 SCHOOL EDUCATION

The Central Government has limited responsibility in school education. This is broadly confined to pilot projects and research and training activities which are, by and large, carried through the National Council of Educational Research and Training. The Union Government provides financial assistance to State Governments for the expansion of educational facilities as well as for qualitative improvement of education. Financial assistance is also provided to voluntary educational organisations engaged in carrying out significant experiments in school education. The various schemes under this sector have been classified in the following categories :

A-Expansion of School Education

B-Improvement of School Education

C-Training of Teachers

D-Education of Girls and Women

E-Other Schemes for School Education

A.EXPANSION OF SCHOOL EDUCATION

2. Expansion of Primary Education (Age-Group 6-11):

Article 45 of the Constitution enjoins on the State to endeavour to provide free, compulsory and universal education for all children until they complete the age of 14 years. In pursuance of this Directive Principle, the fourth Plan target aims at enroling 180-00 lakh additional children at this stage of education during the Plan period. This will raise the total enrolment in classes I to V to 695-33 lakh by 1970-71 which will constitute about 92.2 per cent of the population in the age-group 6-11 years. During 1966-67, the additional enrolment is expected to be 23.80 lakh.

3. Although there has been a steady increase in the facilities for primary education, the progress has not been uniform in respect of boys and girls or urban and rural areas or backward communities and the rest of the population. The progress of education has also been somewhat slow in areas where, population is sparse or where communications are difficult.

4. Expansion of Middle School Education (Age-Group 11-14):

In classes VI-XIII, the target is to enrol 80.00 lakh additional children during the fourth Plan period which will raise the total enrolment at this stage of education to 185.82 lakh by 1970-71. The percentage of this enrolment to population in age-group 11-14 years will then be 47.4. The additional enrolment during the year under review is, however, likely to be 10.17 lakh.

5. Expansion of Secondary Education (Age-Group 14-17):

The fourth Plan target of additional enrolment in classes IX-XI is 37.60 lakh. This will raise the total enrolment in these classes to 91.57 lakh by 1970.71 and the percentage of enrolment of population in the age-group 14-17 years to 25.0. The additional enrolment at this stage of education, during 1966-67, is expected to be 5.44 lakh.

6. This expansion of education has brought to the forefront the need for improving standards of education. Accordingly, the Union Government is operating a number of schemes in the Central and Centrally sponsored sectors to that end. A brief account of these is given in the next section of this chapter.

7. Legislation for Compulsory Education:

Education at the primary stage, except for special schools and some primary schools in urban areas of West Bengal, is free throughout the country. The State Governments have enacted suitable laws, or revised the old ones, for free and compulsory education. The Governments of Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Mysore, Punjab, Rajasthan and West Bengal have already brought their legislation up-to-date and in line with the Delhi Primary Education Act, 1960. Provisions for enforcing compulsory attendance exist in other States also, who are considering the question of bringing them to-date.

8. Sixth National Seminar on Elementary Education :

This seminar, which was held at Kodaikanal (Madras State) from 25th April to 1st May, 1966, made a number of recommendations for early achievement of the goal of universal education. The more important among these are as follows :

(i) Encouragement of pre-school education, particularly in rural areas;

(ii) Enactment of Compulsory Primary Education, Acts, by States which have not yet done so;

(iii) Provision of free or subsidized mid-day meals, free or subsidized books and stationery Ad free uniforms;

(iv) Raising of per capita expenditure and lowering of teacher pupil ratio in areas inhabited by scheduled tribes;

(v) Provision of suitable part-time courses for children who, due to the economic conditions of their parents, cannot attend regular schools;

(vi) Training of local women as school mothers, wherever lady teachers are not available;

(vii) Opening of separate primary schools for girls where specially needed, etc.; and

(viii) Not holding any formal promotion examination in the first and second year of schooling.

B. IMPROVEMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION

9. Basic Education:

The Education Commission has made a review. of Basic education and has recommended that the essential principles of Basic education, namely, productive activity, correlation of Curriculum with environments, and Contact with local community, are so important that they should guide and shape the educational system at all levels. The recommendations, when implemented, are likely to bring about the much needed improvement in the educational system.

10. Mid-day Meals Programme:

The School programme for children in elementary schools was started in 1962-63 in Pursuance of the recommendation of the School Health

Committee appointed by the Government of India in 1960. International organisations-CARE, UNICEF and Catholic Relief Services-provide commodities like corn flour, liquid oil, milk powder, as gift. Transportation charges, etc., are met by Government.

11. The scheme has made good progress since its inception.

During 1965-66, over 90 lakh children were covered under the programme-88,22,000 children under CARE programme in thirteen States and 2,52,000 children under the Catholic Relief Service programme in some of the Union Territories. The expenditure on the programme, in so far as States are concerned, was Rs. 178 lakh in 1966-67.

12. State Institutes of Education:

To improve the quality of education at the school level, particularly at the primary and middle school levels, the State Institutes of Education have been started under a Centrally sponsored scheme initiated during the year 1963-64. The main functions, of these Institutes are : to organise inservice training for inspecting officers, staff of training institutions for elementary teachers; to conduct studies and investigations in the elementary teacher training and to produce literature for teachers and students. Central assistance can 100 per cent basis is given to the State Governments for running the Institutes.

13. State Institutes have been established in all the States except Nagaland. During the year, an amount of Rs. 16.19 lakh was released to the State Governments for the purpose. One State Institute was started in Delhi in 1966-67 and preliminary steps have been taken to start one in Manipur.

14. Crash Programme:

This scheme for the improvement of secondary education, which was initiated in 1964-65, was continued during the year under report. Under it, Central assistance to States is given on 100 per cent basis outside the State Plan ceiling for the strengthening of science laboratories of schools at secondary level, training of science teachers, the establishment of State Institutes of Science Education etc. During 1966-67 the total expenditure on the scheme amounted to Rs. 208.46 lakh.

15. Strengthening of Diversified Courses :

This scheme aims at strengthening diversified courses in multipurpose and post-Basic schools with 100 per cent Central assistance. During 1966-67, a sum of Rs. 19.89 lakh was released to the State Governments for the purpose.

16. State Evaluation Units:

In pursuance of the recom- mendation of the Secondary Education Commission, work in regard to examination reform was started during the second Plan with the establishment of an evaluation unit at the Centre in the Directorate of Extension Programmes for Secondary Education. During the third Plan, such units were established in different States. In order to further their programmes, the Union Government introduced a Centrally sponsored scheme under which 100 per cent assistance was given to the State Governments for setting up new units as well as for expanding the work of the existing units. Such units were established in all the States except Jammu & Kashmir, Madras and Nagaland. During the year, the total amount sanctioned to the State Governments for the purpose was Rs. 2 lakh.

17. Bureau of Educational and Vocational Guidance:

Under this scheme, which was initiated in the year 1962-63, Bureaux of Educational and Vocational Guidance have been established in all the States except Madras, Jammu & Kashmir and Nagaland. Under this scheme, financial assistance is given to the State Governments on 100 per cent basis for meeting the expenditure on the working of the Bureaux. During 1966-67, the total amount sanctioned to the various State Governments was Rs. 2 lakh.

C. TRAINING AND WELFARE OF TEACHERS

18. Correspondence Courses for Elementary School Teachers In order to clear the backlog of untrained teachers in elementary school, (estimated to be 4 lakh at the end of the third Plan), it is proposed to establish correspondence courses in ten States where the number of untrained teachers, is comparatively large. During 1967-68, it is proposed to start such courses in four

States and the scheme will be gradually extended to other States. There is a provision of Rs. 6 crore for this scheme in the fourth Plan, out of which a sum of Rs. 10 lakh has been proposed for this purpose in the budget for 1967-68.

19. Correspondence Courses for Secondary-School Teachers:

It is estimated that there was a backlog of about 1 lakh untrained teachers in secondary schools at the end of the third Plan, which is proposed to be cleared, inter alia, through correspondence courses. During 1967-68, correspondence courses will be started in the Universities of Baroda and Calcutta. The details of the scheme are being finalised.

20. There is a provision of Rs. 2 crore in the fourth Plan, for this scheme, of which the National Council of Educational Research and Training is likely to utilise Rs. 55.00 lakh for this purpose. A provision of Rs. 5 lakh has been proposed for this scheme in the Ministry's budget for the year 1967-68.

21. Incentives for Teachers :

Besides providing facilities for refresher and re-orientation courses, a scheme has been included in the fourth Plan to offer incentives to teachers to improve their qualifications. A sum of Rs. 5 crore has been provided for elementary stage and Rs. 6 crore for secondary stage in the State sector for this purpose.

22. National Awards to Teachers:

During 1966-67, 98 teachers of primary and secondary schools and Sanskrit pathashalas/tols were granted National Awards in recognition of the meritorious services rendered by them to the community. A budget provision of Rs. 70,000 (non-Plan) has been made for this purpose for 1967-68.

23. Ameliorative Measures for Primary and Secondary School Teachers :

In order to improve the quality of education, the Union Government continued to take steps to improve the emoluments, service conditions and qualifications of teachers at all stages. A scheme for the improvement of salaries of teachers was initiated right in the first Plan with 50 per cent Central assistance. During the second Plan period, the actual expenditure for increase in emoluments of teachers had been

Rs. 23 crore for elementary school teachers and Rs. 9. crore for secondary school teachers. For the third Plan period, against the provision of Rs. 8.34 crore for elementary education and Rs. 3.03 crore for secondary education, the actual expenditure on these schemes is estimated to be of the order of Rs. 23.00 crore for elementary education and Rs. 14.60 crore for secondary education. Besides, there has been some non-Plan expenditure also on this account in some States.

24. The Union Government has also been stressing the need to remove disparity between the emoluments of teachers in aided schools and those in Government schools. It is encouraging to note that State Governments have taken steps to remove these disparities. The Government of India has also been emphasizing the need for adoption of the Triple Benefit Scheme (Pension, Provident Fund and Insurance) by the State Governments for, teachers in aided institutions. Eight of the States have since made a beginning with this scheme and others are considering it. In so far as the, Union Territories are concerned, the Central Government has already sanctioned the scheme with effect from 1st April, 1965.

25. Rail Concession to Elementary/Secondary School Teachers:

Rail concession, formerly granted to the teachers of primary/high and higher secondary schools, has been revived for journeys in parties of not less than four for bonafide educational tours.

26. Free Educational Facilities for Teachers' Children:

The question of providing free education to children of teachers has been under consideration of the Central and the, State Governments the Government of India has made education up to secondary stage free for children of school teachers in all the Union Territories. A few States, like Madras and West Bengal, have also made education up to the higher secondary stage free for children of primary and secondary teachers. In Jammu and Kashmir, education is free up to the postgraduate level.

D. EDUCATION OF GIRLS AND WOMEN

27. The enrolment of girls at all stages has improved further, as a result of several steps taken by the Government during

the first three Plans to encourage women's education. It is envisaged that their enrolment by the end of the fourth Plan will be as under:

                                          
 
        
        Age-Group            Enrolment of Girls           Percentage to Total
                            Target for 1970-71                 Enrolment
        
                                          
        
                            (Figures in lakh)
        
        6-11                     252.73                         36.3
        
        11-14                    51.99                          28.0
        
        14-17                    22.27                           24.3

28. National Council for Women's Education:

The Council continued to advise the Government on various matters relating to girls' education, to promote the activities of the State Councils for Women's Education and to maintain contacts between the Government and the various organisations working in this field.

29. To ensure a faster pace of expansion of educational facilities at all stages of education during the fourth Plan, the Council at its eighth meeting recommended: (1) opening of schools in educationally backward areas; (2) opening of girls' schools and classes in rural areas at all stages and particularly at the primary stage and separate sections for girls in co-educational schools; and (3) appointment and training of women teachers.

30. Special programmes recommended by the Council for the spread of girls' education are: (1) construction of teachers' quarters; (2) special allowance to women teachers; (3) opening of hostels for girls; (4) construction of sanitary blocks for girls; and (5) appointment of school mothers.

31. The Council has since been reconstituted and all the chairmen of State Councils for Women's Education or the representatives of the Education Departments of the State Governments have been made its members to make the Council more representative and effective.

32. With a view to educating public opinion and organising propaganda for the spread of girls' education, the State Governments have been requested to organise seminars on programmes and policies regarding girls' education. The entire expenditure on these seminars, not exceeding Rs. 12,000 per seminar, is to be borne by the Union Government.

E. OTHER SCHEMES FOR SCHOOL EDUCATION

33. Central Schools:

These schools, which have a common syllabus and medium of instruction, have been established all over India for the benefit of children/wards of Government employees of the transferable category. During the year, 103 schools were functioning in the country of which a list is given in Annexure IV. Steps have been taken to start eight more schools. About 45,000 children are studying in these schools. The administration of these schools has been, with effect from 1st April, 1966, entrusted to an autonomous organisation called the Central Schools Organisation or Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan which is financed wholly by grants from the Central Government. The following budget provisions have been made for the Central Schools Organisation.

                                          
        
        Budget Estimates         Revised Estimates        Budget Estimates
        1966-67                       1966-67                  1967-68
        
                                          
        
        Rs. 1,68,22,000          Rs. 2,23,68,000          Rs. 1,81,00,000