TWENTY POINT PROGRAMME AND
 ACCESS TO EDUCATION FOR THE
 DISADVANTAGED
 

14.1.0 Under Point No. 10 of 20 Point Programme (TPP), the progress in Elementary Education, both formal and non formal and Adult Education is monitored in physical and financial terms with reference to the pre-determined enrolment targets. Physical Progress report for Elementary and Adult Education for the year 1989-90 alongwith evaluatory report on content of education, nonformal and value oriented education, was sent to Ministry of Programme Implementation. State-wise enrolment targets for Elementary and Adult Education for the year 1990-91 were fixed and sent to Ministry of Programme Implementation. Under the revised programme half yearly financial and physical progress reports for the period April to September, 1990 and October 1990 to March 1991 were also sent as per schedule.

Education of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes

14.2.1 The year 1990 was the centenary year of Dr. B.R.Ambedkar. The Department of Education issued instructions to organisations under their control to take up programmes and activities for celebrating the birth centenary in a befitting manner. These programmes include panel discussions, seminars, essay competitions, exhibitions on life and work of Dr. Ambedkar, publication of his biography and anthology of his works etc. Monitoring Committees were set up to review the enrolment of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in educational institutions. Department of Education was also represented in the Sub-Committees connected with the educational development of SCs and STs in the National Committee set up by the Ministry of Welfare in the context of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Centenary Celebrations for formulation of detailed programmes for the welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.

14.2.2 Special emphasis was laid on the removal of disparities and equalisation of educational opportunities by attending to specific needs of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes who have not been able to take full advantage of the present educational provisions and facilities.

14.2.3 Under the schemes of Operation Blackboard, Non-Formal Education and Adult Education, States were advised to give high priority to selection of blocks which have large concentration of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.

14.2.4 Out of the overall enrolment of 47,103 students in the Navodaya Vidyalayas as of 30th April, 1990, the number of Scheduled Caste students was 9746 and that of Scheduled Tribes was 5272 accounting for 20.7% and 11.2% of the total enrolment.

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14.2.5 The scheme of upgradation of merit of SC/ST students started in 1987-88 continued to be under implementation through States/UTs. Under this scheme, remedial coaching is given in XII for preparing them for competitive examinations.

14.2.6 other facilities like reservation of seats in educational institutions (15% for SCs and 7 1/2% for STs), relaxation in qualifying marks in entrance examinations, reservation in pre-matric scholarships, freeships in Kendriya Vidyalayas, reservation in University level research fellowships, research associateships, teacher fellowships etc. were continued.

14.2.7 The Indian Institutes of Technology operate a scheme under which candidates belonging to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes who fail in the Joint Entrance Examinations by very slender margin of marks, are given further training and admitted to relevant courses.

14.2.8 Under the Special Component Plan and Tribal Sub-Plan about 14.4% and 6.1% respectively, of the divisible outlay of the Department of Education were quantified and earmarked.

Education of Minorities

14.3.0 The Department of Education constituted a Group on Education of minorities under the chairmanship of Shri R.K. Saiyed on July 23, 1990. Its terms of reference were:

(a) To review the recommendations and suggestions made by the various Ministries/Departments of the Centre and the States, Societies and Organisations in respect of Minorities Education; and

(b) To make recommendations on some measures which may be taken by the Central Government in the immediate future.

As Shri Saiyed had to proceed on a foreign assignment in October, 1990, Shri Saiyid Hamid was appointed Chairman'. The Group submitted its report to the Government on January 15, 1991. The Government has since appointed on March 4, 1991, an Empowered Committee to take appropriate decisions/views with regard to the recommendations. The Report of Empowered Committee is awaited.

Vocational Training

14.4.0 All the minority concentration districts as identified in the Programme of Action have been covered under the scheme of Community Polytechnics.

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Coaching Classes

14.5.1 The University Grants Commission continued to implement the scheme of providing assistance to universities and colleges for coaching students from educationally backward minorities. The coaching is given for preparing the students for competitive examinations. The scheme is being implemented in twenty Universities and 28 colleges. The UGC Sub-Committee on coaching classes for minority communities has constituted a small Committee to monitor and review the progress.

14.5.2 Sanctions were also given to set up two regional resource centres at Aligarh and Calicut.

Review of Text Books

14.6.0 School text-books are being reviewed from the point of view, inter alia, of removal of untouchability, casteism and communalism. The school text-books in use in States/Union Territories were reviewed in the first phase. The programme of evaluation is now overseen by a national level Steering Committee.

Education of women

14.7.1 As brought out elsewhere in the report, enrolment of girls as a ratio of total enrolment is only 40.7% at primary stage, 36.7% at middle stage, 32.3% at secondary and higher secondary stage and 32.5% at Higher Education stage.

girls/women's participation in Education. Details of specific steps are presented below:

Under the Scheme of Operation Blackboard; Government of India has provided assistance since 1987-88 for creation of 92871 posts of primary school teachers mainly to be filled by women. According to the latest reports, 63524 posts of teachers have been filled up of which 56.21 per cent are women teachers.

Hundred per cent assistance was given for NFE Centres meant for girls. The cumulative number of NFE Centres for girls is 3450.

The Mahila Samakhya (Education for Women's Equality) Project has been under implementation in the States of Gujarat, Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh - with the main objective of motivating women to participate in Education and providing non-formal, Adult and vocational education to them.

By conscious action, admission of girls to the extent of 27.85% in Navodaya Vidyalayas' has been ensured. (Number of girls in these Vidyalayas is 17,971 as against the total of

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64,517)

In the registration year 1989-90, 54.88% were from exempted categories comprising of women (37%), SC/ST, ex-service men and handicapped.

Special attention was given for enrolment of women in Adult Education Centres. Under the Rural Functional Literacy Programmes, out of 33.94 lakh adult illiterates enrolled, 18.96 lakh persons were women (55%).

During the year, NCERT completed two studies on educational development of women. One is a micro study on measures adopted for enrolment, retention and development of girls by educational institutions in urban slums and the other is on measures to improve vocational, technical and professional education of girls in India.

The UGC approved a number of research projects relating to the themes of women's studies. The Standing Committee of women's studies recommended assistance to twenty universities and eight colleges/university departments for setting up women's studies/Cells.

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