AN OVERVIEW
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
National Policy on Education 1986 The major focus during the year was on implementation of the New
and Programme of Action Education Policy. Conferences of State Education Secretaries and Edu-
cation Ministers were convened on February 13-14 and April 25-26,
1987 respectively. While the conference in February discussed details
relating to Universalisation of Elementary Education, Operation Black-
board, Non-Formal Education and Teacher Training, the conference held
in April discussed Vocationalisation of Education. Since a major responsi-
bility for implementation of the National Policy on Education rests on the
Central Advisory Board of Education, a meeting of the Board was convened
on June 25--26, 1987 to review the implementation of the New Education
Policy. Nine committees were constituted to lay down guidelines for
formulation of programmes and schemes as well as to monitor and evaluate
the implementation of the programmes envisaged in the NPE. Most of
the committees have already held their meetings. The progress of imple-
mentation of NPE was reported to Parliament in August, 1987.
Educational Statistics The Ninth All India Conference on Educational Statistics was held
in New Delhi on May 25-26, 1987.
As many as 17 publications on educational statistics were brought
out during the year under report.
Encouraged by the success of the Pilot Project in Uttar Pradesh, a
Plan Scheme on Computerisation of Educational Statistics in States/Union
Territories has been formulated for implementation in all the educationally
backward States in the firs' phase.
School Education Consistent with the Plan objective of reaching 100 % coverage in
elementary education for children upto the age of 14 years, major schemes
have already been brought under implementation. Operation Blackboard
which aims at providing basic infrastructure for primary schools has taken
off-with provisions for adequate building space for accommodating the
children for their classes, learning material and equipment and a second
teacher, preferably a woman in single teacher schools. State Level Em-
powered Committees have already met in 17 States for clearance of
projects. Funds have also been released in six States.
Another major effort has been in the area of Non-Formal elementary
education. The scheme has been broad based for implementation in urban
slums, hilly areas, desert, tribal and project areas also apart from
educationally backward States, Projects as per revised guidelines have been
received from 13 States. Funds for six States have already been released.
Assistance for 82 voluntary agencies has also been released for running
Non-Formal education centres. Seven proposals for environmental an
innovative projects have been cleared too.
Re-structuring and re-organisation of teacher education has also
since made a significant start. Fourteen States have already furnished
projects for the purpose of setting up District Institutes of Education and
Training (DIETs). State Level Empowered Committees have also consi-
dered these projects. The projects have also been generally cleared in the,
case of six States. A massive Teacher Orientation Programme covering
5 lakhs teachers each year was also brought under implementation during
the summer of 1986 and 1987.
In order that 10 % of the students at the higher secondary stage is
diverted to vocational education by 1990, a new scheme of vocationalisa-
tion has been approved. The scheme contemplates are-oriented manage-
ment structure, teacher preparation of a superior professional order,
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mobilisation of academic resource with the help of NCERT, infrastructure
for teaching facilities in the schools, as also arrangement of vocational
guidance for students for employment after education.
A revised scheme has been prepared for promoting computer educa-
tion in schools. The objective is to cover 13,000 higher secondary schools
by 1990. Integration of the programme with the curriculum is a very
important feature of the revised scheme. The assistance of the Department
of Electronics has been taken in the preparation of the revised scheme.
In order to improve education in schools all over the country educa-
tional technology has been given high priority. It is proposed to supply
100,000 TV sets to primary and upper primary schools and 500,000 radio-
cum-cassette players to primary and upper primary schools. Steps have
been initiated to set up Education Media Foundation (EMF). The
UNICEF have evinced interest in making substantial contribution to the
corpus of the Foundation.
Government have also approved a scheme for strengthening of science
teaching in schools. State Governments have been advised even to take
advance action for preparation of proposals under the scheme. Assistance
for supply of functional science kits for upper primary level and books
as per guidelines of the NCERT apart, assistance for laboratory equipment
is a crucial feature of the scheme.
The NCERT has undertaken measures for modifying the content and
process of education. This has involved revision of the national
curriculum for elementary and secondary education. Production of text-
books and teachers' manuals, training of teachers with special reference
to child centered teaching methods etc. are the broad features of the work
undertaken by the NCERT in this regard.
The scheme of Navodaya Vidyalayas has been implemented and 205
schools opened. The Central Buildings Research Institute (CBRI),
Roorkee is the nodal agency for implementing construction programmes
for the Navodaya schools. Twenty six public construction agencies have
been identified in various parts of India for undertaking constructions for
the schools. Analysis of past admissions in the Navodaya schools reveals
that substantial number of children belong to families below poverty line
as also scheduled castes and scheduled tribes families.
Higher Education The students' enrolment in universities and colleges increased from
35.71 lakhs in 1985-86 to 36.82 lakhs in 1986-87. The enrolment of
women students during 1986 was 11.25 lakhs as against 10.59 lakhs
during the previous year. Higher Education amongst Scheduled Castes
and Scheduled Tribes continued to receive emphasis with financial assis-
tance provided by the University Grants Commission tinder special
programme for these groups.
Major initiatives were taken by the Government and the UGC to
implement the New Education Policy. A number of detailed schemes
were prepared during the year pursuant to the Programme of Action. The
National Policy on Education-1986 has emphasised the desirability of
reaching the objective of having uniform emoluments, service conditions
and grievance removal mechanism for teachers throughout the country.
Creation of an open participative and data-based system of teacher evalua-
tion, introduction of programmes of teacher orientation and continuing
education and recruitment and promotion on the basis of merit have also
been stressed. On the basis of the recommendations of the Mehrotra.
Committee appointed by the UGC, the Government have revised the pay
scales of teachers of universities and colleges w.e.f. 1-1-1986. A scheme
for implementation of the above mentioned policy objectives has been
announced. The Central Government will provide grants to meet 80 %
of the additional expenditure for the period 1-1-1986 to 31-3-1990 to the
State Governments.
On the basis of a Project Report, it is proposed to set up a National
Testing Service as an autonomous Organisation to conduct tests on a
voluntary basis to determine and certify the suitability of candidates for
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specified jobs that do not require a Degree or Diploma qualifications.
The scheme for establishment of a National Council for Higher Education
to oversee the development of Higher Education, relative priorities, inter-
linkages, distribution of responsibility among various agencies, and co-
ordination of work of existing agencies in the field of higher education such
as UGC, ICAR, AICTE, etc. is being finalised. A detailed project report
has been prepared for establishment/development of a new pattern of
rural institutes. The UGC has constituted a number of Expert Groups/
Task Forces for formulating detailed proposals/appropriate guidelines for
expeditious implementation of various programmes falling within its
purview. New guidelines to universities and colleges have been issued
emphasising consolidation of existing facilities. The revised guidelines on
establishment of autonomuos colleges were also prepared and circulated
to all universities/colleges. Sixty seven colleges have been selected for
autonomous status.
The UGC continued to pursue the policy and programme for improve-
ment of standards and quality of education and removal of disparities and
imbalances in higher education. Science education received special atten-
tion under UGC's programmes of quality improvement. The UGC has
taken steps to develop facilities at the national level for use of university
scientists in the field of nuclear science, material research, laser and fibre
optics, astronomy, biotechnology and mass communication. The commis-
sion also proposes to develop facilities for studies in environmental science,
ocean science and technology and lay special emphasis on promotion of
Buddhist, Gandhian, Nehru and Women Studies.
Technical Education Training of technical manpower is one of the most pervasive and central
elements in development. It is an activity that sustains and accelerates
overall growth and progress. Therefore, the technical education sector
received special attention- at the hands of the Government of India soon
after the country became independent in 1947. Facilities for education and
training in engineering and technology were expanded systematically over
the past 40 years. Today the country has about 180 technical institutions
at the first degree level and more than 425 polytechnics at the diploma
level with annual admission capacities of 34,000 and 65,000 respectively.
More than 80 institutions offer facilities for post-graduate studies and
research in engineering and technology with an annual intake capacity of
more than 7,000 students. A large number of highly specialised institu-
tions have been established all over the country to train technical man-
power in specific fields. Numerous innovative schemes and programmes
have been introduced and implemented over the years to constantly im-
prove the quality and standards of technical education.
The year under report saw many significant developments in the tech-
nical education sector. The scope and dimensions of most of the on-going
programmes were expanded, and a large number of new schemes were intro-
duced to meet the challenges posed by the new National Policy on Educa-
tion and its Programme of Action. The Bill to vest the All India Council
for Technical Education (AICTE) with statutory powers was passed by
Parliament. It is expected that the Bill which is comprehensive will enable
the AICTE to plan, promote and regulate coordinated development of
technical education.
Adult Education The National Literacy Mission is intended to be a societal Mission for
bringing about a qualitative change and improvement in the pace and extent
of the existing programme by intensive application of Science & Techno-
logy inputs and mobilisation of the various cross-sections of the society.
In order to work out the strategy and methodology on the various aspects
of the National Literacy Mission, ten Task Forces were set up which have
since submitted their reports. The working of Voluntary Agencies which
will play a crucial role under National Literacy Mission was got evaluated
through Joint Evaluation Teams.
The on-going programmes through the 513 Rural Functional Literacy
Projects (RPLPs) were continued during the year covering all the districts
in the country. Over 11,000 centres were also sanctioned to 234 voluntary
agencies. The Directorate of Adult Education (National Resource Centre)
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and 16 State Resource Centres located in different States continue to
provide technical and resource support to the programmes through a net
work of their activities. A comprehensive review of the Shramik Vidya-
peeths was also undertaken to strengthen them. The MPFL was also conti-
nued during this year with involvement of NSS. Non-NSS, and NCC
students.
Scholarships The Government of India have been offering a large number of scholar-
ships for enabling students to prosecute further studies in India and abroad.
Scholarships are generally awarded to meritorious students without ade-
quate means. Under the National merit scholarships programmes, scho-
larships were given to 40,000 students for undertaking studies beyond the
matriculation stage. Students belonging to landless labour groups, sche-
duled castes and scheduled tribes were awarded 23,000 scholarships. Five
hundred scholarships were awarded to poor but meritorious students for
enabling them to receive good education in approved residential 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 were offered to
foreign nationals, thereby assisting the developing countries in their effort
to train their manpower.
Book Promotion and Coypright The Ministry continued emphasis on production of quality books at
moderate prices, promoting reading habits and wide dissemination of
knowledge through books in pursuance of National Policy on Education
1986.
The National Book Trust, India continued its publication programmes
and organised Book Fairs/Exhibitions at International and National Levels.
The most important among the exhibitions was the book exhibition/expo-
sition on development of Printing and Publishing in India organised in
USSR in connection with the Festival of India celebrations.
The Copyright Office registered 772 works and registered changes in
20 cases of Artistic Works. During 1987, the Copyright Board held 6
meetings, heard 159 cases and decided 19 cases.
Promotion of Languages The policy of the Government of India is to encourage and promote
development and propagation of all Indian languages including classical,
modem and tribal apart from English. The Bureau of Languages is
primarily concerned with the development of Hindi and 14 other languages
listed in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution including Urdu and Sanskrit
on the one hand and English and other foreign languages on the other. In
the discharge of this task, the Bureau is assisted by a Dumber of autono-
mous bodies and subordinate offices, namely, Kendriya Hindi Sansthan,
Agra; Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan, Delhi and 8 Vidyapeeths thereunder;
Central Institute of Indian Languages, Mysore and the Regional Centres
thereunder; Central Hindi Directorate; Commission for Scientific and
Technical Terminology: Bureau for Promotion of Urdu etc.
India continued to contribute significantly to the programmes and acti-
vities of Unesco in all its areas of competence by associating experts, scho-
lars, governmental and non-governmental bodies in the implementation
of the programmes of the Organisation. The Indian National Commission
for Cooperation with Unesco played an effective rote as advisory, execu-
tive and liaison body at the national level through' It well-established con-
sultative and deliberative mechanism. India took part in many important
international conference,, and meetings organised by or under the aus-
pices of Unesco.
The Government of India sent a high-level delegation to the twenty-
fourth session of the General Conference of Unesco held in Paris from
October 20 to November 20, 1987. India also participated in the 10th
Conference of Commonwealth Education Ministers held from July 20-24,
1987 at Nairobi.