ADULT EDUCATION
The Seventh Five Year Plan document stipulates that adult literacy
programme will be pursued with the objective of covering all illiterates in
the age group 15-35 by 1990. The programme occupies an important
position in the socioeconomic developments of the country owing to its
crucial role in human resource development and family welfare programmes.
It forms an essential and integral part of the Minimum Needs Programme
and the new 20-Point Programme. It has been envisaged to enroll all adult
literates in the age group 15-35 by 1990. In the Sixth Plan period,
significant strides have been made, in enrolling 2.3 crores adult illiterates out,
of the estimated 11 crores in this age group ; the remaining illiterates will
have to be enrolled in the Seventh Plan period. An outlay of Rs. 360.00
crores-Rs. 130 crores under Central Sector and Rs. 230 crores in State
Sector has been provided for the programme. Against the stipulated target
of enrolment of 75.46 lakhs for 1985-86, the achievement upto September,
1985 is 70.43 lakhs i.e. 93.33 per cent.
In designing the Adult Education Programme, the Ministry of Human
Resources Development is guided by the major thrusts visualised in the
'Seventh Plan, in addition to the parameters being followed in the Sixth Plan
period. The major thrusts in the Seventh Plan include development of a
programme of continuing adult education, launching of a mass movement in-
volving voluntary organisations, students, teachers, employers, NYKs, NSS
and the community; effective linkages with various developmental programme
being administered by other Ministries/Departments, intensive utilisation of
mass media-folk, traditional and modern; setting up of community life and
continuing education centres in all the villages to provide effective and ade-
quate post-literacy activities and hightened motivation. The parameters in
vogue in Sixth Plan includes coverage of the districts having literacy rate
below the national average, priority to the women, SC, ST and other weaker
sections of the society, mobilisation and participation of voluntary agencies
on large scale and involvement of students and teachers in the universities
and colleges.
A brief description of the different schemes functioning, at present, is as
under :
Rural Functional Literacy This is a major Centrally Sponsored Scheme under which funds are pro-
Project (RFLP) vided (in cent per cent basis, in accordance with the approved financial pattern
to all the State Governments and Union Territory Administrations. Govern-
ment has revised the pattern of financial assistance effective from February 1,
1984. The Scheme aims at setting up projects upto 300 centres covering
one or two contiguous development blocks in each District and up to 100
centres in hilly area or areas with difficult terrain in some States. 513 RFLPs
are, at present, functioning in all the States and Union Territories. Against
stipulated target of 35 lakh adult illiterates to be enrolled during 1985-86.
32.74 lakh were enrolled by the end of September, 1985. A provision of
Rs. 41.76 crores has been made under this scheme for the year 1985-86.
In addition to adult education centres sanctioned under the RFLP, State
Government/Union Territory Administrations have also been requested from.
time to time to step up their own efforts under the State Adult Education
Programme (SAEP) and establish at least an equal number of centres,
matching those sanctioned under RFLP.
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Voluntary Agencies The Ministry also provides financial assistance to voluntary agencies
working in the held of adult education under which registered voluntary
societies, public trusts and non-profit making companies are eligible to receive
grants for projects of functional literacy and post-literacy, resource develop-
ment, publications, holding of seminars etc. During 1985-86 projects were
approved to 144 voluntary agencies to conduct 7,845 adult education centres
and post literacy and follow up programmes, upto December 1985. A pro-
vision of Rs. 7.00 crore has been made under this scheme for 1985-86.
University and Colleges With a view to promoting involvement of students and teachers from
universities and colleges in the eradication of adult illiteracy in the age
group, the University Grants Commission continued to provide
financial assistance and support to 82 universities and 2131 colleges in 18
states/union territories. The number of Adult Education Centres sanc-
tioned is 23,721.
Post-Literacy and This Centrally Sponsored Scheme was put into operation in 1982-83
Follow-up Programme with the objective to ensure.that the neo-literates who have completed basic
literacy course do not relapse into illiteracy. According to the guidelines
issued in 1982 the Adult Education Programme was required to be imple-
mented in three phases, namely first phase of 300-350 hours spread over
one year; second phase 150 hours spread over one year; and third phase of
100 hours spread over one year. The implementation of the Scheme as en-
visaged above has been reviewed and new guidelines have been evolved and
communicated to aft the State Governments/Union. Territory Administra-
tions. Under the new guidelines phase one and phase two have been com-
bined to form a single learning continuum spread over one year, followed
by phase three of 100 hours of post-literacy and follow up spread over the
second year of the programme.
Fifteen States/Union Territories have been sanctioned grant during 1985-
86 and the applications from 11 States/Union Territories are under con-
sideration. A provision of Rs. 150 lakhs has been made under the scheme
fur 1985-86.
The Vidyapeeths provide integrated non-formal education training facili-
Shramik Vidyapeeth ties to the workers and their families both in the organised as well as in the
un-organised sectors in the urban areas. Activities of these Vidyapeeths are
polyvalent in nature catering to a wide range of requirements of beneficiaries
and include training and development of skills. There are at present, 36
Shramik Vidyapeeths. Three new SVPs at Paradeep, Aurangabad and Jodh-
pur have been set up during 1985-86. A provision of Rs. 75.00 lakh has
been made during the year 1985-86.
Strengthening of Administrative For ensuring proper implementation of the programme in each State/
Structures in States/Union Union. Territory, financial assistance is provided to them for continuation/
Territories creation of necessary administrative structures, both at the State and the Dis-
trict level, in accordance With financial pattern approved under the Scheme.
At present 26 States/Union Territories are receiving financial assistance
under this Scheme. A budget provision of Rs. 250.00 lakh has been made
during the year 1985-86.
There are 12 State Resource Centres which are being financed by this
State Resource Centre Ministry apart from five SRCs under State Governments/University Sectors.
These State Resource Centres are responsible for providing teaching/learning
material and organising training programmes for the field functionaries. The
State Resource Centre at Indore (Madhya Pradesh) has been set up in
1985-86. In order to enable the State Resource Centres to function more
efficiently and effectively, the existing administrative and financial pattern
has been revised and a new pattern has been put into operation from
1-4-1985. Besides each of the four North Eastern States/Union Territories
at Manipur, Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim has also been pro-
vided with a special cell to function, as Resource Centre from 1st April,
1985.
External Evaluation of the Adult Education programme is an important
Evaluation and Monitoring input to ensure the quality of the programme. It is proposed to entrust in-
depth and purpose-built studies to established institutions of social sciences
research to be chosen in consultation with the state governments. So far 59
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studies have been conducted on different aspects of the Adult Education
programme. There is an inbuilt mechanism of monitoring and the prog-
ramme is being monitored quarterly.
New Programme for The scheme, envisages involvement of students and teachers in universi-
Educational Literacy ties and colleges, NYKs, NSS, employers and individuals who are desirous
(New Scheme) to participate in the literacy campaign through each one and tech one
pattern. The scheme, is based on voluntarism. However, literacy kit's will be
prepared and distributed by the State Resource Centres. The scheme will be
administered and monitored through the existing structure by strengthening
it.
New Education Policy A nationwide debate has been initiated on the basis of document
"Challenge of Education-a policy perspective" circulated by the Ministry in
the context of formulation of new Education Policy on Education. In this
context Directorate of Adult Education organised a National Seminar on
Adult Education on 10-12 October, 1985 at New Delhi to elicit the views
of the participants drawn from a wide cross sections of the society to recom-
mend specific strategies for inclusion in the new Education Policy. Some of
the State, Resource Centres and State Directorates of Adult Education also
organised seminars and submitted their reports to the Ministry, National
Board of Adult Education met on 25-5-85 udder the Chairmanship of the
then Education Minister to review the adult education programme and to
discuss mass movement for functional literacy, in order to recommend the
dovetailing the existing adult education programme with the mass campaign
to achieve the stipulated target of eradication of illiteracy.
International bilateral Cultural A high powered delegation under the leadership of the then Education
Exchange Programmes and Minister participated in the Fourth International Conference on Adult Edu-
Participation in UNESCOs cation in Paris. Delegations from India visited the Democratic and popular
Activities Republic of Algeria, USSR and Republic of Cuba to study programmes in
the field of adult education under the Cultural Exchange Programmes. A
two member delegation from German Democratic Republic visited India in
January, 1986.
Directorate of Adult The Directorate of Adult Education which serves as the National Re-
Education source Centre for the Adult Education Programme, has been conducting
various programmes such as (i) Training, (ii) Preparation of teaching-
learning material for illiterates and new-literates, (hi) monitoring, (iv) evalu-
ation (v) population education, (vi) research and (vii) media support to
adult education programme. During 1985-86, the Directorate provided re-
source support to the newly established Shramik Vidyapeeth. The Direc-
torate continued to provide guidance and leadership to the State Resource
Centres and also monitored the activities by bringing out quarterly reports.
Under the UNICEF assisted projects 'non-formal education for women and
girls'; 17 kits of material were brought out. Under the UNFPA assisted
project 'Integration of Population Education in Adult Education Programme'
the preparatory Project was implemented in collaboration with 12 SRCs by
holding workshops/seminars and bringing out publications. Three National
seminars at New Delhi, Lucknow and Pune were organised. A regional
training workshop in literacy was jointly organised by UNESCO Regional
Office for Education in Asia and the Pacific, the Ministry of Human Re-
source Development and the Directorate in New Delhi from October 23 to
November 4, 1985. The Directorate continued to monitor the implementa-
tion of the Adult Education Programme and brought out quarterly progress
reports in consultation with National Informaties Centre. The Directorate,
has computerised the monitoring system and 3 quarterly reports have been
prepared with the,help of the computer. Two monographs entitled "Evalua-
tion of Adult Education Programme-A Synoptic Account". 'Issues and
Approaches in the training of Adult Education Functionaries- A Synthesis
of Findings' based on the evaluation report submitted by external agencies
were brought out. Other two monographs are under preparation. Under the
Scheme of financial assistance to the institutions and individuals desirous of
conducting research in the area of adult education and six research studies
are currently in progress. Directorate has also brought out software on
motivational and promotional aspects of the programme. Thirteen publica-
tions were brought-out during the year. Three more publications are at
various stages of printing. Ten publications on different aspects of the prog-
ramme were also brought out by the Ministry.
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