SCHOOL EDUCATION
The main programmes in the field of School Education include :
(i) Universal, free and compulsory elementary education; (ii) Vocationalisation of higher secondary education (iii) Improvement of quality ; (iv) Educational technology for the improvement of quality of education and expansion of educational facilities; and (v) Programmes carried out through National Council of Educational Research and Training.
Other programmes concern the provision of schooling facilities to children of transferable Central Government employees and of Tibetan refugees in India; women's education; recognition of school teachers through National Awards; welfare of teachers in indigent circumstances ; provision of extra curricular activities to children through Bal Bhavan Kendras; educational concessions to children of defence personnel ; and implementation of cultural exchange programmes in the field of school education.
Universal, Free and Compulsory Elementary Education To realise as part of a time-bound programme, the goal of free and compulsory education for all children of the age-group 6-14, the 1978-83 Plan assigns the highest priority to the programme of universalisation of elementary education. Elementary education was accordingly included in the Revised Minimum Needs Programme and allocated Rs. 900 crores or 45.3 per cent of the total Plan allocation for Education in the draft 1978-83 Plan.
Free Education : Education in classes I-V is already free in Government, local bodies and aided schools in all parts of the country. It is also free in classes VI-VIII in all States/Union Territories except for boys in Orissa and Uttar Pradesh.
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Compulsory Education Acts : Legislation for compulsory primary education exists in all States except Bihar, Manipur, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura; among the Union Territories, such legislation is in force in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chandigarh and Delhi.
Programme of Universalisation of Elementary Education: The total number of non-enrolled children at the elementary stage (classes I- VIII) is of the order of 470 lakhs. The hardcore of non-enrolled children a the primary stage (classes I-V) consists of children from the weaker sections of the community like Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, agricultural landless labourers and urban slum-dwellers. Two- thirds of the non-enrolled children are girls and three-fourths of the non-enrolled children are in nine educationally backward States, namely, Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Jammu and Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.
Outlining a feasible strategy for the universalisation programme, the Working Group on Universalisation of Elementary Education recommended a target of additional enrolment of 320 lakhs by 1982-83. It also recommended a major policy change every child shall continue to learn in the age group 6-14, on a full-time basis, if possible and on a part-time basis, if necessary. The Group suggested that 50 per cent of the additional children to be enrolled during 1978-83 may be covered by non-formal part-time education. The States/Union Territories by and large accepted the strategy chalked out and recommendations made by the Working Group. Thus the Sixth Five Year Plan of 22 States have included the target of a total additional enrolment of 263.32 lakhs including a coverage of 100.47 lakhs through non-formal channel.
Central Assistance for Non-formal Education in Educationally Backward States : Based on the recommendations of the Working Group, a special scheme of Central assistance to the nine educationally backward States, namely, "Experimental Projects for Nonformal Education for Children of 9-14 Age-group", has been taken up for implementation. Originally, a sum of Rs. 50 crores. was accepted as the Central Sector Plan outlay for this scheme, with a target of 29,63,350 pupil coverage in 73,690 non-formal education centres. This outlay has now been reduced to Rs. 25 crores and accordingly the norms and pattern of assistance have undergone change. The Central assistance on the basis of the proposals submitted by these nine States has started flowing from the current financial year. The academic component of non-formal
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part-time education is being provided by the NCERT through the State Councils of Educational Research and Training/State Institutes of Education.
Progress of Enrolment : The following table indicates the posi- tion and target of enrolment at the elementary stage :
1950-51 1977-78 1978-79 Target
(Provisional) 1982-83
(in lakhs)
Age-group 6-11
Enrolment : Classes I-V 191.55 701.50 721.65 912
Enrolment as percentage of
age-group population 42.6 82.8 84.5 103
Age-group 11-14
Enrolment : Classes VI-VII I31.20 177.67 181.17 288
Enrolment as percentage of
age-group population 12.7 37.9 38.1 57
Age-group 6-14
Enrolment : Classes I-VIII 222.75 879.17 902.83 1,200
Enrolment as percentage of
age-group population 32.4 66.9 67.9 87
Special Programmes with Central Initiative : Four measures of importance have been taken by the Central Government to support and sustain the programme of Universalisation of Elementary Education. These are :
(a) The Fourth All India Educational Survey : It was mounted in all States and Union Territories with Central funding, with 30th September, 1978 as the reference date. By December, 1979 State tables had been received from all States and Union Territories except Uttar Pradesh and Punjab.
(b) Special Study of Elementary Education Administra- tion : This was undertaken in respect of nine educa- tionally backward states through the agency of the National Institute of Educational Planning and Ad- ministration. The final reports of the study of all the nine States have been received and an administrative model for universalisation of elementary education is under preparation.
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(c) Monitoring of Attendance : For the first time, an attempt has been made to collect block-level attendance reports in respect of all primary and middle schools directly by the Centre for computerisation, quick processing and feedback to the States for remedial steps. This, however, is yet to be introduced on a universal scale as an integral part of the elementary education system.
(d) Supply of Paper : The Government of Sweden, through the Swedish International Development Authority, have agreed to provide assistance to the tune of Rs. 140 million for paper needed for nonformal education programmes for elementary age-group children. An agreement covering this assistance was signed on January 21, 1980.
Quality Improvement Programmes at the Elementary Stage With UNICEF assistance the following experimental and innovative programmes for improvement of quality of elementary education have been in operation.
(a) Science Education Programme Implemented since 1970-71 on a pilot basis, Science Education Programme was continued on a wider basis during the Fifth Plan period. A significant component of the Science Education. Programme has been a project of Nutrition and Health Education and Environmental Sanitation in Primary Schools, implemented, on an experimental basis, through 5 Regional Nutrition Education Centres. Under this project, handbooks for primary teachers to teach environmental science with the help of local resources and improvisation were developed.
(b) Primary Education Curriculum Renewal Implemented since 1975 in 15 States, in 30 primary schools in each State, the project aims at a qualitative adjustment of the curriculum to the life-style of the child and to the socio-economic opportunities available in the areas of the project schools. In almost all the states the entire package of curriculum materials for classes I-V had been prepared and is in try-out stages. The revision of Materials for classes I-II has been completed. From the current year the programme is being extended to another 100 schools in each of the 15 participating States. It is also being introduced for the first time in experimental phase in the remaining States/Union Territories.
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Developmental Activities in Community Education and Participation : This project has been under implementation in the 15 States in which the project of Primary Education Curriculum Renewal is under implementation. Under this, two communities in each of the 15 States have been selected and programmes and activities or various target groups, particularly for drop-outs, out-of-school children and adults have been developed so that the educational activities, mainly of non- formal nature, could meet the needs of those who are partly or totally deprived of any education. The project is being extended to another 50 centres, thus covering a total of 80 centres, in all the States and Union Territories.
Children's Media Laboratory : This project is being implemented by the NCERT to develop materials for education and entertainment in different 'Media for children in 4-8 years age-group.
Comprehensive Access to Primary Education (CAPE) : The above three projects have provided adequate experiences and expertise for taking up a massive programme of producing decentralised Curriculum and relevant materials in the country. Accordingly, CAPE project has been undertaken with technical cooperation of Unesco. The NCERT has already organised training and orientation programmes for State level resource teams and has prepared necessary training packages. At the State level, the States have organised training programmes for principals of elementary teaCher training institutions who will play a key role in CAPE project.
Vocationalisation of Higher Secondary Education This centrally sponsored scheme, started in February 1977, was discontinued from April 1979 and transferred to the State Sector in accordance with the decision of the National Development Council. Financial assistance, was released for the conduct of vocational surveys in 131 selected districts of Assam, Gujarat, Haryana, Jammu & Kashmir, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Nagaland, Orissa, Punjab, Sikkim, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and Tripura. Vocational courses were introduced With Central financial assistance 'in nine districts of Karnataka and eight districts of Maharashtra. The Government of West Bengal was also given grants-in-aid to supplement their efforts in the field of vocationalisation. Action has been initiated to implement the recommendations of the National Review Committee on Higher Secondary Education with special reference to vocationalisation and the Working Group on Vocationalisation.
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Educational Technology Programme The Programme launched in 1972-73 with the objective of promoting an integrated use of mass media and technology at all levels of education is being implemented through the Centre of Educational Technology as a constituent unit of the NCERT, and Educational Technology Cells in the States.
Centre of Educational Technology : The important programmes undertaken during the year were in the area of training, research projects and production of materials.
Training (i) A seminar on the role of educational technology in uni- versalisation of primary education to acquaint ET Cell officers and those in charge of primary education with the possible uses of educational technology in educating school children.
(ii) An orientation workshop at Shillong for the personnel of the North-Eastern States to assist in the development of meaningful programmes in educational technology.
(iii) A training course in evaluation in educational technology to impart basic understanding about the concept and practices of research methodology.
(iv) A workshop on innovative practices of teaching and learning techniques for supervisors of the National Adult Education Programme in collaboration with the St. Xaviers' Institute of Social Service, Ranchi, Bihar.
(v) Two 15 days' workshops in script writing for educational television at Bangalore and Delhi followed by an eight-week training course in the area.
(vi) A 10-day training course in the theory and practice of 1/2 inch portable video production.
(vii) A 15-day workshop for prototype production of TV programmes for very young children and a seminar of Doordarshan Programme Producers on problems and techniques of producing good television programmes for young children.
(viii) A month-long orientation programme on film animation attended by 15 participants from Doordarshan, ET Cells, FTII and NCERT.
(ix) A 15-day training course-cum-workshop in script writing for primary school radio broadcasts for 20 participants at Pune
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(x) A seminar on the management and organisation of cor- respondence education for participants of eight Universities and two Boards of Secondary Education.
Special Projects (i) Work on a feasibility project on teaching Hindi as a first language to children in Classes I-III with the help of radio and supportive material continued. The experiment is confined to 500 primary schools in the districts of Ajmer and Jaipur of Rajasthan.
(ii) A project aimed at developed prototype course material for continuing education of weavers has been taken up in a colony of handloom weavers in Delhi. A curriculum on improved practices in weaving, dyeing, managerial marketing, etc., was finalised in a workshop.
(iii) Editing and illustration of compilation of 100 games for pre-primary and primary school children is under progress.
Production The Centre has produced 47 audio-tape programmes using archival materials of Akashvani, bringing the total number of audio-tape programmes to 203.
Educational Technology in the States Twenty States have so far set up Educational Technology Cells. The programme has been initiated with hundred per cent Central assistance for five years, presently restricted up to the end of the Sixth Plan. Seven Educational Technology Cells (in Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Orissa) are now functioning with State Government support.
The Educational Technology Cells are primarily engaged in bringing about greater utilisation of radio broadcasts and television programmes (where available) in collaboration with primary schools, AIR stations and Doordarshan centres. Andhra Pradesh is training teachers in script writing and developing questionnaires to assess utilization of the broadcasts. Orissa has persuaded schools to purchase radio sets out of school funds, and has established a silk screen printing unit for preparing graphic materials on experimental basis. It has also undertaken studies on impact of SITE on enrolment and attendance and on language
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development in primary school children. In Gujarat the Educational Technology Cell in collaboration with the H. M. Patel Institute of English, Vallabhnagar is continuing work on teaching English through radio broadcasts and support materials for teachers. Rajasthan is assisting the Centre for Educational Technology in its feasibility project on teaching English by radio in schools. The Bihar Educational Technology Cell has finalized its report on evaluation of the multi media package used for training of teachers during SITE on the basis of two training camps organized by the Educational Technology Cells for the purpose of evaluation, Karnataka has undertaken a pilot correspondence-cum-contact course for primary school teachers in Tumkur and Kolar districts. Meghalaya and Tamil Nadu organized district level seminars and conferences to create awareness of the role of educational technology.
Open School An Open School has been started by the Central Board of Secondary Education as a viable alternative system to cater to the needs of school drop-outs, working adults and women of rural areas and economically backward communities. It expects to start enrolling students in September 1980. The project is expected to be financially self-supporting.
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH AND TRAINING The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) was established in 1961 to assist and advise the Ministry of Education and Culture in implementing policies and major programmes in the field of education, particularly school education. During the year 1978-79, the Administrative Staff College of India, Hyderabad, reviewed the working of this Organisation and submitted a report : "Strategic Objectives and Organisation Design for NCERT".
The NCERT continued to undertake research, training, development and extension activities for qualitative improvement of school education in the country. Activities were determined by the emerging social concern of the national task of over-all economic development and the main focus of attention was in the direction of preparation of textbooks, etc., for the 10+2 pattern of schooling, universalisation of elementary education, vocationalisation of education, and improvement of teacher training.
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I. Development The important developmental activities include preparation and production of :
(i) Eighteen titles of text books and workbooks and 12 titles of handbooks and teachers' guides for various subject areas of 10+2 pattern of schooling and revised versions of nine textbooks.
(ii) Six textbooks and handbooks for elementary and secondary teacher educators.
(iii) Curriculum development in the area of Socially Useful Productive Work and, Vocationalisation of Education at the +2 stage.
(iv) Reading materials in Hindi for non-formal educa- tion for use in the experimental Non-formal Centres.
(v) Package of instructional materials for the primary stage in 15 States participating in Primary Curriculum Renewal Project.
(vi) Proto-types of an integrated science kit for the middle stage, an electronic kit for the secondary stage, low-cost teaching aids for rural primary teachers and audio-visual materials for non-formal education of rural adults.
(vii) 12,000 primary science kits for the States.
II. Training and Extension The four Regional Colleges of Education continued- to provide regular pre-service and in-service training for teachers. The National Institute of Education continued the diploma course in Educational and Vocational Guidance. In addition the following notable activities were organised :
(i) Under the Intensive Teacher Education, Programme (ITEP) two workshops for Elementary Teacher Educators were organised in, Jammu and, Kashmir and Tamil Nadu and one for Secondary Teacher Educators in Madhya Pradesh.
(ii) The various departments of the NIE, the, Regional Colleges of Education and the Centre for Educational. Technology conducted a number of training/orientation courses and workshops for the resource
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persons from various States in the areas of curriculum development, preparation and evaluation of textbooks, examination reform, pupil evaluation, micro-teaching, vocationalisation of education and different aspects of audio-visual education and educational technology.
(iii) Over 50 Centres for continuing education for tea- chers have started functioning in various States/ Union Territories.
(iv) Six National Integration Camps (four for students and two for teachers) were organised.
(v) Fifteen orientation camps on educational use of puppetry were organised.
(vi) The IXth National Science Exhibition for children was organised at Bombay in collaboration with Maharashtra Government and a Science Exhibition with emphasis on Space was organised in New Delhi in collaboration with Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund.
III. Survey and Research (i) Survey : Some reports of the Third All-India Educational Survey (1973-78) have been published and others are under print. The work on the Fourth All-India Educational Survey (1978-80) continued during the year. The Council helped the States in the preparation and finalisation of State tables and scrutinizing them, and has taken up the compilation of national tables.
(ii) Research : The Educational Research and Innovation Committee of the NCERT approved 78 outside research projects and 150 research projects by constituent units in various areas of school education.
IV. National Talent Search During 1979 the NCERT held the National Talent Search Test at- three different stages. The number of candidates who appeared in the test and the number of awards made were Class X, 43,000 and 250, Class XI, 10,000 and 100, Class XII, 29,000 and 150 respectively.
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V. Special Programmes (1)The following categories of non-formal education programmes have been taken up :
(i) In some selected community centres, specific pro- grammes and learning materials have been developed by involvement of teachers centred around the local environment and concept of socially useful productive work for different age-groups, and are being tried out as models of community education.
(ii) Preparation of materials for non-formal education on a pilot basis for use in about 200 experimental Non- formal Education Centres set up by the Regional Colleges of Educationists and Field Advisers in various States/Union Territories.
(2) Population education received greater attention during the year. A national Population Education Project for the period 1980-83 has been prepared and submitted for financial support from UNFPA. A training programme for State level key personnel for population education was organised and some audiovisual aids were developed. NCERT hosted, on behalf of UNESCO, a regional workshop on "Innovative Structures and Approach to Population Education" which was attended by participants from 12 countries.
(3) The Tribal Education Unit has organised orientation course for district education officers from tribal areas to acquaint them with tribal lives and cultures and problems of tribal education. The Unit has also developed draft syllabus for a training course for teachers of non-formal education centres operating in tribal areas.
(4) The Women's Education Unit has undertaken studies on the status of women as evinced through the teaching of languages and other school subjects.
VI.International Cooperation (1) The Council is one of the Associate Centres of Asian Programme for Educational Innovation and Development (APEID) of UNESCO and functions as the Secretariat of the National Development Group. It hosted, on behalf of UNESCO, the "Sixth Regional Consultation Meeting on APEID" at Bangalore in April 1979.
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(2) Under the auspices of UNESCO, four other programmes were organised which were attended by participants from South East Asian countries :
(i) Mobile Educational Seminar an Science Education;
(ii) Study Visit by South East Asian teams on Educa- tional Technology ;
(iii) Regional Workshop on Innovative Structures and Approaches to Population Education;
(iv) Study Group Meeting on Training Methodologies based on locally available learning resources.
VII. Publications During the year the Council published 205 titles which included school level textbooks, work books, teachers' guide, Supplementary reading material, research monographs and reports and brochures. It continued to publish its five journals in English and one in Hindi.
CENTRAL, BOARD OF SECONDARY EDUCATION The Board is an autonomous Organisation set up for raising the standards of secondary education and meeting the educational needs of students migrating from one state to another. This year 113 new schools were affiliated to the Board bringing the total to 1,287 which includes Government and aided schools from Union Territories, Kendriya Vidyalayas, Sainik and Military schools, Public Undertaking schools, as also 13 schools located abroad.
The Board conducted, for the first time, the Senior School Certificate Examinations under the 10+2 pattern in the year 1979. Four different examinations were conducted by the Board at secondary and senior secondary levels at which 1,30,469 candidates appeared. The Merit Scholarship Examination for admissions to residential secondary schools was also conducted by the Board for the first time this year.
Besides regular review of its syllabi and courses the Board also introduced Socially Useful Productive Work as a compulsory area of study, both at the secondary and senior secondary stages, in order to make education need-based. At the secondary stage alternative courses in mathematics and science were introduced.
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A variety of extension programmes in the field of mathematical education, project technology, science education and examination reform were also undertaken, some of them in collaboration with the British Council.
CENTRAL TIBETAN SCHOOLS ADMINISTRATION The Central Tibetan Schools Administration, an autonomous organisation set up for managing and assisting institutions for the education of children of Tibetan refugees in India, runs four residential and 18 day schools. Assistance in the form of grant-in- aid is being provided to 11 institutions. The total number of students studying in these schools is 9,000-1,646 boarders and 7,354 day scholars.
The schools having class IX and above are affiliated to the Central Board of Secondary Education and prepare students for the All India Secondary School Examination and All India Senior Schools Certificate Examination. The curricula courses and textbooks up to classes VIII are those prepared by National Council of Educational Research and Training. In addition to English, students are also taught Hindi and Tibetan language. The result of Tibetan Schools in the Secondary School Examinations held in 1979 was 68.4 per cent. The Central Tibetan Schools Administration also awards scholarships to Tibetan students for prosecuting higher studies. Twenty seven students received such assistance,
KENDRIYA VIDYALAYA SANGATHAN This is an autonomous organisation set tip to provide educational facilities for the children of transferable Central Government employees. During the year, 26 new Kendriya Vidyalayas were opened, bringing the total to 291. The students' enrolment as on 1-8-79 was 2,24,203 as against 2,02,876 in the preceding year.
In the All India Senior School Certificate Examination held in June 1979, 3,779 students passed out of the 3,819 who appeared, the pass percentage being 98.95. Twelve students were placed in the merit list of the first 15 in Science Group and three in the merit list for Humanities Group. In All India Secondary School Examination at the end of Class X 10,295 students passed out of 10,340, the pass percentage being 99.56. Four students came in the merit list.
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In-service training courses were held in sciences, social sciences and languages for both trained graduate and primary teachers. A special workshop was held on 'Socially Useful Productive Work for the Principals.
One primary teacher received a National Award for 1979, five Principals received British Council Fellowships for training in educational management, seven teachers and officials were sponsored for a course on paper setting and evaluation in UK under Colombo Plan, one teacher was sponsored for CAMET training programme and two for science training under Project Technology.
Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan which is a recognised "State" for sports competition was adjudged 7th among 24 States in the winter meet held at Nagpur. The Sangathan has been organising trekking and mountaineering for its students. One hundred and fifty students participated in the programme. Thirty five talented students received stipends.
One student received the Soviet Land Nehru Award in painting, another was awarded the best turnout prize during the Republic Day Parade in Delhi. One student was among the 12 international winners of an essay competition organised by British Airways in collaboration with the World Art and Adventure Club, London.
BAL BHAVAN During 1979, declared as the International Year of the Child, the Bal Bhavan Society sent a delegation of 15 children to participate in the Children's International Assembly "Banner of Peace" held at Sofia, Bulgaria (August 15-25). In Delhi it organised a Bal Utsav in which children from all parts of the country participated.
In addition to its regular activities, the society opened ten new Bal Kendras in resettlement colonies of Delhi. It also organised the first All India Bal Bhavan Conference to promote the movement in the country.
Girls' and Women's Education The Government of India have recognised the need and importance of girls' and women's education and formulated a variety of programmes from time to time for their educational growth.
During the ten year period ending 1978-79 there has been an annual growth of 3.2 per cent in enrolment in classes I-V and 5.5 per cent in classes VI-VIII. The percentage increase in the girls' enrolment for these, two segments was 1.6 per cent and 5.1 per cent respectively during the same period.
The position in respect of 1978-79 is as follows
Stage Total number of
girls on rolls
Primary 282.2 lakhs
Middle 61.9 lakhs
Secondary 19.7 lakhs