ANNUAL REPORT 1959-60

 INTRODUCTION

This is Annual Report of the Ministry of Education covers the financial, year 1959-60 and furnishes information in regard to the physical targets and progress of the various schemes and projects of the Ministry during the period-1st April, 1959, to 31st December, 1959. It also indicates the progress expected during January-March, 1960, and outlines the programme for 1960-61.

In order to prepare a draft Third Five-Year Plan of Educational Development, a Working Group on Education has been constituted at the Centre with the Educational Adviser as Chairman. Suitable Working Groups have also been set up by the States and the Administrations of the Union Territories and a report on education in the third Five-Year Plan has been prepared by the Working Group, which would be circulated to the State Governments/Administrations for their guidance in the preparation of their draft plan. It is expected that the final plan that will emerge will represent the concerted thinking of the Centre and the States within the resources available and the needs of the regions.

The Panel on Education of the Planning Commission considered the breaking up of the prescribed period for providing universal free and compulsory education in the Constitution, in two stages and have recommended that the first stage of providing education to the age- group 6-11 plus should be reached by 1965-66 at the latest. This has been endorsed by the Central Advisory Board of Education and the State Education Ministers. The States were accordingly requested to forward their estimates and programme for the achievement of this objective and the total expenditure of Rs. 300 crores for the third Five-Year Plan, calculated on the basis of the estimates received, has been approved by the Central Working Group on Education and incorporated in the Education Plan for the country.

In order to implement the programme of universal free and compulsory education, the Ministry of Education has formulated a scheme for producing an adequate number of trained teachers during the third Five-Year Plan by increasing the intake capacity of existing Training institutions and opening additional institutions, where necessary. Central grant on a hundred per cent basis is being given to State Governments and Union Territories for the expansion of training facilities, especially for as many women teachers as possible under the programme.

In view of the importance attached to women's education, a National Council for Women's Education has been set up to advise the Government of India on the problems of girls' education at the various stages and

of adult women. The Ministry of Education have recommended to the State Governments that there should be in each State Department of Education a Deputy Director or joint Director of women's education, who should be specially charged with the formulation and execution of the special programme for the education of girls and women in the State.

The Ministry considered the recommendations of the National Council for Women's Education for a special programme to provide for the education of girls and adult women and has proposed a special provision for this programme, which will form part of the third Five- Year Plan.

The first instalment of Rs. 4 lakhs of Government of India's loan to, the Children's Book Trust for the establishment of a press was released to the Trust in June, 1959.

In the field of Secondary education, during 1959-60 the amount provided for Central assistance for the progress of reconstruction is Rs. 3.5 crores.

The former All-India Council for Secondary Education has been reconstituted into the Directorate of Extension Programmes, attached to the Ministry of Education, with full responsibility for the executive functions hitherto performed by the Council. The total number of Extension Service Departments set up by the Council so far to provide in-service training to Secondary teachers is 54. They organise seminars on an all-India, regional and State basis to help headmasters, teachers and educational administrators to discuss the new goals relating to the reorganisation of Secondary education. The Council also gave its help through provision of audio-visual facilities, guidance services and organisation of workshops and libraries. Science clubs are being organised through financial assistance and expert guidance from teh Council to strengthen Science teaching in schools. A Central Examination Unit has been set up by the Council for the promotion of Examination Unit has been set up by Council for the promotion of Examination Reform and to consider such problems as the high incidence of failures in the Secondary schools examination.

The Government of India have appointed a Committee on Moral and Religious Education to make a study of the question or religious and moral instruction in educational institutions. The findings of the Committee will be placed before the 27th session of the Central Advisory Board of Education, which broadly endorsed them.

The University Grants Commission has framed regulations defining the qualifications that should ordinarily be required of persons to be appointed to the teaching staff of different faculties and departments of the universities.

Almost all the universities have accepted the adoption of the Three-Year Degree Course pattern, some with certain minor modifications, and 22 universities have adopted it up-to-date. This new pattern is expected to ensure that certain uniform standards of education will be maintained at the university level.

Loans to universities and constituent colleges of the University of Delhi for construction of hostels and staff quarters are being sanctioned by the Central Government on the recommendation of the University Grants Commission. These carry interest equal to the borrowing rate of the Government of India current at the time the loans are sanctioned.

A scheme for strengthening the institutions of higher learning has been included in the second Five-Year Plan, under which financial assistance is to be given to recognised institutions of national importance. An advisory committee has been set up to assist in the selection of suitable institutions.

The Ministry of Education and the University Grants Commission have taken steps to promote the development of "General Education" programmes in universities through the exchange of teams of Indian and American educationists, organising of conferences and seminars of uni- versity professors, preparation of reading materials and supply of books and equipment under the India Wheat Loan Programme.

A committee, of educationists and administrators was appointed to work out a suitable programme of national service by students, both as a measure of educational reform and promotion of discipline and to im- prove the quality of manpower which the country needs for a rapid social and economic development. Details of the scheme are now being worked out.

One new Rural Institute of Higher Education has been started in 1959-60. The project for assistance to rural institutes under the Indo-US Technical Cooperation Programme was developed further during 1959-60 and 20 teachers were deputed for advanced training in the USA in Extension and Research methods.

The National Institute of Audio-Visual Education has been established and has started organising short and long term courses in Audio-Visual education.

All the necessary staff for the National Fundamental Education Centre has been recruited and equipment secured. In the year under review the Centre extended and consolidated its activities in order to fulfil its defined objectives.

An institute for imparting training in librarianship to District and Central State librarians and organising other special courses has been

established with Central assistance under the auspices of the University of Delhi.

A sum of Rs. 1.50 lakhs has been sanctioned during the current year to the National Book Trust to carry out its activities for the publication at reasonable price of good quality books in various Indian languages suitable for a large clientele of readers.

A provision of Rs. 200 lakhs was made in the budget for 1959-60 for the activities of the Central Social Welfare Board. During the year under review the Board assisted 2,130 voluntary organisations working in different fields of Social Welfare. The assistance given to these organisations amounted to Rs. 47.35 lakhs. The Board also established 169 Welfare Extension Projects of the coordinated type bringing the total number to 673. The total share of the Board's expenditure on these projects amounted to Rs. 77.21 lakhs. A sum of Rs. 8.45 lakhs was spent during the year on the training programme. A notable feature of its activities during 1959-60 was the decision to provide condensed courses of about two years' duration to meet the special educational needs of adult women. Grants for this purpose during 1959 amounting to Rs. 30 lakhs were given to 119 institutions. Another important scheme undertaken by the Board during the year was the establishment of Urban Welfare Extension Projects. The object of this scheme is to assist voluntary organisations to provide cultural and social amenities for the less developed localities in urban areas. Grants amounting to Rs. 6 lakhs were given to 24 organisations.

The Kindergarten and Primary sections of the Model School for Blind Children at Debra Dun have started functioning. Schemes have also been formulated for the award of scholarships for the blind, the deaf, the orthopaedically handicapped and mentally retarded children.

Under a scheme which was formulated in consultation with an International, Labour Organisation expert, it is proposed to establish a network of special employment officers for the physically handicapped as part of the National Employment Service. The first such employment office was established in Bombay in March, 1959.

Random sample surveys of the handicapped are at present in progress in Delhi and Kanpur. The object of the surveys is to get an idea of the numbers and special needs of the handicapped. It is proposed to conduct more surveys of this type. Provision of a sum of Rs. 25,000 has been made in, the next year's budget for the continuation of this scheme.

The several scholarships schemes administered by the Government of India have been continued during the period under review. These schemes relate to studies of Indian nationals abroad, the scholarships and fellowships offered by various foreign Governments, foreign organisations

and institutions, United Nations and Unesco and the scholarships under the Colombo Plan and Point Four Programme. Similarly, a number of scholarships schemes of the Government of India have been in operation for studies of foreign nationals in India, in addition to the scholarships and fellowships offered to them under the Colombo Plan and by Unesco. In the scholarships schemes for Indian students inside the country, mention should be made of the "Merit Scholarships in Public Schools", "Post-Matric Merit Scholarships Schemes", "Research Scholarships in Humanities" and "Scheme of Scholarships for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and other Backward Classes". Besides, there are programmes for exchange of scholars between India and other foreign countries.

The provision for the implementation of the Labour and Social Service Scheme for the second Five-Year Plan is Rs. 280 lakhs. Out of this an allocation of Rs. 53 lakhs has been made for 1959-60 for expenditure on the scheme.

Appreciable progress was made in the implementation of the various schemes for the promotion of Physical Education and Recreation under the second Five-Year Plan. The important, developments in this field, are: strengthening of Physical education training institutions, a national physical efficiency drive and the holding of efficiency tests, grants to Vyayamshalas and the implementation of the scheme of scholarships for higher studies in Physical education.

A committee has been appointed to consider the feasibility of recommending standard scales of pay for Physical education teachers in various fields. The Central Advisory Board of Physical Education and Recreation have appointed another committee to examine the question of coordination and integration of the various schemes in the field of Physical Education and Recreation and Youth Welfare.

A programme has been drawn up for the development of sports and games through improvement of standards in sports, their popularisation in educational institutions and the rural areas and grants to national sports organisations/States Sports Councils.

The second Five-Year Plan schemes for the development of Hindi, including indexing and publications work, made good progress. In the field of non-Plan schemes, 21 expert committees functioned on the pre- paration of technical terminology in different subjects under the Board of Scientific Terminology. Up to the 18th December, 1959, about 1,91,000 terms in different subjects were evolved, of which 40,898 have been finally approved by the Government of India.

A Central Sanskrit Board has been set up to advise Government on matters relating to propagation and development of Sanskrit. Under the

scheme for giving financial assistance to voluntary organisations. Rs. 55,000 were sanctioned during the year under review.

The Government of India and the Indian National Commission for Cooperation with Unesco, extended their full cooperation to Unesco in the implementation of its programmes in the field of education, science and culture. For the year 1959-60, we have paid half the amount of our contribution (i.e., Rs. 13,27,800) and the balance will be paid in 1960-61.

A sum of Rs. 1,71,050 was provided during the current year towards the activities of the Central Secretariat Library. Over 8,000 enquiries. on various aspects of education in India and about 200 statistical enquiries. were dealt with by the Ministry. 44 publications of educational interest were brought out by the Publications Section during 1959, of which mention may be made of (1) Report of the Sanskrit Commission, (2) Metric Weights and Measures, (3) Report of the Advisory Committee for Libraries, (4) Report of the National Council for Women's Education, (5) A Brochure on Educational Survey of India, (6) Planning Schools for India, and (7) A National Plan for Physical Efficiency Drive.

The Ministry's main journal "The Education Quarterly" entered its 12th year of publication.