or sanctioned in the second Plan period, certain specific schemes mentioned below have been approved:

(a) Establishment of new departments of postgraduate studies in geography and statistics at the University of Mysore ;

(b) Development of various science departments at Burdwan University ;

(d) Assistance to the Universities of Gujarat, Delhi, Kerala and Utkal for holding workshops and summer schools in specialised topics and for convening annual sessions of learned societies ;

(e) Assistance to postgraduate affiliated colleges for the development of postgraduate studies in basic science subjects (Schemes already sanctioned include the development of the Department of Zoology at B. R. College, Agra, and the Department of Chemistry at Madurai College, Madurai) ;

(f) Development and maintenance of Ionospheric Field Station at Haringhatta in the Calcutta University;

(g) Sanction of grants for the introduction of the five-year integrated course in engineering colleges ;

(h) Further development of the Department of Engineering at the Annamalai University;