CHAPTER IV SOCIAL EDUCATION
The activities of the Ministry of Education in the field of social education continued on the lines indicated in the last year's report. The programme of social education is a comprehensive one, and it aims at providing education for the betterment of the life of the adult population. The responsibility for carrying out social education in the field is that of the State Governments. The role of the Ministry of Education is to coordinate programmes and to provide supporting services and conduct pilot projects which are of importance to the programme of social education in the country as a whole.
2. The question of liquidating illiteracy and the magnitude of the problem had been engaging the attention of the Ministry of Education. The State Government were requested to increase the tempo of literacy work. The details about the important activities during the year in the field of social education are given in the following paragraphs.
3. Workers' Social Education Institute, Indore This pilot project for providing social education for industrial workers, continued to function during the year under report. The Institute conducted classes for literacy, handicrafts, teaching of arts and Hindi and English.
4. Institute of Library Science, Delhi The Institute was set up in March, 1959, with the main object of providing and extending facilities for the training of librarians especially for public library services. The fourth session of the Institute started in July 1962. Fifty students are studying for the diploma course and 14 for master's degree course. So far, the Insti- tute has trained 17 students in various refresher courses, 133 stu- dents in diploma courses and 31 students in master's degree courses.
5. Delhi Public Library The membership of the Library increased by 2,000 to 48,000 and the stock of books by 12,000 to 1,70,000. The average daily turnover of books also increased by 600 to 5,600. Three new deposit stations were opened during the year and a Braille Section at the main Library has been established for the use of the blind. The two new mobile vans will be in operation shortly and it has been decided to establish two branches of the Library, one each in East Patel Nagar and in Laxmibai Nagar.
6. Draft Model Library Act The Draft Model Library Act as submitted by the Committee set up for the purpose has been finalised. The Ministry of Law vetted it and gave it the form of a Bill suitable for enactment. This modified Bill is being sent to the State Governments for their comments.
7. Mysore State Vidyapeeth Programme The original plan was to establish eight Vidyapeeths whose primary aim is to train village youths for rural leadership. Owing to non-availability of
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additional funds, the Mysore State Adult Education Council will be able to establish only seven Vidyapeeths. So far five Vidyapeeths have been established and work for establishing two more is progressing.
8. Assistance to Voluntary Educational Organisations in the
field of Social Education and Libraries During the year (till 20th January, 1963), fifteen voluntary educational organisations were assisted to the extent of Rs. 1.77 lakh for the development of various activities relating to social education and libraries.
9. Production of Literature for Social Education The steps taken to encourage production of literature for neo- literates and the new reading public are stated below
(a) Prize Competition for Books for Neo-literates : During the year, authors of 36 prize-winning books under the 8th Competition were paid the prize money of Rs. 500 each; 1,500 copies of each of the 60 prizewinning books of the previous competitions were purchased, as provided under the scheme for free distribution to community development and N.E.S. blocks, social education centres and school libraries, through the State Governments and Union Administrations. Three hundred and fifty-nine entries have been received for the 9th Competition of which results will be announced soon.
(b) Unesco Prize Competition for Books for New Reading Public During the year, ten prize-winning books in Hindi and Tamil under the first and second Unesco competitions were purchased. The third competition inviting authors and publishers to send best books for new reading public in Hindi, Bengali, Tamil and Urdu published between January 1961 and December 1962 has also been announced. Ten prizes of $400 (approximately Rs. 1,900) will be awarded under this competition.
(c) Sahitya Shivirs : Sahitya Shivirs are literary workshops for training authors in the technique of writing books for neo-literates. Organised with the help of State Governments, each shivir is of 6-8 weeks' duration. Two such shivirs were held during 1962-63, one each in Andhra Pradesh and Mysore.
(d) Direct Production of New Books
(i) HINDI VISWA BHARATI-Its 9th volume was published during the year.
(ii) AN OUTLINE HISTORY OF THE INDIAN PEOPLE-Its English edition was published by the Publications Division of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting during the year.
10. National Book Trust During the year, the Memorandum of Association and Rules of the National Book Trust were modified and the objectives of the Trust were more clearly defined. The Trust published 14 books in English, Hindi and regional languages bringing the total number of books brought out by it up to 18th January, 1963 to 66 (including one re-print). Its future programme includes a new series of books, 'India-Land and the People'.
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11. Financial Provisions The financial provisions for the various schemes in this sector are:
Sl. Name of the Scheme Provision Budget
No. for Provision for
1962-63 1963-64
Rs. Rs.
1. Workers' Social Education
Institute 64,300 67,500
2. Institute of Library Science 80,000 90,000
3. (a) Delhi Public Library 3,80,000 3,30,000
(b) Development of Library
Service in Delhi 1,00,000 1,50,000
4. Ford Foundation Aid-Mysore
State Vidyapeeth-Programme 59,000 --
5. Assistance to Voluntary Edu-
cational Organisation in
the field of Social Education 2,50,000 1,59,000
6. Production of Literature for
Neo-literates 1,82,000 1,41,000
7. National Book Trust 3,00,000 4,00,000