HIGHLIGHTS SINCE 1985-86

17.1.1 The most significant achievement over the last four years and indeed a landmark in the history of Education in India has been the adoption by the Parliament of the National Policy on Education (NPE), in May, 1986, after a nation-wide debate. This was followed up by the formulation of a comprehen- sive Programme of Action (POA), based on examination of every aspect of the Policy by 23 Task Forces. The Programme of Action was adopted by the Parliament in August, 1986.

17.1.2 The National Policy on Education, 1986 was different from, and an improvement on, the earlier Policy of 1968 in the following respects

- Adoption of a comprehensive Programme of Action as mentioned above.

- Stipulation of specific targets like for Universalisation of Elementary Education, Adult Education, Vocationalisation, etc.

- Prescription of Non-formal Education as a system.

- Overt call for employment orientation of Education, as distinct from employability of students adverted to by the earlier Policy.

- Presentation of Education in the perspec- tive of Human Resource Development.

- Prescription of concrete steps in respect of education for women's equality.

- Offer of special programmes for SCs/STs, minorities, handicapped and educationally backward classes.

- Offer of a programme for Management of Education.

- Delineation of programmes for the rural population.

- Stipulation of a National System of education based on national curricular framework.

- Call for delinking of jobs from degrees.

17.2.0 Consistent with the Programme of Action, several new Plan Schemes have been brought under implementation by the Government. Particulars of major Schemes are furnished :

        
                        Name of Scheme           Objectives                            Over     Physical          Features      Rates of  Remarks
                                                                                        all     Targets                          Assist-
                                                                                    Scheme                                       ance
                                                                                     Outlay
                                                                                 Rs. crores
                                                                                  
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
1. Operation To facilitate 742.25 Coverage As in 100% Blackboard universalisation of of 20% col. 2 assistance Elementary Education; of the to States and for this purpose, Blocks for posts to provide building in 87-88, of teachers infrastructure to 30% in and teaching primary schools at 88-89 learning minimum level; to and 50% materials, provide additional school in 89-90 funds for teachers, preferably school women teachers; and buildings to provide teaching- having to be learning materials. provided under NREP/ RLEGP. 2. Restructuring and reorgani- zation of Teacher Education (i) Mass Orienta- To improve professional 38.40 Orientation - Orienta- Cost of tion of competence of teachers of 5 lakh tion of training of school teachers Resource resource teachers. annually. persons persons and training of teachers met by the Centre. - In service training of teachers. (ii) District - do - 288.59 400 DIETs - Pre- Rs. 78 Lakhs Institutes of to be service per DIET Education and established. & inservice Training education (DIETs) of teachers - Resource support for District Educa- tional System & Non-formal and adult Education

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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 (iii) Strengthening - do - 132.19 250 Institutes - Inservice Rs. 72 Lakh Secondary to be education per Centre Teacher strengthened. of Training teachers, Institutes. apart from running degree & P. G. Courses. - Network- ing with other Educa- tional Resource agencies. (iv) Strengthening do - 2.00 - Improve- State Councils ment of of Educational infrastruc- Research & ture & Training. resources of SCERTs. 3. Non-Formal To take education 230.45 to continue - Flexible Assistance to Education. to the doorsteps coverage of programmes States and of children who educationally of Voluntary are unable to backward education agencies @ be in the formal States and, - Project 50% -For general school system. in addition, approach centres. cover urban - Better 90% -For girls' slums, hilly, super- centres. desert and vision 100% For Projects tribal of voluntary areas in agencies. the 100% For innova- States vative projects. 4. Environmental As in Col. 1 37.50 100 Projects - Creation 100% assistance Orientation by 1990 of general to States and to School awareness Non-Governmental Education among Agencies school children about environ- ment - Raising of social forestry nurseries and plantation of saplings.

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1 2 3 4 5 6 7
5. Science Improvement of 161.18 Coverage - Upgradation Rs. 7500 per Education science education of 1.12 of science school for in schools. in schools lakh laboratories science equipment. schools in upper Rs. 15,000/ primary, 40,000 per school secondary for science and books. higher secondary Schools - Library Rs. 1 lakh assistance for each - Setting up Resource District Centre. Science 100% assistance Resource to voluntary Centres. agencies. - Assistance to volunt- ary organi- zations for inno- vative projects. 6. Vocationalisation Making post 409.82 11% diversion - District Assistance of Education secondary education of students vocational ranging relevant to the at higher surveys. from 25% to 100%. world of work. secondary - Vocational stage to equipment vocational and system buildings by 1990. for schools. Introduction - Curriculum of vocational & Resource courses materials in about production. 5000 - Teacher schools Training 7. Educational Improvement of access 115.90 Supply of - Infrast- 100% assistance Technology. to education and 1 lakh ructure for State Institutes quality of education. colour TV for of Education sets and 5 Educational Technology (SIETs) lakh Radio- Techno- 100% assistance cum-cassette logy for Radio-cum- players to Studios. Cassette Players. to primary - Educat- 75% assistance and upper ional TV for colour TVs. primary Produ- schools ction.

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1 2 3 4 5 6 7
- Setting up Founda- tion for Educa- tional TV Produc- tion 8. Navodaya To provide good 500.00 One - Resi- Fully Vidyalayas. quality education Navodaya dential funded for talented School per - Free by the rural children. district. boarding Centre. lodging and education - Admission by Objec- tive tests conducted all over India by NCERT - Admini- stration through the auto- nomous Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti. 9. Indira To provide access 46.00 - Certificate Fully Gandhi to Higher Education (envis- and funded National to large segments aged diploma by Open of population, in courses, Govt. of India University. specially to the Pro- parti- disadvantaged and ject cularly in those, in backward docu- special regions. ment) subjects like Rural To provide Continuing Develop- Education to upgrade ment knowledge and Food & skills. Nutrition, Computer Education, Tribal Education, etc. - Multi- media packages, for instruc- tional system

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1 2 3 4 5 6 7
- Regional Centres - Campus develop- ment in 100 acres in South Delhi. 10. Consolidation and expansion of Insti- tutions under the University System. 11. Autonomous Programmes taken up as part of UGC activities. colleges. 12. Strengthening of Research 13. Revision of To raise pay scales status of of University teachers; and' and College to attract Teachers and retain and training talent in the of these Higher Education teachers System. 14. Thrust Areas of - Creation of 115.00 Based on Provision of 100% funding Technical infrastructure projects - equipment by Govt. of Education in areas of received - laboratory India for all emerging from space AICTE approved technologies. eligible - Books & institutions. institutions journals - Technical staff for projects. - Expansion of facilities in crucial areas where weakness exists. - Programmes for new/ improved technologies.

115

                                                                                  
                                                                                  
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
15. Modernisation - To create 196.00 - do - Provision - do - and removal infrastructure of equip- of obsole- to meet ment scence. the new and technological books developments. 16. Research - To create 4.5 - do - - Provision - do - and infrastructure of equip- ment Development for Research - laboratory in Tech. space Instts. and - Books & support research journals projects - Technical Staff for projects. 17. National To impart 340.00 Coverage of - Establish- Full funding Literacy functional literacy 30 million ment of to National Mission to adult illiterates adult National Literacy in the age group illiterates Literacy Mission authority and of 15-35. by 1990. Mission Technology demonstration Authority - Techno- Rs. 14000/- per logy Jan Sikshan demonstra- Nilayam. tion in 40 districts. - Institution- Rs, 15.53 lakhs alisation per RFLP of post- of 300 Centres. literacy through Jan Sikshan Nilayams. - Continu- ance of old activi- ties, RFLP, SVPS, strengthen- ing of administra- tive structures etc.