OTHER ACTIVITIES
In this chapter are described mainly those programmes of the Ministry
which represent its coordinating role and the clearing house functions of the
Union Government in the field of education. With such programmes are
grouped some that do not strictly fall in with the nature of activities described
in ealier chapters.
ACTIVITIES IN COMMON
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 6714 and literacy for adults in the age group 15-35.
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 Pro-
grammes are basically implemented through State Governments, the Educa-
tion 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 res-
tructured to make education more relevant to the needs of the people, to in-
crease the employability of graduates and to instil in their minds a spirit of
Service to the Community.
In the technical education sector, Schemes like Sandwhich Diploma
courses, Apprenticeship Training, Community Polytechnics are expected to
bring technical education and industry together and to forge beneficial linka-
ges between them.
For promoting national integration, a new Scheme of Community Singing
has been launched.
Planning & 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 Plans 1983-84 and The Annual Plan 1983-84 was finalised and a sum of Rs. 679.74 crores
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 pent in the Central sector
and 29.3 per cent in the State sector)
86
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 27.7per cent of the Sixth Plan Central Sector outlay for
Education.
Review of Special Programmes A review of selected educational programmes in States 1981-82 was
brought out. The review throws light on the working of selected programmes
on elementary education, adult education and vocationalisation of higher
secondary education.
Studies A study entitled 'Progress of Educational Development of Scheduled
Castes and Scheduled Tribes 1967-68 to 1977-78 was brought out.
Annual Publications The following publications were brought out during the year under
report :-
1. Progress of Education of Scheduled Castes & Scheduled Tribes
1973-74.
2. Progress of Education of Scheduled Castes & Scheduled Tribes
1978-79.
3. Analysis of Budgeted Expenditure on Education 1983-84.
Statistics The Report of the High Level Committee to review the entire educa-
tional statistics system in the country has been approved by the Government
and action has been initiated to implement -its recommendations.
The Pilot Project 'Collection of Education Statistics on Sample Basis'
undertaken by the Statistical Unit of the Ministry in collaboration with the
Survey and Data Processing Unit, NCERT in respect of four States, namely,
Bihar, Haryana, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu has been completed. To
discuss the results of this Pilot Project, a UNESCO sponsored workshop on
experimental application of sample survey methods to obtain statistics of
education to improve their quality was organised by the NCERT in colla-
boration with the Ministry. Action has been initiated to prepare individual
State Reports on the basis of the data collected for the Pilot Project in res-
pect of above mentioned four States.
The study reports/publications brought out during the current year in-
clude:
1. Directory of Institutions for Higher Education 1977-78.
2. Selected Educational Statistics 1980-81.
3. Selected Educational Statistics 1981-82.
4. Boards of Secondary Education in India-Results of High School
& Higher Secondary Examination 1979-80.
5. A Hand Book of Educational & Allied Statistics 1983.
Supply of white printing Paper at The Scheme for allocation of white printing paper at the controlled rate
Controlled Rate for Educational to State Governments and Union Territories has been continued during the
Purposes year under report. The price of white printing paper was revised from
Rs. 4200/- to Rs. 5400/- per tonne with effect from 11th April, 1983. Con-
sequent, on the revision of price of paper the prices of exercise books were
also refixed.
About 1,06,675 tonnes of white printing paper has been allotted to State
Governments and Union Territories for educational purposes for the three
quarters starting from April-June 1983.
Import of Paper from Norway Under a bilateral agreement with the Government of Norway, commodity
assistance of paper worth Rupees 3 crores is expected during 1983-84. The
entire paper is earmarked for the production of school text-books by the
National Council of Educational Research & Training, New Delhi.
Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe For the educational development of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled
Cell Tribes the Ministry have proposed to provide about 17.3 per cent of the divi-
sible outlay for Special Component Plan for Scheduled Castes and 10.1 per
cent of the divisible outlay for the Tribal Sub-Plan areas for the year 1984-
85.
87
Central Advisory Board The Central Advisory Board of Education,which has been in existence
of Education since 1935, is the highest planning and policy-making body in the field of
education. The Government of India reconstituted this Board in 1982 so
as to make it a more broad-based national level advisory body on all educa-
tional matters. It advises the Central or any State Government or Union
Territory on any educational question either suo moto or on a reference
made to it. To discharge such functions the Board may call for informa-
tion and comments concerning educational developments of special interest
and value to India from any Government institution or organisation, either
from within or outside the country.
The reasons, which prompted the Government to reconstitute the
Board, are mainly educational developments so far reaching consequences in
different directions which has taken place since the Board was last reconsti-
tuted in 1975, like 'Education' being brought within the Concurrent List of
the 7th Schedule of the Constitution etc. It was considered necessary to create
an appropriate forum for discussing the strategies for implementation of the
programmes of universalisation of elementary education and removal of adult
illiteracy, which constitute an important point in 20-Point Programme. it
has also become necessary to further develop the linkages between education,
employment and development for which CABE could become an effective
instrument.
The Board held its 39th session during 6-7 June 1983. The Board sur-
veyed the educational activities and development in their totality, and
adopted resolutions not only on the implementation of various programmes
but also on additional mobilisation of financial and other resources for the
development of education. With the recommendations and advice of the
Board as the backdrop the Ministry expects to pursue its programmes and
activities with greater vigour and perspective.
Conference of Education Secretaries A two day Conference of Education Secretaries of all the States and
of all States and Union Territories Union Territories was held during 20-21 September, 1983. The State Gov-
ernments were urged to fix their Plan priorities for the purpose of educa-
tional development in shaping the Seventh Plan proposals, especially in the
spheres of Universalisation of Elementary Education and Adult Literacy in
the age group 15-35. The need for coverage of target oriented groups,
such as weaker sections, females, minority communities and rural an tribal
population was stressed. It was unanimously agreed, that there was a need
to give greater impetus to programmes of Vocationalisation of Education at
the Plus 2 stage and improving the standards of teaching English. It was also
agreed that steps should be taken to convert all single teacher schools to
double-teacher or multi-teacher schools, as early as possible. The need to
encourage community singing as one of the, means of National Integration
was also agreed to. At the Conference, two new schemes were announced
viz., Scheme of Awards to States for Excellence in the field of Enrolment of
Girls in schools and Adult Women in literacy classes. Some of the other
important programmes discussed at the Conference were those of School
Health Education Review of Utilisation of INSAT facilities and promotion
of Population Education.
Education of Minorities In pursuance of Prime Minister's directive about measures to check com-
munalism and improvement in the lot of minorities, some of the programmes
being implemented by the Ministry are : starting of coaching classes in univer-
sities, involvement of voluntary organisations for extending coaching facili-
ties at lower levels of education, curriculum improvement of Madrasa Edu-
cation, opening of I.T.Is and Polytechnics in predominantaly minority areas,
review of text-books from the point of view of National Integration, and set-
ting up of Urdu calligraphy centres in the Urdu speaking areas.
The third Meeting of the Education Sub-Committee of National Integra-
National Integration tion Council was held on 14 September, 1983. It reviewed certain major
programmes pertaining to National Integration in the field of education, and
to bring about greater co-ordination and involvement between the Central and
the State Governments on the one hand and educational institutions on the
other. At the meeting, recommendations were made for organising National
integration Camps specially for rural non-student youth, holding of traditional
fairs, festivals and melas and revision of text-books at the school and univer-
88
88 A
sity level with a view to eliminating references which are prejudicial to
National Integration.
Scheme of Assistance for Research/ The Scheme aims at resolving problems relating to formulation, imple-
Studies/Projects in Educational mentation and evaluation of educational development programmes and entit-
Policies Planning, Management and les institutions/organisations to undertake short duration action oriented
Evaluation studies, which have a direct bearing on policy, planning and management
of educational system. The topics/Research studies are scrutinised/approv-
ed by a Screening Committee comprising Inter-Departmental Officers. A
number of important projects have been undertaken under this scheme.
National Institute of Educational The National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration was
Plannig and Administration set up mainly to improve the educational planning and administrative
services in the country. Towards the achievement of this objective, it orga-
nises training courses, seminars, workshops and conferences of senior educa-
tion officers at the Centre and in the States, conducts research and studies,
provides on request, consultancy services, collaborates with the national and
international agencies and acts as clearing house of information in the field
of educational planning and administration.
The following Research studies were completed in 1983
A study on Inspection and Supervision practices and proforma in
some educationally advanced and backward States;
Study for developing a Model Financial Code for the University
System;
Study on matters concerning Rules for Transfer and Disciplinary
proceedings applicable to School Teachers;
A study of Organizational set-up and system of Educational Planning,
Monitoring and Statistics in States/Union Territories;
The Secondary School Head in comparative perspective;
Legal bases of General Education in India; and
Policy making in Indian Higher Education with special reference to
13 selected Universities
20 more Research studies are in progress. Some of these have been
sponsored by National Commission on Teachers-II, various Ministries of
the Central Government, State Governments, Universities etc.
The Institute organised more than 30 training and orientation pro-
grammes during 1983-83.
Advisory, Consultancy and Support Services
The National institute of Educational Planning and Administration
took up a number of research studies and programmes as already indicat-
ed at the instance of or in collaboration with the Ministry of Education
and Culture, Ministry of Home Affairs, State Governments/Union Terri-
tories, Universities and other international organisations. Besides, the
Institute continued to provide academic and professional guidance to
Central, State Governments, institutions and personnel involved in educa-
tional planning and administration. The Institute participated in various
high level conferences, committees and working groups at the central and
working groups at the central and state levels.
National Commissions on Teachers Consequent to decision of the Government of India that was announ-
ced on the Teachers' Day i.e. September 5, 1982, two National Commis-
sions on Teachers were set up on February 16, 1983, through a Resolu-
tion, to advise the Government on the various aspects relevant to teaching
community. The Ist Commission is to deal with issues relating to
teachers at the school stage and the IInd National Commission is to
deal with issues relating to the teachers at the higher education level includ-
ing technical education. The National Commission on Teachers I comp-
rises 20 members under the Chairmanship of Prof. D. P. Chattopadhyaya
and the National Commission on Teachers II comprises 21 members with
Prof. Rais Ahmed as the Chairman. The Member Secretary of the two
Commissions is Shri Kireet Joshi, Special Secretary, Ministry of Education
and Culture. The two Commissions first met on March 25, 1983