INTRODUCTORY
Policy and Approach The most important problems in the field of education in India are:
(i) spread of literacy and (ii ) universalisation of elementary education. The
Sixth Plan lays emphasis on minimum essential education to all citizens irres-
pective of their age, sex and residence. Highest priority has, therefore,
been assigned to the programme of universalisation of elementary education
for the children of age-group 6-14 and literacy for adults in the age-group
15-335. These programmes are included in the New 20-Point Programme,
which sets a target date of 1990 for the realisation of these objectives.
Though the Programmes are basically implemented through State Govern-
ments, the Education Ministry is in close touch with the State Governments
in so far as these programmes are concerned. In pursuit of these programmes,
a Scheme of Awards to States for Excellence in enrolment of girls and adult
women has been started. In realisation of the fact that majority of the
non-enrolled children belong to weaker sections, the system of non-formal
education is being developed and elementary education is being imparted at
places and timings convenient to them.
At the secondary stage, the programme of Vocationalisation at +2 stage
is being strengthened.
In the field of higher education, the first degree courses are being
restructured to make education more relevant to the needs of the people,
to increase the employability of graduates and to instil in their minds a spirit
of service to the community.
In the technical education sector, Schemes like Sandwich Diploma courses,
Apprenticeship Training, Community Polytechnics are expected to bring
technical education and industry together and to forge beneficial linkages
between them.
For promoting national integration, a new Scheme of Community Singing
has been launched.
Planning and Monitoring Monitoring of Point 16 of the New 20-Point Programme relating to
universalisation of elementary education and adult education was continued
during the year under report. The Bureau of Planning, Monitoring & Statis-
tics of the Ministry submitted periodical reports to the Planning Commission
and Prime Minister's Office after collecting the requisite information from
various States/Union Territories. In addition, it continued to discharge its
functions of coordination of Annual and Five Year Educational Plans and
monitoring progress of implementation of the schemes in the Central and
State sectors. It has been decided to strengthen the monitoring, evaluation
and statistical machinery. Accordingly, special provisions are being made
in the Annual Plan 1984-85 both in the Central and State sectors.
Annual Plan 1983-84 The Annual Plan 1983-84 was finalised and a sum of Rs. 679.74 crores
and 1984-85 comprising Rs. 155.30 crores in the Central Sector and Rs. 524.44 crores
in the State sector was provided for immediate development of education.
For the year 1983-84, the Plan outlay for education constituted 2.67 per cent
of the total Plan outlay of the country; 1.12 per cent in the Central sector
and 4.51 per cent in the State sector. On Education the proportion of
1983-84 Plan outlay to the total Sixth Plan outlay worked out to 26.9 per
cent (21.1 per cent in the Central sector and 29.3 per cent in the State
sector). For 1984-85, as against the Ministry's proposals for an outlay of
Rs. 335 crores an outlay of Rs. 203.65 crores (inclusive of Rs. 7 crores
for science and technology special schemes under SACC) has been agreed
to. This constitutes 27.7 per cent of the Sixth Plan Central Sector outlay
for Education.
(vii)
Special Component Plan for For the educational development of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled
Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes the Ministry have proposed to provide about 12.2 per cent of the
Tribes Sub-Plan divisible outlay for Special Component Plan for Scheduled Castes and 7 per
cent of the divisible outlay for the Tribal Sub-Plan areas for the year
1984-85. The corresponding percentages in 1983-84 plan of the Ministry
were 20.25 and 10.90 respectively.
Educational Statistics The Report of the High Level Committee to review the entire educational
statistics system in the country has been approved by the Government and
action has been initiated to implement its recommendations.
Elementary Education The major development in elementary education has been its inclusion
in the New 20-Point Programme of the Government as Point No. 16. The
target year for reaching the Constitutional goal of universal elementary educa-
tion under the new 20-Point Programme is 1989-90, in line with the objective
adopted in the Sixth' Plan. Besides, elementary education continued to be
an essential component of the Minimum Needs Programme of the Plan.
The programme of universalisation has been pursued during the year
with greater intensity both in the Ministry of Education and in the State/
Union Territory Education Departments. Some of the important steps taken
in this regard are listed below
Holding of regional conferences of State Education Secretaries to
take stock of the present position, identify problems and decide on
the steps needed for fulfilling the targets. Four such regional Con-
ferences were held during the year at Chandigarh on May 21, 1983
for the States and Union Territory in the Northern Region, at Pune
on August 27, 1983 for the States and Union Territory in the Western
Region, at New Delhi on January 7, 1984 for the States of Andhra
Pradesh, Assam, Jammu & Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan,
Uttar Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh and at Calcutta on January 10,
1984 for the States of Bihar, Orissa and West Bengal.
Holding of a meeting of the Central Advisory Board of Education
at New Delhi on June 6-7, 1983, and the Conference of Education
Secretaries at New Delhi on September 20-21, 1983, which inter-alia
reviewed the position of Universalisation of Elementary Education.
Designating high level officers of the Ministry as Area Officers for the
20-Point Programme i.e. Elementary Education and Adult Education.
Meeting of the State Task Forces on Elementary Education in
educationally backward States.
Mounting of a National Campaign on Universalisation of Elementary
Education as was done in 1982-83 for intensive efforts for increasing
enrolment and retention at the elementary stage as also to improve
efficiency of performance. The Campaign designed to create a
climate for nation-wide involvement was concentrated on actions
related to increasing enrolment, monitoring of attendance, filling up
of vacancies of teachers, recruitment of women-teachers and popu-
larising non-formal education for elementary age-group children
Follow-up action was proposed throughout the academic year.
Additional enrolment during 1983-84 in classes I-VIII is likely to exceed
the target of 47.025 lakhs fixed under the 20-Point Programme. Emphasis
under the current Plan is on the primary stage; it will shift to the middle
stage during the next plan period. Against 117 lakhs target of additional
enrolment during 1980-85 at the primary stage, the likely achievement during
the first four years of the Plan is estimated to be of the order of 95.95
lakhs. Against the target of 63 lakhs of additional enrolment at the middle
stage, the corresponding likely achievement is of the order of 60.77 lakhs.
Comprehensive measures have also been afoot towards reducing the high
drop-out rates at the elementary stage and for improving the retention rates.
In addition, during 1983-84 the total coverage of children under the
alternate supportive system of non-formal education was of the order of
26.64 lakhs in a total number of 1,13,000 centres, both at primary and
(viii)
middle stages. The nine educationally backward States had a total coverage
of 23.86 lakhs through 1,02,494 centres.
The programme of Universalisation is target-group-oriented. Almost
all States/Union Territories have quantified the size of their problems relating
to the enrolment and coverage of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes
with special emphasis on girls' coverage. For this purpose, many of the
States/Union Territories have identified the backward areas/pockets for
special intensive efforts. As for the country as a whole, nine States were
identified as being educationally backward for special Central assistance.
The major steps taken for intensive efforts in the educationally backward
States are as follows :
National Committee on Elementary Education was constituted in
August 1980, under the chairmanship of Union Education Secretary,
with Education Secretaries of these States, Adviser (Education),
Planning Commission, Director, NCERT and Director, NIEPA as
members, with Joint Secretary (Schools), in the Ministry of Educa-
tion as the member-Secretary. This Committee has since been desig-
nated as National Committee on Point 16 of the 20-Point Programme
with additional representatives of Ministry of Rural Development,
University Grants Commission and Financial Adviser, Joint Secretary
(P) and Director, Directorate of Adult Education.
State Task Force on Elementary Education has been constituted in
each of these States under the chairmanship of State Education
Secretary, with members drawn from concerned Departments of the
State and representatives from the Government of India in the Minis-
try of Education, Planning Commission, NCERT and NIEPA.
The educationally backward States are being provided special Central
assistance for the development of their non-formal education pro-
grammes under the Centrally sponsored scheme on equal sharing basis.
The total amount of grant given during the year was of the order
of Rs. 7.47 crores. The total assistance received by these States
since 1980-81 will be of the order of Rs. 16.14 crores.
Voluntary educational organisations running non-formal centres in
the educationally backward States and academic institutions in any
State/Union Territory taking up innovative and experimental non-
formal education projects are given Central grant on the recommen-
dation of the State Governments. A total grant of Rs. 19.12 lakhs
has been given during the first four years of the current Plan including
Rs. 8.09 lakhs during 1983-84 to 31 voluntary organisations and
4 academic institutions. The number of non-formal centres being
run by the voluntary organisations for which grants have been sanc-
tioned is 1,240 with an estimated coverage of 31,000.
In order to increase enrolment of girls in the NFE centres, enhanced
Central assistance (90%) is being given for the establishment of
NFE centres exclusively for girls in the 9 educationally backward
States. About 10,000 NFE Primary level centres are proposed to
be set up during 1983-84.
Since March, 1983, voluntary organisations in the nine educationally
backward States are also being assisted under the Central scheme
of assistance for running early childhood education centres for child-
ren of 3-6 age-group. The centres are to function as adjuncts of
primary/middle schools. A total amount of Rs. 11.31 lakhs was
sanctioned to voluntary organisations for running 210 Early Child-
hood Education Centres.
A total quantity of 12,650 metric tonnes of three varieties of paper have
been supplied so far to 22 States and 5 Union Territories having non-formal
education programme for production of teaching-learning materials. This
paper was procured with Swedish cash assistance under an Indo-Swedish
agreement signed on January 20, 1980.
(ix)
As a result of negotiations for securing external assistance for construction
of school buildings, U.K. Government has agreed to provide assistance to
the tune of one million pounds sterling to finance the construction of primary
school buildings in 4 clusters of 11 districts in Andhra Pradesh. The Govern-
ment of Federal Republic of Germany has agreed to assist in the establish-
ment of Science Workshop for the production of Science kits for use in
elementary schools.
To give a further boost to the programme of Universalisation of Elemen-
tary Education, and to give recognition for excellence in performance for
spread of girls education a scheme of incentives/awards is being implemented.
An amount of Rs. 7.00 crores is available for giving awards at different
administrative levels viz. Panchayat blocks/tribal development blocks,
districts and States/Union Territories.
Educational Technology To meet the responsibility of producing educational television programmes
Programme for transmission via INSAT, the setting up of production centres is in progress
in the six INSAT states. Meanwhile, the Central Institute of Educational
Technology is sharing the production responsibility with Doordarshan for
the INSAT ETV service in Andhra Pradesh and Orissa.
Population Education The Population Education Programme launched from April 1980 with
Programme the objective of creating in the younger generation an adequate awareness
of the population problems and realisation in this regard of their respon-
sibility towards the nation, has entered its Fourth year. The programme is
at present being implemented in all States/Union, Territories except the
Union Territories of Arunachal Pradesh and Lakshadweep.
Value Orientation in Education In the context of the erosion of values that is taking place the need for
value orientation in education at all levels has been urged. For this the
NCERT is preparing new instructional materials. Financial assistance is
being given by the Ministry of Education to a few Voluntary Organisations
involved in the training of teachers for introducing Value Orientation in
education.
A scheme for setting up a resource Centre for promotion of Value Orient-
ed education has also been prepared by this Ministry.
Physical Education Physical Education and Sports are today accepted as an integral part of
Education all over the world. A new National Policy on Sports and Physical
Education is still under consideration with the Government. Pending
finalisation of the new Policy, the Central Government's programme for
promotion of Physical Education continues to be implemented within the
broad framework of the 1968 National Policy on Education wherein due
emphasis has been laid on promotion of a country-wide programme of phy-
sical education and sports. Taking cognizance of potentialities of Yoga as
a traditional physical fitness activity, teachers' training and research pro-
grammes in Yoga also continue to be encouraged.
Higher Education Enrolment of students went up from 29.52 lakhs in 1981-82 to 31.37
lakhs in 1982-83. Although there was a decline in the rate of growth to
6.3% during the year from 7.3% registered during 1981-82, the lead over
the average annual rise of 4 per cent in enrolment achieved during the
previous decade was maintained. Science Education and Nehru Studies
received special attention under UGC's programmes of quality improvement.
Computer facilities are planned to be introduced in some selected colleges.
A programme of examination reforms beginning with the year 1983-84 is
being taken up. Development requirements of almost all the universities have
been assessed by the Visiting Committees and approved in respect of sixty-
two of them. Basic development assistance has been approved for about
two thousand colleges. Higher Education among SC & ST continued to
receive emphasis with the financial assistance provided by the UGC for
special programmes for these groups. A committee has been set up by the
UGC to review the pay-scales of teachers in universities and college. The
functioning of the Central Universities has been subjected to a review by
the UGC, especially in the context of the need to introduce appropriate
reforms.