INDIAN NATIONAL COMMISSION FOR CO-OPERATION WITH UNESCO
India has been a member of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation since its inception in 1946. Article VII of the Constitution of UNESCO requires that "each Member State shall make arrangements as suit its particular conditions for purposes of associating its principal bodies interested in educational, scientific and cultural matters with the work of the Organisation preferably by the formation of a National Commission or any representative of the Government and such bodies" land further provides that "National Commissions or national cooperating bodies, where they exist, staff act in an advisory capacity to their respective delegations to the General Conference and to their Governments in matters relating to the Organization and shall function as agencies of liaison in all matters of interest to it". Accordingly, an interim Indian National Commission for Cooperation with UNESCO, was set up in 1949, and a permanent Commission was established in 1951. Since then the working of the Commission has been reviewed from time to time. It was last reconstituted in September, 1974.
The functions of the Commission are: to promote understanding of the objects and purposes of UNESCO among the people of the Republic of India; to serve as a liaison agency between the Government of India and the institutions concerned with the working for, the advancement of education, science and culture; and to advise the Government of India on matters relating to UNESCO. During the year under review the Commission actively cooperated with UNESCO in its efforts to promote international understanding and world peace through education, science, culture and communication.
At the invitation of the Indian National Commission for Co- operation with the UNESCO, Ministry of Education and Social Welfare, the Sixth Regional Conference of the UNESCO National Commissions of Asia and Oceania was held at New Delhi from November 10-15, 1975. The Conference was attended by 98 delegates and observers representing seventeen National Commissions in the region, the Unesco National Commissions of certain countries outside Asia, and Oceania, the Unesco, and other international governmental and non-governmental organisations. The
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Conference was inaugurated by Prof. S. Nurul Hasan, Minister of Education, Social Welfare and Culture, Government of India. Mr. John E. Fobes, Deputy Director General of Unesco, represented the Director General of Unesco at this Conference. The delegation from Mongolia was led by Minister of Education and, that from Nepal by Minister of Education and Communication and Chairman, Unesco National Commission of Nepal. The delegations from Burma and Afghanistan were led by their Deputy Ministers of Education.
The Conference adopted ten important recommendations concerning regional cooperation amongst the National Commissions of Asia and Oceania in the fields of education, natural sciences and their application to development, social sciences, humanities and culture and communication which fall within the purview of Unesco's competence.
It also made useful suggestions for effecting re-orientations in the policies and programmes of Unesco concerning the countries in the region of Asia and Oceania as well as for setting up suitable machinery for their implementation. it also recommended inten- sification of Unesco, activities to improve the conditions of women in the context of the programme of the International Women's, Year and their follow-up.
Amongst the major recommendations were
(1) Strengthening regional cooperation among the countries of Asia and Oceania in science, education, culture and communication activities;
(2) Decentralisation of Unesco Programmes and streng- thening of regional offices and institutes;
(3) Establishment of regional science information centres in Asia and Oceania;
(4) Building up of indigenous capabilities in science and technology;
(5) Formation in cooperation with the other agencies, programmes for the building up of competence and expertise within the countries of the region and also for setting up centres for technology transfer within the framework of the programme of action for the establishment of new international economic order;
(6) Considering the feasibility of setting up a Regional Centre for Social Sciences in Asia and Oceania;
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(7) Dissemination of information relating to promotion of human rights, peace and international understanding; and
(8) Strengthening of National Commissions in the region.
The Education Minister also utilized the opportunity of having an informal exchange of views and discussions with the leaders of the delegations from participating countries on matters relating to regional cooperation.
The Commission brings out a quarterly "Newsletter" to publicise information about the activities of the Commission and Unesco in India, and "World in the Classroom", a special bulletin.
The National Commission has been promoting the establishment of UNESCO Clubs in various centres including universities. libraries and educational and cultural institutions. So far 116 such Unesco Clubs have been established throughout the country. These clubs undertake activities to disseminate information, about the aims and the, policies of UNESCO, U.N. etc. and arrange various programmes in the fields of education, science, culture, etc. to promote international understanding, cooperation and world' peace. The Clubs have been asked to take up action programmes of utility to the communities in which they are located. The Commission has been sending publications, periodicals and other materials received from UNESCO or brought out by the Commission itself to all UNESCO clubs regularly. Special kits of the material are sent to these clubs to enable them to celebrate U.N. Day and Human Rights Day in a befitting manner.
The Indian National Commission for Cooperation with UNESCO continued to get the Hindi and Tamil editions of UNESCO "Courier" published through the National Book Trust, India, Publication Section of the Ministry of Education & Social Welfare and the Southern Languages Book Trust, Madras, respectively.
The Commission continued to operate the UNESCO International Coupons Scheme designed to assist institutions and individuals working in the fields of education, science, culture and communication on payment in Indian rupees. Coupons worth Rs. thirteen lakhs approximately were sold during 1975.
International Meetings During the year 1975-76, 97th and 98th Sessions of the Executive Board of UNESCO were held in May, 1975 and September-October, 1975 respectively in Paris. Shri Parthasarthi, India's representative on the Board participated in the deliberations.
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India also participated in a number of international Confernces and Seminars organised by UNESCO, Important amongst them were:
(i) 35th Session of the International Bureau of Education and 12th Session of the Council of the International Bureau of Education held in Geneva from 27th August to 5th September, 1975. The Indian delega- tion consisted of Shri K. N. Channa, Education Secretary, Dr. Satish Chandra, Vice-Chairman of the University Grants Commission and Shri Maheshwar Dayal, India's Deputy Permanent Representative to UNESCO in Paris.
(ii) Commonwealth Conference on Materials for Learning and Teaching held in Wellington (New Zealand) from 22nd September 1975 to 3rd October 1975 and Commonwealth Educational Broadcasting Conference held in Sydney from 7th to 16th October 1975. India was represented by Prof. Rais Ahmed, Director, National Council for Educational Research and Training, New Delhi.
(iii) 13th Session of the Council of the International Bureau of Education in Geneva from 6th to 9th January, 1976. Education Secretary Shri K. N. Channa, represented India assisted by Shri Maheshwar Dayal, India's Deputy Permanent Representative to UNESCO, Paris.