ADULT EDUCATION
8.1.1 According to 1991 Census the literacy rates increased during the decade from 43.56% to 52.11%. The National increases in male and female literacy rates are of the order of 7.49 and 9.67 percentage points respectively making it 63.86% for males and 39.42% for females. Series-I, Census of India 1991 entitled "Provisional Population Totals" states: "In the last few censuses of India, children below five years of age were treated as illiterates. Since ability to read and write with understanding is not ordinarily achieved until one had some schooling or had at least some time to develop these skills, it was felt by the Ministry of Human Resource Development and the Planning Commission that the population aged seven years and above is to be classified as literate or illiterate. In view of this, in the 1991 Census, the question on literacy was canvassed only for population aged seven years and above."
8.1.2 Declaration of the year 1990 as the International Literacy Year (ILY) by the General Assembly of the UNESCO followed by a World Conference on basic education for all held at Jomtien (Thailand) from 4th to 9th March, 1990 provided the much needed impetus and opportunity to all governmental and non-governmental agencies throughout the world to organise a large number of activities which were expected to generate an intensive public awareness on the one hand and usher in a decade long plan of action for ensuring education for all by 2000 A.D. on the other.
8.1.3 In India, observance of ILY had an added dimension due to the fact that about 50% of the world illiterates live in India and that illiteracy continues to impede all programmes of rural development, child care, family planning, etc. While launching ILY in India on 22nd January, 1990, the Prime Minister had, therefore, appealed to all sections of the society to enlist their total involvement and support for the cause of eradication of illiteracy. The Prime Minister reiterated his appeal once again on 4th February, 1990, while declaring Ernakulam as the first fully literate district in the country and launching a campaign for total literacy for Kerala.
Environment Building 8.2.0 In the wake of the call given by the Prime Minister, success achieved through mass campaign in Ernakulam and the opportunity provided by the ILY, the entire machinery of the National Literacy Mission available at various levels was geared to launch a crusade against illiteracy. Literacy activists from different parts of Kerala visited Bihar and Madhya Pradesh in September, 1990. This helped to mobilise public opinion in support of literacy and disseminate the message of literacy in its correct perspective. The Bharat Gyan Vigyan Samiti, a registered society, undertook a major initiative by launching a countrywide
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jatha from 2nd October, 1990 to 14th November, 1990. In terms of numbers, the Samiti organised 721 major jathas and 1971 local jathas, covering 332 districts and 31,000 villages and, in the process enrolled about one million volunteers for taking up literacy work as a totally voluntary effort. The Gandhian and Sarvodaya workers also organised paidal jathas, covering 350 blocks in 43 districts in the States of Assam, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Orissa. In qualitative terms, these jathas helped in putting literacy firmly on the agenda of national programme, sensitised the literate and the educated to take up literacy work with a sense of pride, excitement and social obligation and helped in dispelling lots of doubts and misgivings about literacy. These jathas also motivated and mobilised the illiterates for literacy, enabled them to perceive the need for literacy and internalise the need for their individual and collective wellbeing. The jathas also brought about a close integration between literacy and development, literacy and science and literacy and environment. In order that the positive environment for literacy which has been generated is fully harnessed for literacy, a second phase of action plan formulated by the Bharat Gyan Vigyan Samiti has been approved by the Executive Committee of National Literacy Mission Authority and is being launched soon.
Thrust on Total Literacy 8.3.1 Following the success achieved in Ernakulam and the positive environment created by the jathas, as also promotional activities undertaken by various agencies at different levels to mark ILY, mass campaign oriented and volunteer-based total literacy programmes have been taken up in the entire States of Goa and Kerala and the Union Territory of Pondicherry. Kerala has already been declared as the country's first fully literate State in a special ceremony held at Kozhikode on 18-4-91.
8.3.2 Four Conferences of Collectors from different districts in the country were organised in July 1990, August 1990, November 1990 and January 1991 to baptise and sensitise Collectors of about eighty districts. As a result, total literacy campaigns were formulated in about forty-five districts and set in motion in about forty two districts in the States of Andhra Pradesh, Bihar Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. The following table gives the details of the total literacy projects.
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133(A)
Table
Literacy Projects
Under National Literacy Mission
Sl. Project Area Coverage Target Time Span
No. (in lakhs) Group (age)
1. Pondicherry 1.00 15-45 October, 1989 to
(entire U.T.) January, 1991
2. Goa (Entire State) 1.00 10-35 Feb., 1990 to
Jan., 1991
3. Bijapur 5.50 9-35 Jan., 1990 to
(Karnataka) Jan., 1991
4. South Kanara 3.00 9-35 April, 1990 to
(Karnataka) March, 1991
5. Midnapore 20.00 9-60 April, 1990 to
Feb., 1991
6. Chittoor 9.00 9-35 Sept., 1990 to
August, 1991
7. Cudappah 7.50 9-35 October, 1990 to
August, 1991
8. Hyderabad 5.74 15-35 June, 1990 to
April, 1991
9. Durg 6.00 15-45 Sept., 1990 to
Dec., 1991
10. Burdwan 15.00 9-50 Sept., 1990 to
April, 1991
11. Narsinghpur (M.P.) 1.107 15-35 July, 1990 to
Feb., 1991
12. Sindhudurg 0.60 15-60 Nov., 1990 to
May, 1991
13. Kerala 30.00 15-45
14. Fatehpur 5.00 6-45 Oct., 1990 to
June, 1991
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Sl. Project Area Coverage Target Time Span
No. (in lakhs) Group (age)
15. Gujarat 30.00 15-35 May, 1990 to
April, 1991
16. Nellore 7.00 9-35 Sept., 1990 to
Aug., 1991
17. Hooghly 9.00 14-35 Nov., 1990 to
May, 1991
18. Mandya 4.00 9-35 - do -
19. Wardha 1.16 6-35 Sept., 1990 to
July, 1991
20. Vizag 7.00 9-45 Sept., 1990 to
Aug., 1991
21. Raichur 5.91 9-35 March, 1991 to
Oct., 1991
22, Kurnool 5.60 15-35 Dec., 1990 to
Oct., 1991
23. Birbhum (W.B.) 6.87 9-60 Jan., to
May, 1991
24. Cooch Behar (W.B.) 8.00 9-50 Nov., 1990 to
Nov., 1991
25. Bankura (W.B.) 7.41 10-35 Jan., to
July, 1991.
26. Mehboobnagar 0.69 15-35 Sept., 1990 to
(6 mandals & Aug., 1991
2 Municipalities)
27. Khammam (A.P.) 7.10 9-35 Jan-Dec. 91
28. Nizamabad (A.P.) 4.50 15-35 Feb.91-Jan.92
29. North 24 Parganas 17.00 9-50 Feb-Dec. 91
(West Bengal)
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Sl. Project Area Coverage Target Time Span
30. Sundargarh District 7.50 9-60 Jan-Dec. 91
(Orissa)
Rourkela City
(Orissa)
31. Indore (M.P.)
32. West Godavari (A.P) 6.00 9-40 Jan - Dec. 91
33. Karimnagar (A.P) 10.00 9-35 Jan - Dec. 91
34. Ranchi (Bihar) 10.00 6-45 Jan. 91-June 92
35. Muzzafarpur(Bihar) 10.00 12-35 Nov. 90-June 92
36. Jamshedpur (urban) 1.80 6-50 July 90-Apr. 92
(Bihar)
37. Kamrajar (T.Nadu) 2.40 15-35 Feb. 91-Mar. 92
38. PTT Sivaganga 1.00 15-35 Feb. 91-Aug. 92
(T.Nadu)
39. Raipur (M.P.) 3.00 15-45 Jan.91-May.92
(8 Blocks)
40. Bilaspur (M.P.) 3.51 15-45 Oct.90-June 92
(6 Blocks)
41. Ganjam (Orissa) 10.00 9-45 Jan.91-June 92
42 Panipat (Haryana) 2.00 15-45 Jan.91-June 92
8.3.3 Mass mobilisation through jathas, street theatres, role plays etc. by harnessing the traditional folk media, intensive training of resource persons, master-trainers and volunteers through a fully participative methodology and imparting instructional lessons by using the new motivation oriented technique of IPCL (Improved Pace and Content of Learning) on a totally voluntary basis are some of the striking features of the mass campaign.
8.3.4 On a request made by the Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission and Minister of Human Resource Development, all the State Governments/Union Territory Administrations are identifying additional districts where total literacy campaigns could be launched and it is hoped that during 1991-92, about 75 districts (including 45 districts for 1990-91) would have already been covered by such campaigns.
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Re-organisation of Centre-based Programme 8.4.1 The Centre-based programme of adult education has been implemented since 1978 through Rural Functional Literacy Projects, State Adult Education Programme, voluntary agencies, University Departments of Adult and Continuing Education, Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan etc. The Centre-based programme though conceptually sound suffers from several snags in implementation such as (a) absence of adequate planning and preparation prior to launching of the programme (b) lack of motivation among the functionaries and the learners (c) irrelevance of teaching/learning materials to adult learner's needs (d) absence of participative and communicative training (e) weak management and (f) credible information system.
8.4.2 The scheme has since been reviewed and revised, keeping the snags and deficiencies as above in view to make it area and time specific, cost effective and result oriented. Detailed guidelines under the revised scheme have been issued. It is expected that the new scheme when adopted would provide greater compactness, effective monitoring and supervision, credibility in the management information system, community involvement and larger participation of women in the programme.
Improved Pace of Content and Learning (IPCL) 8.5.0 The IPCL technique provides for a reduced duration of learning (reduced from 500 hours to about 200 hours) without diluting the content and overall quality of learning. The technique involves preparation of multi-graded and integrated primers in three parts, corresponding to three different levels of literacy and numeracy and provides for an integration of learning units, drills and exercises, evaluation and certification. The new primers are based on the principle of progression and provide for an assessment of the progress in learning from time to time by the learner himself/herself. The technique is based on the premise that motivation will be heightened the moment the learner perceives the progress attained in every stage of learning as also the benefit of learning. The State Resource Centres (SRCs) which provide academic and technical resource support to the programme, have already developed such integrated primers, which after pretesting and scrutiny by a duly constituted committee in the Directorate of Adult Education, Government of India are in use in the programme in most of the States/Union Territories. Some of the SRCs have developed such integrated primers in different dialects spoken in the concerned State/UT.
Voluntary Agencies 8.6.1 In a societal mission which rests on social mobilisation, voluntary agencies have been assigned an important role. In order, however, to ensure that only voluntary agencies
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as have a good track record of social service, the expertise and commitment to adult education as also are wedded to a truly voluntary culture are selected, the Mission has identified diverse methods of selection such as through committees (with representation of voluntary agencies) at the State level, through intermediate/lead agencies and directly by the National Literacy Mission Authority.
8.6.2 The Executive Committee of National Literacy Mission Authority constituted a Sub-Group on Voluntary Agencies to review the scheme with a view to making it more volunteer based cost effective and result oriented, adopting area-based approach as well as the new technique of IPCL. The report of the Sub-Group was considered by the Executive Committee and was accepted with certain modifications and suggestions. Keeping the overall thrust of the Mission towards total literacy on an area-based approach in view, the scheme of financial assistance to Voluntary Agencies is being revised to provide for flexibility and freedom to voluntary agencies to adopt an approach to achieve total literacy consistent with the local needs.
8.6.3 Pending review of the scheme during the current year, voluntary agencies which were already getting grants were assisted for running Adult Education Centres and Jana Shikshan Nilayams. Four hundred and sixty three Voluntary agencies have been approved grant for running 20,764 Adult Education Centres, 1769 Jana Shikshan Nilayams (JSNs) and other related activities during 1990-91. In addition to the District Resource Units (DRUs) functioning as part of the District Institutes of Education and Training (DIETs), 22 DRUs have been sanctioned for adult and nonformal education in voluntary agencies. A seminar on 'Adult Literacy and Development' was organised to felicitate Dr. Malcolm S. Adiseshiah, an Economist and Educationist of international repute on the occasion of his 80th birthday. Eight workshops were also organised to apprise the voluntary agencies of the new thrust and approach of the Mission. Computerisation of the work under the scheme was further strengthened. Guidelines on the establishment of Jana Shikshan Nilayams were formulated and circulated among voluntary agencies in order to facilitate formulation and effective implementation of JSN projects. Three conferences were held at Patna, Guwahati and Lucknow to involve voluntary agencies in undertaking volunteer-based programme.
8.6.4 Students constitute an important arm of a societal mission like NLM. There are in all about twenty million students at the university, college & school (secondary and senior secondary) levels. Their involvement which started with launching of the Mass Programme of Functional Literacy (MPFL) in May, 1986 has been progressively enraged. Resolutions issued by Boards of Secondary Education in different States (Maharashtra, Orissa and West Bengal), constitution of a standing committee in the UGC under the Chairmanship of Dr. Malcolm S. Adiseshiah, personal appeal issued by the Chairman UGC and the directive issued by the Department of Youth for 50 per cent involvement of NSS volunteers
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in literacy work have all contributed to facilitating the process of large scale students' involvement.
8.6.5 A conference of the Vice-Chancellors of 25 Universities on a selective basis was held on 7-3-91 under the auspices of the Association of Indian Universities and Planning Commission. It was attended by the Prime Minister and Deputy Chairman, Planning commission and was chaired by Prof. Ram Lal Parekh, Vice Chancellor, Gujarat Vidyapeeth. The conference resolved to treat literacy as integral part of the curriculum in the universities, colleges and schools and to take necessary follow up action thereunder. The Chairman, UGC, Chairman, Central Board of Secondary Education and the President of the State Boards of Secondary Education have been requested accordingly.
Mass Programme of Functional Literacy (MPFL) 8.7.1 The MPFL programme which was launched in May, 1986 with the involvement of students in adult education has been enlarged under the National Literacy Mission and extended to practically all sections of society such as employers and trade unions, railways, ex-servicemen, prison management staff, banks, cooperatives, etc. The developments which have taken place in this direction are enumerated below :
(a) Employers and Trade Unions Following two rounds of discussion in a round table conference of Central Employers and Trade Union organisation in April and July, 1989, a standing tripartite committee comprising of all concerned interests has been formed to plan, monitor and oversee the entire process. Several Individual employers and trade unions in states like Gujarat and Rajasthan are already actively involved in literacy work.