The second meeting of the General Body of the Council was held on 29th March, 1975. Some of the main resolutions passed by the N.C.T.E. to revamp teacher education are as follows:
1. It has urged for accreditation for teacher training institutions as this will go a long way in raising the standard of teacher education.
2. It has recommended that certain sensitive areas in Teacher Education may be identified for bringing about change in those areas. This would help in the maximum use of the resources available for teacher education.
3. It has suggested that talented teachers should be attracted to teacher training institutions, so that qualitative improvement can be effected in teacher education programmes at all levels.
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4. The Council has recommended that at least for some years to come, the main thrust should be on the improvement of the quality of elementary teacher edu- cation and to achieve this objective, special pre- service courses should be instituted at some selected centres in the country. Also, some special inservice courses for the existing teacher educators should be provided in primary teacher training by making use of the facilities available in the State Institutes of Education, Regional Colleges of Education and N.C.E.R.T.
5. The Council has urged that the resources of those elementary teacher training institutions which have been closed or are being closed in some States, should be utilised for organising inservice education courses and extension programmes for primary school teachers.
6. It has been recommended that pre-school and primary teacher education should be integrated in a phased manner as, ultimately, this would have favourable impact on the enrolment and retention of children at the primary level.
The various Standing Committees of the NCTE also met during the course of the year and made recommendations to improve teacher education in their respective areas.
The budget provision for 1976-77 in respect of National Council for Teacher Education is being made by N.C.E.R.T.
Science Education Programme and Other Projects assisted by
UNICEF During 1975, 8000 primary science kits are to be distributed to the States/Union Territories. The price of the kits as well as cost on transport up to one point in the State will be, borne by the UNICEF; besides, they will reimburse 75% cost on the training of teachers at the rate of 3 teachers against 2 primary kits supplied. The total Fifth Plan allocation for the Science Education Programme is Rs. 10.00 lakhs. The budget provision for 1975-76 is Rs. 3.50 lakhs while that for 1976-77 is Rs. 2.00 lakhs.
Besides the Science Education Programme, UNICEF assistance in the Fifth Plan period will cover the following projects:-
(a) Primary Education Curriculum Renewal The objective of this project is to develop innovative curricula and related instructional material, techniques etc, which could meet the educational needs of a large number of children who
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are likely to remain in school for only a few years or who are not reached at all. The curriculum is to be adjusted to the lifestyle of the child and to the socioeconomic opportunities likely to be available.
(b) Development Activities in Community Education and Parti-
cipation. The objective of this project is to develop and test new types of educational activities as a feasible means of testing the minimum educational needs of a large group who are currently partially or totally deprived of any form of education.
The following States/Union Territories have been selected for participation in the two experimental projects viz. Primary Education Curriculum Renewal and Development Activities in Community Education and Participation:
(1) Andhra Pradesh, (2) Bihar, (3) Gujarat. (4) Himachal Pradesh, (5) Karnataka, (6) Kerala, (7) Madhya Pradesh, (8) Maharashtra, (9) Orissa, (10) Pondicherry (11 ) Tamil Nadu, (12) Uttar Pradesh, and (13) Delhi (Slum Areas).
(c) Children's Media Laboratory The objective of the C.M.L. is to develop or discover inexpensive, non formal effective media of educational and enter- tainment value for children from 4-8 years of age to each them the information, skills and attitudes that will enhance their life opportunities. The C.M.L. mainly concerns the central level agency and the States are not directly involved.
Textbook Printing Presses received as gift from the Federal Re.
public of Germany The printing press at Chandigarh which started production in January 1972 has facilities of photolitho printing in Hindi, Urdu, Gujarati and Gurumukhi. The building of the Bhubaneswar press has been completed and installation of machinery is expected to be completed shortly. The building of the Maysore press is nearing completion and orders for machinery have been placed The presses at Bhubaneswar and Mysore are expected to be fully operative during 1976- 77.
Introducing the new 10+2+3 educational structure. On the recommendation of the Education Commission the Central Advisory Board of Education has adopted a unanimous resolution recommending that the new pattern of 10+2+3 should be introduced all over India during the Fifth Plan period. The 12
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year pattern of school education is already in force in Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh. Assam, Jammu & Kashmir, West Bengal and Maharashtra have introduced the revised pattern of Secondary Education and are planning to introduce the two year course at the higher secondary stage. Bihar, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Nagaland, Tamil Nadu, Himachal Pradesh, Manipur, Tripura and Rajasthan have accepted the new pattern and are working out the details. Other State Governments are considering the matter. The Delhi Administration as well as the Central Board of Secondary Education introduced the new pattern from May, 1975. Schools in the other Union Territories will adopt the changes made by the respective Boards of Education to which they are affiliated.
CENTRAL BOARD OF SECONDARY EDUCATION The Board undertook a very stupendous task during the year 1975- 76 by introducing the new 10+2 pattern of education in the member- schools of the Board, numbering about 982, from 1st May, 1975. The first public examination under the new scheme will be held in March, 1977. The following steps were taken towards the successful implementation of the new pattern:-
(a) Syllabi and courses The syllabi and courses for the Secondary Course under the new pattern were prepared by the Board through its committees of courses in consultation with expert agencies and teachers concerned. They were circulated to all the member schools in time to enable them to prepare for the change. These have been well received by the teachers and other agencies.
(b) Textbooks for the new pattern The new textbooks for the Secondary School Examination (for classes IX and X) were released on 30th April, 19/5 a a special function held at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. The authors of the books were also honoured for their valuable contribution and certificates and prizes were awarded to 23 authors by Prof. D. P. Yadav, Deputy Minister of Education, who was the Chief Guest at the function. The Board published 14 titles of textbooks for the students of classes IX and X under 10+2 Pattern.
(c) Orienting teachers to the new pattern The Board in association with the N.C.E.R.T., New Delhi and Directorate of Education, Delhi arranged numerous programmes for all the independent schools Sainik Schools, Tibetan Schools and Government Schools in other Union Territories and administrations. The Directorate of Education, Delhi organised such
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programmes for Delhi schools whereas Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan arranged similar programmes for its schools scattered all over the country.
The teachers received training in diversified subjects as Botany and Batik, Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Life Sciences and subjects of work experience. The programmes were highly successful
Modernisation of instruction in Sciences The Board has adopted a new method of teaching Science in its member-schools which is popularly known as Project Technology. To encourage creativity among students, the Board has taken up a long programme in collaboration with the British Council. The Board organised a summer institute in Project Technology at Lawrence School, Sanawar from 23rd June to 12th July, 1975. The programme was conducted by two British experts alongwith other resource persons from the country.
Improving Mathematics teaching As part of the CAMET Project every year three Post-Graduate teachers in Mathematics from member-schools of the Board are sent to the U.K. These teachers with the help of British experts have prepared detailed instructional material on modern lines for classes IX and X based on the syllabus in Mathematics prescribed by the Board under the new pattern.
Sport meet to cover all the member-schools of the Board For the first time the Board organised an All-India Sports Meet in December, 1975 at National Stadium, New Delhi for its member- schools. Earlier in October 4 zonal meets were held at different places in the country. Winners of Zonal Sports Meets participated in the National Sports Meet.
The Board has decided to award a scholarship of 30/- per month for one year to the student who have stood first in the National Meet in different events.
Curriculum for the Plus 2 Stage The Board has set up various committees of experts for preparing syllabi and courses for plus 2 stage (classes XI and XII). The first joint meeting of the conveners of these committees was held on 30th July, 1975 to discuss and arrive at a common approach to be followed by various committees, while preparing the syllabi for their respective subjects.
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The syllabi and courses for academic subjects are being drawn so that they are relevant to life. The Vocational Courses are expected to aim at equipping the students for gainful or self-employment.
KENDRIYA VIDYALAYA SANGATHAN
Expansion of Kendriya Vidyalayas During 1975-76, 16 new Kendriya Vidyalayas were opened, 8 in the Defence areas, 3 in Civil areas and 5 in the campuses of Public Undertakings, bringing the total number of Kendriya. Vidyalayas to 203. The Sangathan now have 110 Vidyalayas in the Defences areas, 69 in Civil areas, 16 in the campuses of Public Undertakings and 6 in the Campuses of Institutions of Higher learning financed by the Government of India. They have also a Visesh Kendriya Vidyalaya at Delhi catering to the needs of the students from boarder areas and a Vidyalaya at Kathmandu. The student strength in the Kendriya. Vidyalayas has increased to 143388 registering a 10% increase over the previous year.
It has been decided that 15% and 7 1/2% of fresh admissions in each Kendriya Vidyalaya at the beginning of each academic session will be reserved for children of Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes employees respectively. For this purpose, the following relaxations are, allowed:
(i) Relaxing in the qualifying standard for admission;
(ii) Admitting a child not qualifying even under relaxed standards to the next lower classes with the parent's consent;
(iii) Relaxing where necessary, the transferability condition of the parents and admitting even children of non-transferable SC/ST employees to make up the reserved quota.
Performance in the All India Higher Secondary Examinations Of the 4855 candidates who appeared in the A.I.H.S. Examination in 1975 from 134 Vidyalayas, 4657 (95.9%) passed. 34 Vidyalayas showed 100% pass, 9 Kendriya Vidyalaya students were placed in the merit list. 2073 students were placed in the First Division and 2401 in the Second Division.
In-Service training The 10+2 pattern of education has been introduced in Kendriya Vidyalayas from 1975-76. The staff of the Sangathan and the Vidyalayas actively helped in the preparation of text-books for classes IX and X in the new syllabus. Orientation training in
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summer institutes was given to 650 teachers in Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Mathematics and 97 teachers of Economics were given orientation training in Commerce, a subject newly introduced in the Kendriya Vidyalayas in the light of the 10+2 pattern.
Work experience Work-experience, already included in the syllabus of the Kendriya Vidyalayas in classes VI to VIII, has been introduced in classes IX and X also from this year. The subjects mainly related to assembling of electrical appliances and fabrication of articles for sale and sewing the needle work as well as manufacture of stationery articles furniture items, etc. The main emphasis now is on utilising the facilities and raw materials locally available to provide goods in quantity for being sold in the market at competitive prices bearing a small margin of profit which is deposited regularly in the Post Office Savings Bank account of every participating student.
Other achievements, The students of Kendriya Vidyalayas continued to be in the limelight in National Competitions. Out of 362 students selected for the award of the Science Talent scholarships, 66 were selected from Kendriya Vidyalayas. Master K. V. Prasad, student of the Kendriya Vidyalaya, Golconda won the Soviet Land Nerhu Award in painting with an opportunity to visit the USSR this summer. Three members of the teaching staff of the Kendriya Vidyalayas won awards in the All India Seminar Competition organised by the NCERT. Shri H. N. Suthar, the Drawing Teacher of Kendriya Vidyalaya, Vallabh Vidya Nagar received the National Award for Teachers.
Sports and games A Sports Control Board of Kendriya Vidyalayas was formed in September, 1975 to promote Sports and Games and Physical Education, organise tournaments at regional and All India level, select the Sangathan teams for sports competitions, arrange for intensive training for participation, in all the regional and national sports events. Part of the expenses of the Board is met by contributions from the pupil's fund of the participating schools.
Central Tibetan Schools Administration The total number of students studying in the schools run or aided by the Administration is 7,214, out of whom 1,351 are residential students and 5,863 Day-Scholars. In residential schools, boarding and lodging, bedding and clothing, daily necessities and medical facilities are provided free to those students
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who are orphans and came to India as refugees. Mid-day meals and free text-books and stationery are provided to all students including those studying in the Day Schools.
OTHER PROGRAMMES
Bal Bhavan Society During the year eight exhibitions and twenty two workshops were organised for parents /teachers in science, clay modeling, graphic, toy-making, mask, batik, carboard-work, shcools decoration, art appreciation, wood-work, construction and puppet making. In these workshops 887 teachers participated, including instructors from various Jawahar Bal Bhavans in India.
Besides this, 15 week-end workshops also conducted which were attended by the teachers of local schools. A series of lectures on "How to guide children in Creative Art" and "Art appreciation" were attended by the teachers of different local schools.
21000 children participated in "Bal Din" and two seasonal festivals and cultural programmes on Independence Day.
The Repertory Group of Bal Bhavan gave 18 performances and plays for the children and conducted a nationwide singing programme for 35000 school children and also conducted a teacher's training programme in Music, Creative Drama and Dance.
The Revised Estimates for 1975-76 in respect of Bal Bhavan Society are Rs. 10.40 lakhs and Budget Estimates for 1976-77 are Rs. 9.50 lakhs.
National Foundation for Teachers' Welfare Collections to the Foundation Fund through voluntary contri- butions during the year totalled about Rs. 32 lakhs. Of this, 80% has been released to States and Union Territories. A sum of Rs. 2.74 crores has so far been released to 29 State and Union Territory Working Committees. The Foundation has built up a corpus of about Rs. 2.93 crores. The interest on this is given for various schemes of teachers' welfare.
National awards to teachers During 1975, 97 teachers of Primary and Secondary Schools and Sanskrit teachers working in traditional Pathshalas and Tols have been selected for these awards. The Awards carry a certificate of merit and a cash payment of Rs. 1000.