EDUCATION IN THE UNION TERRITORIES
Education in the Union Territories constitutes a special responsibility of the Central Government. An account of the educational facilities and activi- ties undertaken during the year in respect of each of the Union Territories is given in this Chapter.
DADRA AND NAGAR HAVELI There are 160 Primary Schools with enrolment of 16,886 (10,223 boys and 6,663 girls) including Scheduled Castes 509 (279 boys and 230 girls) and Scheduled Tribes 13,759 (8,507 boys and 5,252 girls). There are 4 High Schools and 3 Higher Secondary Schools. The total student strength of High Schools and Higher Secondary Schools is 2,429 (1,531 boys and 898 girls) including Scheduled Castes 217 (138 boys and 79 girls) and Scheduled Tribes 1,187 (821 boys and 366 girls). Vocational, drawing, tailoring and technical as well as agricultural subjects are introduced in all High Schools and Higher Secondary Schools. Facilities like free education to all students upto higher secondary level, free mid-day meal to all students upto elementary education, free note-books, textbooks and other educational material to all SC/ST students are provided in the Union Territory. There are 10 Social Welfare Hostels including one Ashramshala and 2 Girls Hostels in which SC/ST as well as economically backward classes students are ad- mitted and provided with free Boarding and Lodging. During 1985-86, there were 600 inmates in these hostels. A number of financial concessions like cash awards for punctual attendance to SC/ST students; incentive awards for standing 1st, IInd and IIIrd in Annual Examinations incentives for securing more than 60% marks in Sanskrit subject in standard IX and X; reimbursement of examination fees paid by SC/ST students; incentives like cash awards to talented students who secured 1st, IInd and IIIrd rank in SSC/HSS examinations, national scholarships to students for higher educa- tion; Post Matric Scholarships to SC/ST students, etc, are being allowed in the Union Territory.
Under the Adult Education Programme during 1985-86, 66 centres are likely to be opened with about 2,000 adult learners.
Seats have been, reserved for various courses Eke Medical, Engineering and other Technical courses for the students belonging to the Union Territory. The National Population Education project was introduced from October 1983 and under this programme 412 primary/middle school tcachers, 89 secondary teachers have been covered so far. Various teachers of educa- tional institutions of the Union Territory were, deputed for in-service training programmes and seminars like computer literacy programme, subject orienta- tion programme, vocational guidance and population education seminar etc.
PONDICHERRY The Union Territory of Pondicherry occupies the pride of place among the educationally developed States/Union Territories in the country with an over all literacy rate of 54.23%. The literacy rate among the Scheduled Caste population in the Union. Territory is 32.36%.
Educational facilities have been provided almost at the door step of the villagers in as much as there is now a primary school within 1 km., a middle school with in 3 km. and a high school within 5 km. of every census habitation. There are 109 pre-primary schools with the enrolment of 5,730 students; 356 primary schools with the enrolment of 91,053 students; 103 middle schools with the enrolment of 44,521 students, 64
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high schools with the enrolment of 16,447 students and 19 Higher Second- ary Schools with the enrolment of 5,484 students in the Union Territory. facilities like adequate qualified staff, library books, teaching aids and scientific equipments, etc. have been provided in the schools.
Special emphasis is being laid on a few extra curricular activities like opening of science comers and eco-clubs in the schools to which the response has been quite encouraging. In the wake of setting up of 1 KW T.V. centre in Pondicherry providing of T.V. sets to the schools has been taken up and this has gone a long way in making education more interest- ing for the children. Facilities like free uniforms, textbooks, items of stationery, cash grants to students and merit prizes and merit scholarships have been provided. Supply of free mid-day meals to children of primary classes continued to be one of the incentives provided by the Union Terri- tory Administration. These have resulted in nearly cent per cent enrolment. in the elementary level and cutting down of annual drop out rate at the primary level to 3.6% and at the middle school level is 6.2%.
University Education reached a climax with the establishment of the Pondicherry University as a Central University during the current year. The Union Territory now provides for almost all major courses for its students and to that degree its dependence on the neighbouring States has been reduced. A new innovation-opening of evening college mostly for working girls and housewives-has been attempted and this received quite eucourag- ing response. As of previous years, the students belonging to weaker sections of the society continued to enjoy free education up to degree level.
Aspects like adult education, physical education, NCC, sports and youth welfare continue to receive the attention of Union Territory Administration.
The long cherished demand of setting up of an engineering college for Pondicherry was fulfilled with the commencement of classes for the first year students in Pondicherry Engineering College from the current academic year. The department also managed to obtain a few seats in various engineering disciplines not available in the Pondicherry Engineering College for the student aspirants in the Engineering Colleges of the neighbouring States. Establishment of pre-examination coaching centres for minority communities and establishment of district centres for teaching of English language are worth, mentioning.
ARUNACHAL PRADESH Arunachal Pradesh spreads over 83,578 square Kms. of lush green hills and dales. As per 1981 census 6,31,839 people live in 3,000 habitations. 110 tribes of this Territory speak different dialects and profess different faiths.
There are 249 pre-primary schools, 998 primary schools, 151 middle schools, 41 secondary schools, 23 higher secondary schools and 3 colleges in the Government sector. Besides, there are a number of aided schools. The enrolment in pre-primary schools is 6398, in primary schools (I-V) is 85,613, in middle (VI-VIII) is 20,993, in secondary schools (IX-X) is 5,484 and in higher secondary schools (XI-XII) is 2,184. A number of institutions have been opened/upgraded during 1985-86.
The target of cent per cent enrolment of children (age group 6 to 11 years) has already been achieved. To attract more children of school going age, various incentives like distribution of free text-books, school uniforms, stationery, clothings for the students residing in the hostels, stipend in lieu of ration for the students residing in the hostels attached to Primary, Middle and Secondary/Senior Secondary Schools, merit scholarships for talented students and mid-day meals, etc. have been provided.
491 centres were opened upto the end of 1984-85 under RFLP. An- other 300 centres have been opened during the year thereby raising the total number to 791. Under the State Adult Education Programme, 370 centres with an enrolment of 7491 adults are, functioning. At present, 13572 male and 7590 female adults are attending adult education centres
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regularly. To attract more adults to the centres, certain incentives have been introduced. For the female adults, sewing machines and knitting machines have been supplied in the centres. For the males, games and sports are introduced and musical instruments have been supplied.
24 scout troops, guide companies, bulbul flocks and Cub-packs have been added to the existing strength. 150 scouts and guides have been deputed to participate in the National Jamboree at Bangalore. Training courses for patrol/leaders, scouts and guides are being held regularly. Two junior division NCC units (girls) and nine junior division NCC units (boys) have been opened this year. The NCC Cadets are participating in the training courses organised by Directorate of NCC.
Enrolment in colleges is 983. The students residing in the hostels are provided stipends @ Rs. 210/- and 240/- per month. The colleges have beep affiliated to Arunachal University which has started functioning w.e.f. 1st April, 1985.
To recognise the meritorious services rendered by the teachers in the different areas, the scheme of State Award to teachers was introduced in 1983-84. The selected teachers are awarded Rs. 1500/- cash and a merit certificate.
Hindi and English textbooks produced by NCERT are being adapted to suit the particular requirement of the territory. To make the teaching of Science and Mathematics popular in the territory, the teachers have been trained in the new techniques.
CHANDIGARH There are 260 schools, including Government aided, recognised, central and un-recognised schools covering children from pre-primary to the senior secondary stage. All these schools cater to the educational needs of a little over 1,03,700 students at the elementary stage and about 18,400 at the secondary stage. The enrolment in the elementary stage (I-VIII) during 1985-86 is 1,03,700 and the enrolment in secondary stage (IX-XII) is 18,400.
All efforts are made for enrolling all the eligible children in the school going age group (6-14 years). 100% target has been achieved in so far as children in the age group of 6-14 are concerned and the new schools were opened to cover the additional enrolment of over 6,000 students.
Among the achievements of the Union Territory Administration, the following are worth mentioning:-
(a) There is a school within easy reach of every child.
(b) There is no single teacher school in the Union Territory.
(c) School buildings, by and large, are attractive and provide all the facilities which make the study of the little kids in the school comfortable.
(d) For the benefit of weaker sections of the society, Creches. Bal Wadis and Nursery classes have been started in most of the village and labour colony schools.
Incentives like attendance scholarships to girls (3.600 beneficiaries), attendance scholarships to scheduled caste children (82 beneficiaries), free stationery and uniforms to scheduled caste students (10,100 beneficiaries), free text-books to children (10,100 beneficiaries), talent scholarships to scheduled caste students (25 beneficiaries), extra coaching to scheduled caste students who are weak in studies 2,200 beneficiaries) and mid-day meals to children (34,500 beneficiaries) are available.
20 Centres of Non-formal Education are being run at present in the Union Territory against 12 in the preceding year. These centres are mostly attached with the Government schools. About 600 students have been admitted to these centres.
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Vocational subjects have been introduced in two senior secondary schools during 1985-86 and the remaining schools would be covered during the subsequent years.
Sports and games are regular activities of schools in Chandigarh. To encourage school children's participation in sports activities, the Education Department organises regular tournaments and competitions in both major and minor games and athletics. The students also participate in national games and other tournaments which are held at national level. On-the- spot art competition is a regular feature of the schools in the Union Territory. More than 8,000 students participated during the year in various items of competition. Other co-curricular and cultural activities also constitute a regular feature of the schools.
State Institute of Education, Chandigarh provides qualitative improve- ment in school education through in-service courses, on-the-spot guidance in schools, orientation in teaching-aids, organising various co-curricular activities of students and their teachers at State level and publication of educational articles and write-ups.