AN OVERVIEW
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Formulation of A status paper entitled "Challenge of Education-A Policy Perspec-
New Education tive was published by the Ministry in August 1985, copies of which were
Policy placed in the Parliament and circulated to all State Governments and Union
Territory Administrations. This also formed the basis of discussions in the
Conference of State Education Ministers held on August 29-30, 1985. The
document has been translated practically into all regional languages through
the State Governments and given wide circulation. In addition, 5,80,000
copies of this document in English, 2,40,000 in Hindi and 4,000 in Urdu
have been distributed by the Ministry in response to requests received and
also to different organisations. This document was intended to stimulate
wide and intensive national debate on issues relating to Education Policy
and alternatives. As a part of the nation-wide debate on the New Educa-
tion Policy, 12 National Seminars and 17 sponsored Seminars have been
organised by the Government of India and its agencies. All State Govern-
ments have taken keen interest in the organisation of debates on the New
Education Policy. In addition to State level seminars, several seminars,
symposia and discussions have taken place in different educational institu-
tions and also at the block level. Representatives of number of teachers'
organisations and students' organisations at all-India level have also been
associated in discussions on the formulation of the New Education Policy.
Under the joint auspices of the Ministry of Human Resource Development
(Department of Education) and the Government of Maharashtra, a Regional
Conference for MLCs from teachers' constituencies and graduates' constituen-
cies was organised at Nagpur on December 13-14, 1985 and a National
Conference of Presidents, Zilla Parishads and Chairmen, Panchayat Samitis
was organised at Pune on February 3-4, 1986.
A large number of suggestions from organisations and individuals have
been received in the Ministry in response to the announcement by the
Prime Minister relating to formulation of a New Education Policy. All
communications received in the Ministry numbering more than 8,000 in-
cluding letters, memoranda, recommendations of seminars, recommenda-
tions of State, Governments have been carefully abstracted and classified;
a detailed content analysis of all the suggestions has been made by the
National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration which have
brought out 13 volumes on the perceptions on education received from
State Governments, individuals and organisations.
In pursuance of the recommendations of the Conference of State Edu-
cation Ministers, National Groups of Ministers of Education on (i) Man-
power Projections and Vocationalisation; (ii) Financial Resources and
(iii) Examination reforms have been constituted under the Chairmanship
of the Union Minister for Human Resource, Development to examine in
depth the various issues relating to the formulation of New Education
Policy and evolve strategies for their implementation.
The debate on the New Education Policy has involved all sections of
the people and many useful ideas and approaches have emerged. Based
on the suggestions received from various quarters the issues relating to
New Education Policy were formulated for consideration of the Conference
of Education Ministers of States and Union Territory Administrations held
on January 23-24, 1986. A draft of the New Education Policy will be
presented shortly in the Parliament.
Elementary Provision of free and compulsory education for all children until they
Education complete the age of 14 years is a constitutional goal. According to the
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Policy frame of the Seventh Five-Year Plan, the target year for reaching the
constitutional goal of universal elementary education is 1989-90. Elemen-
tary Education also continues to be part of the minimum needs pro-
gramme of the Plan.
The programme of universalisation has been pursued during this year
with vigour both at the central as well as State/Union Territory levels.
Some of the important steps taken in this regard are listed below :
- Meeting of the National Committee on point 16 of the 20-
Point Programme as part of the conference of Education
Secretaries in February 1985 to review the progress of uni-
versalisation in the nine educationally backward States, in par-
ticular.
- Meetings of the State Task Forces on Elementary Education
in the 9 educationally backward States were held to review the
progress of efforts made by the State Governments for imple-
mentation of UEE and NFE programmes.
- Mounting of a National Campaign on Universalisation of Ele-
mentary Education, for intensifying efforts to increase the
enrolment and retention at the elementary stage. Special
emphasis in this year's campaign was laid on reducing the rate
of drop-outs.
Additional enrolment target during 1985-86 in classes I-VIII is 52.71
lakhs. Comprehensive measures such as conversion of single teacher
schools into two teacher schools, improvement of physical facilities of pri-
mary and middle schools, special attention to girls and disadvantaged
groups like SC and ST, adequate provision of incentives like free textbooks
and stationery, free uniforms specially for girls, attendance scholarships par-
ticuarly for girls land mid-day meals etc, have, been envisaged and under-
taken in various states to reduce the high drop-out rates at the elementary
stage.
Non-formal The non-formal education programme forms the second major com-
Education ponent of the strategy employed to achieve universalisation of education,
since a large number of children are either not able or unwilling to attend
school. The number of children to be covered by the NFE programme
during the Seventh Plan is estimated at 2.5 crores. The programme has
acquired good momentum in the 9 educationally backward States, and by
the end of 1985-86, the coverage of the programme would be of the order
of 41.41 lakhs in about 1.65 lakhs centres.
Free Education In order to encourage the spread of education among the girls by providing
for Girls up to free education, a scheme has been prepared under which the Government
the end of the of India would reimburse the States/Union Territories for foregoing
Higher Secondary revenue realized as tuition fees charged from girls at the Secondary/Higher
Stage Secondary stage. The Scheme will remain in operation for the entire
Seventh Plan period.
Central Assistance is also being contemplated to assist States/Union
Territories in strengthening of teacher training facilities, and for taking up a
massive programme for re-orientation of existing teachers during the Seventh
Plan period. A Scheme for improvement of science teaching is also being
prepared.
Physical Physical Education and Sports are today accepted as an integral part
Education of education all over the world. The new National Sports Policy, covering
inter-alia physical education and yoga, Since placed before the Parliament
as a Government Resolution makes it the duty of the Central and State
Governments to accord a very high priority to promotion of sports and
physical education in the process of all round development. The Policy
also recognises the need of every citizen irrespective of age and sex to
participate in and enjoy sports and recreational activities. The Policy,
therefore, enjoins upon the Central and State Governments to promote and
develop traditional and modem games and sports and also Yoga by pro-
viding necessary facilities and infrastructure on a large scale. As a follow-
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up of the directives contained in the new Policy substantially higher invest-
ment on physical education and Yoga has been envisaged during the VII
Five-Year Plan Period. A special thrust has also been proposed to the
strengthening of teacher training programmes and in promotion of mass
participation.
Higher The student enrolment in universities and colleges increased from 33.59
Education lakhs in 1983-84 to 35.39 lakhs in 1984-85. The enrolment of women
students during 1984-85 was 10.21 lakhs as against 9.77 lakhs during
1983-84. The UGC continued to pursue, the policy of improvement of
standards and quality of education mid removal of disparities and regional
imbalances in higher education, science education, and promotion of
Gandhian and Nehru studies received special attention under UGC's pro-
grammes of quality improvement. The UGC has taken steps to develope
facilities at the national level for use of university scientists in the field of
Nuclear Science, Materials Research, Laser and Fibre Optics, Astrophysics,
Astronomy, Biotechnology, and Mass Communication and Educational
Technology. Higher Education among Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes
continued to receive emphasis with the financial assistance provided by the
UGC for special programmes for these groups. The Indira Gandhi National
Open University was established in Delhi in September, 1985 to disseminate
and advance knowledge by providing instructional and research facilities.
It will lay stress on continuing and vocational education with a view to
improving knowledge and skills and promoting educational opportunities
of the community in general and the disadvantaged groups in particular.
Another Central University, namely Pondicherry University, has been
established at Pondicherry on 16th October, 1985 to serve the needs of the
Union Territory of Pondicherry.
Technical Education Socio-economic progress of a country is intimately connected with the
availability of properly trained technical manpower. Our country there-
fore accorded top priority in developing extensive facilities for technical
education in the country since attainment of her independence. In 1947,
there were facilities for admitting only 2940 students in engineering degree
courses and only 3670 students in diploma courses. Through sustained
efforts during the successive plan periods, our country has now developed
extensive facilities of technical education and training and the system is
now in a position to admit annually about 30,000 students in degree courses
and about 60,000 students in diploma courses covering both conventional
and new emerging areas. Postgraduate education and research in engineer-
ing and technology were practically absent at the time of attainment of our
independence, but at present our technical institutions are in a position to
offer well designed postgraduate courses to about 7,000 students each year.
During the Seventh Plan period activities on consolidation and optimal
utilisation of existing facilities are continued. During the current plan,
steps have also been initiated, amongst others for modernisation and removal
of obsolescence in the engineering colleges and polytechnics, application of
science and technology for rural development, establishment of linkages
between technical education system and the development sectors and pro-
viding computing facilities in technical institutions. With the implementa-
tion of schemes of the Seventh Plan period it is hoped that shortfalls in
many critical areas of technical education facilities will be largely removed.
Adult Seventh Five-Year Plan stipulates that Adult literacy programmes will
Education be pursued with the objective of covering all illiterates in the age group
15-35 by 1990. Considering that adult education is an important corn-
ponent of the socioeconomic development and also a crucial element
in the family welfare programme, Government has accorded high priority
to the adult education program by including it in the Minimum Needs
Programme and the 20-Point Programme. Keeping the major thrust areas
in view. like development of a programme of continuing education, moti-
vation, launching of mass programme, effective linkages with various
developmental programmes of rural development and family welfare, lar-
ger involvement of voluntary agencies, NYKs, NSS, and the ICDS, the
Government has decided to launch the Mass Programme for functional lite-
racy alongwith existing on-going Schemes to achieve the goal of eradication
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of illiteracy in the age group 15-35. The Government will continue to be
guided by the para-meters of coverage of the districts having literacy rates
below the national average; coverage of special target groups e.g. women,
Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and other weaker sections of the
society; larger participation of the youth and the students in universities and
colleges in, literacy programmes; mobilisation of voluntary agencies;
strengthening of the post literacy and follow-up programme through a net
work of village community life and education centres; use of mass media-
folk, traditional and modern. Against the stipulated target of enrolment
of 75.46 lakhs adult illiterates in 1985-86, the achievement upto the end
of September 1985 is 70.43 lakhs. The implementation of the program-
me is being monitored regularly and quarterly progress reports on the per-
formance under different sectors of the programmes are furnished to the
Government. Several visits were made to different countries to study
their programmes of adult education with a view to adopting their strate-
gies to enrich the programme. The Directorate of Adult Education
(National Resource Centre) and 17 State Resource Centres located in diffe-
rent States continue to provide technical and resource support to the pro-
gramme through a net work. of their activities. A National and several
other seminars were organised by the Directorate and the State Resource
Centres to provide input in the formulation of the New Education Policy.
Scholarships The Government of India have been offering a large number of scholar-
ships for enabling students to prosecute further studies both in India and
abroad. Scholarships are generally awarded to meritorious students with-
out adequate means. Under the National Merit Scholarships Programme,
scholarships were given to 27,000 students for undertaking studies beyond
the matriculation stage. 33,000 scholarships were awarded to talented
children belonging to rural areas for education upto the higher secondary
stage. Out of the 33,000 scholarships, 18,000 were awarded to students
belonging to landless labour groups and Scheduled Castes and Scheduled
Tribes. Five hundred scholarships were awarded to poor but meritorious
students for enabling them to receive good education in approved residen-
tial schools.
The Ministry has also been providing scholarships to Indian students
for study abroad so that they can undertake research in newly emerging
specialisations. On a reciprocal basis, 180 scholarships are offered to
foreign nationals, thereby assisting the developing countries in their effort
to train their manpower. Besides, Government of India offered 75
scholarships to nationals of commonwealth countries.
Book The programmes of this Ministry in the field of Book Promotion are
Promotion aimed at facilitating the production of good literature at moderate prices,
and encouraging Indian authorship and the publishing industry, formulating
Copyright book import policy, promoting export of Indian books and fostering book-
mindedness among the people. The National Book Trust continued its
publication programme and organised and participated in Book Fairs/
Exhibitions at international, national and regional levels. Outstanding
events of the year were the organisation of the 12th National Book Fair in
Patna in October, 1985, the Third International Children's Book Fair in
Allahabad in November, 1985 and the Seventh World Book Fair in New
Delhi in February 1986. The liberalised import policy announced during
the year will be effective for a period of three years. Efforts were made
to set up a National Society-of Authors and Composers of Musical Works
to protect their interests, as provided under the Copyright Act. The Copy-
right Office; registered 1,908 literary and artistic works.
propagation and The Policy of the Government of India is to encourage the develop-
Development of ment of all Indian Languages including classical, modern and tribal. The
Languages activities and programmes undertaken during the year under report were
intended to achieve the desired objectives with the emphasis on training of
teachers for facilitating the implementation of the three-language formula
and the production of university level textbooks with a view to facilitating
switch over from English to regional languages as media of instruction.
Assistance continued to be given to non-Hindi speaking States for appoint-
ment of Hindi teachers in Hindi teachers training colleges and establish-