OTHER ACTIVITIES
New Education Policy The formulation of the New Education Policy has been taken up as
a priority task. A document 'Challenge of Education-A Policy Perspec-
tive' was prepared in August, 1985 which was discussed in the Conference
of Education Ministers of, all States and Union Territories held on 29-30
August, 1985 and formed the basis of nation-wide debate on the national
policy on education.
In accordance with the decisions taken in that Conference, the Central
Government organised 11 National and 20 Sponsored Seminars on im-
portant subjects while the State Governments organised State level and
District level Seminars, Officers of the Ministry of Education, NCERT
and NIEPA were designated to assist the debates and deliberations held
at the State level. The following Teachers organisations were requested
to organise State level Seminars of their affiliates as well as a National
Seminar :-
- All India Primary Teachers' Federation.
- All India Secondary Teachers' Federation.
- All India Federation of College & University Teachers organi-
sation.
- All India Federation of Educational Associations.
As a follow-up of the decision taken in the Conference of State Educa-
tion Ministers, two, Groups, one each on Manpower Projections and Voca-
tionalization, and on Financial Resources were set up for involvement of
State Education Ministers and a few distinguished Experts. A meeting of
these Groups took place on 25 and 26 November 1985 and 25 and 26
February respectively. A National Group of State Education Ministers
on Examination Reforms has also been set up under the chairmanship
of Minister, Human Resource Development.
As a result of the close follow-up with State Governments it has been
possible to organise discussions from the local level upwards-meetings
having taken place at the block, district, divisional and State levels.
Teachers' organizations, university faculty, political. parties and parents
have been involved in this debate. State Governments were also requested
to have informal consultations with peoples representatives and a number
of them have done so. Detailed memoranda representing the views of State
Governments on various issues have been received from most of the States.
A large number of organizations representing well-known interests
have formally sent their memoranda. These include the Nai Talim Sangh
(representing Gandhian basic education), All India Association for
Christian Higher Education, various Adult Education Associations,
National Organizations of Women, Council of Social Sciences Research,
Association of Indian Universities, National Parents Teachers Association,
etc., the All India. Management Association and a number of well-known
private companies have sent detailed Memoranda (including Tata Consul-
tants and Larsen & Toubro). In addition, several thousand individual
memoranda have been. received. All these documents have been remitted
to NTEPA which has brought out, in an abstracted and classified form, the
following documents :
(i) Citizens' Perception on New Education Policy Vol. I-Indi-
vidual memoranda received till May 1985.
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(ii) Citizens' Perceptions on New Education Policy Vol. II-indi-
vidual memoranda received from June to October 1985.
(iii) Individual responses to Janvani Programme of Union Educa-
tion Minister.
(iv) Summary of Press Clippings.
(v) Summary of Seminar reports and group memoranda received
till the end of October 1985.
Issues relating to New Education Policy were the exclusive subject of
discussion in the meeting of Consultative Committee held on 7th November,
1985. A debate on the New Education Policy was held in Lok Sabha and
Rajya Sabha on 10th December and 19th December, 1985 respectively.
State Governments, educational institutions, teachers, students, parents
and people in all walks of life have evinced keen interest in the reorganisa-
tion of the educational system and have sent their comments. After taking
into consideration all the suggestions received in this behalf, the Govern-
ment will present the draft of the New Education Policy to the Parliament
in the Budget Session.
Annual Plan & 20 Monitoring of Point No. 16 of the New 20-Point Programme relating
Point Programme to universalisation of elementary education and adult education was con-
tinued during the year under report. The Bureau of Planning, Monitoring
& Statistics of the Ministry submitted periodical reports to the Planning
Commission and Prime Minister's Office after collecting the requisite in-
formation from various States/Union Territories. In addition, it continu-
ed to discharge its function of co-ordination of Annual and Five Year
Educational Plans and monitoring Progress of implementation of the
schemes in the Central as well as State Sectors. In the light of the report
of the Working Group on Monitoring & Evaluation for Education it is
proposed to strengthen the monitoring evaluation and statistical machinery.
Accordingly, Special provisions are being made in the Annual Plan both
in the Central and State Sectors.
In the Annual Plan 1985-86. a sum of Rs. 972.31 crores (Comprising
Rs. 331.47 crores in the Central Sector and Rs. 640.84 crores in the State
Sector) was provided for development of various sectors of Education. In
the Seventh Plan for 1985-90, a provision of Rs. 5457.09 crores has been
made (Comprising Rs. 1738.64 crores in the Central Sector and Rs.
3718.45 crores in the State Sector). For 1986-87, the Ministry has made a
provision of Rs. 351.96 crores in the Central Sector for various sectors of
Education.
Analysis of Budgeted Expenditure on Education 1982-83 to 1984-85
and analysis of State Plan 1985-86, was brought out during the year under
report.
Educational The Xth meeting of the Standing Committee on educational statistics
Statistics held on 12-9-1985 under the Chairmanship of Jt. Secretary (Plg.), review-
ed the progress made by the Ministry in clearing the backlog of arrears in
educational statistics as per recommendation of a Sub Committee constituted
for this purpose. It also reviewed the progress made by the Ministry
in regard to implementation of the other recommendations of the High
Level Committee on educational statistics.
The modalities of the Pilot Project for computerisation of educational
statistics in U.P. were finalised in consultation with the Government of
U.P., during the current year. Special coded forms were designed for the
collection of data for this Pilot Project. The same were got printed by the
Ministry and supplied to the State Government for the collection of data
from the field. The results of the Pilot Project are expected to be avail-
able during 1986-87 and these will be utilised for formulating suitable
guidelines for introducing computerisation of educational statistics in other
states.
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During the year under report, the following publications were brought
out :-
(i) District-wise Educational Statistics 1976-77 Vol. XXI-Orissa.
(ii) Selected Information on School Education 1982-83.
(iii) Selected Information on School Education 1983-84.
(iv) District-wise Educational Statistics 1976-77 Vol. XXII-Maha-
rashtra.
(v) District-wise Educational Statistics 1976-77 Vol. XXIII-Tamil
Nadu.
(vi) District-wise Educational Statistics 1977-78 Vol. XXIV-West
Bengal.
(vii) Indian Students/Trainees going Abroad 1979-80 & 1980-81.
(viii) Selected Educational Statistics 1982-83.
(ix) Selected Educational Statistics 1983-84.
(x) Education in India Vol. I 1978-79 & 1979-80 (Under Print).
(xi) Education in India Vol. II 1977-78 (Under Print).
(xii) Education in India Vol. III 1976-77 (Under Print).
Statistical Unit supplied the necessary data base in context with the pre-
paration of the prestigious document of the Ministry viz. "Challenge of
Education-a policy perspective".
Large number of statistical enquiries were under taken by the Statistical
Unit both from National and International organisations. Besides relevant
statistical material was supplied to various divisions of the Ministry for
answering Parliament Questions, meetings of Consultative Committee etc.
Education of Provision of educational facilities to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled
Scheduled Castes/ Tribes is receiving high priority. The Prime Minister took a meeting with
Scheduled Tribes Members of Parliament belonging to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled
Tribes in May, 1985 to discuss ways and means to accelerate the progress
and development of education among these communities. Suggestions given
by members of parliament is receiving utmost attention and efforts have
been made to implement them by various departments of the Government.
Special Component Plan for Scheduled Castes and Tribal Sub-Plan for
Scheduled Tribes for the Seventh Plan 1985-90 and Annual Plan 1.986-87
have be-en finalised. Draft Social Component Plan and Tribal Sub-Plan
for the Annual Plan 1986-87 have also been prepared. 21.66% and
12.69% of the total divisible outlay have been earmarked for these two
Component Plans respectively out of the total divisible outlay for the
Annual Plan for 1986-87.
A brochure on Scheduled Caste & Scheduled Tribes has been pre-
pared and is under print. The brochure gives details of the educational
facilities given to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes by various de-
partments of the Central Government and of the State Governments and
Union Territory Administration.
A Publication giving state-wise information on Education of Scheduled
Caste", and Scheduled Tribes has been brought out. The scheme of girls
hostels for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes which is a
centrally sponsored scheme of Ministry of Welfare is being eva-
luated under the aegis of Department of Education. The evaluation
work has been assigned to three research organisations.
Education of Minorities In pursuance of former Prime Minister's 15 Points directive on the Wel-
fare of Minorities a number of promotional steps have been taken by the
Department of Education in respect of educationally backward minorities.
Some of them are :-
(i) Under the scheme of Community Polytechnics, 10 Polytechnics
impart training in various skills/trades through short-term train-
88
ing courses in minority-concentration areas. Bach of these Com-
munity Polytechnics have 4 Extension Centres at suitable
minority concentration pockets. About 1700 candidates have
undergone training and about 700 are undergoing train-
ing under this programme. Efforts are also made in getting
gainful employment including self-employment after the train-
ing.
(ii) University Grants Commission has a scheme of coaching
classes for educationally backward minorities to prepare them
for admission to Civil Service Examinations and other recruit-
ments. Grants are given under the scheme to universities/
colleges for opening coaching centres.
(iii) Text-books are being reviewed from the stand point of national
integration. Work of revision of text-books of History and
Languages has been completed in almost all the States and
Union Territories. The NCERT has now initiated action for
evaluation of school text-books in Geography, Sociology and
Political Science. The guidelines and tools for evaluation of text-books have been sent to state agencies for their views.
(iv) NCERT conducts training courses for vocational guidance and
for training of teachers trainers in Science, Mathematics and
English for teachers belonging to Minority educational institu-
tions. Besides this, NCERT has initiated action regarding
setting up of resources centres in selected universities for orga-
nising training programmes for teachers form minority mana-
ed schools. Universities of Aligarh, Jamia Millia Islamia,
Kashmir, Marathwada and Osmania are actively involved in
this programme.
A two-day national seminar on Minorities and Education in the con-
text of New Education Policy was organised with a view to improving the
existing educational system and to make it more relevant to the lives of
the Minorities.
Development of The Ministry has entered into an agreement with the National Infor-
Computerised Management matics Centre (Deptt. of Electronics) for developing Computerised
Information System Management Information System for the Ministry. In this context, NIC
for the Ministry has installed a mini computer terminal in the Ministry. This terminal
works in conjunction with the Maxi Computer of the National Informatics
Centre as part of its network.
With a view to accelerating the growth of CMIS and creation of ex-
pertise within the Ministry, a CMIS Unit within the Planning, Monitoring
and Statistics Division has been created. Under the control of CMIS Unit
there is a Word Processor and a Photo copier.
The CMIS Unit has undertaken various projects in different Divisions
of the Ministry for Computerisation. The projects for which the software
has been developed and which have been completed/under completion are
as follows:-
(i) Foreign Students studying in Indian Universities.
(ii) Computerisation of pay bills.
(iii) Computerisation of accounts of the Ministry.
(iv) Indian Students/trainees going abroad.
In respect of the projects "Schemes of Scholarships for study abroad"
and "Computerisation of Publications brought out by Language Division"
feasibility study has been completed and the proforma has been designed.
Design of proforma in respect of the projects "Scheme of Scholarship
for Research in Classical Languages" and "Training imparted to teachers
in various disciplines" is under progress.