INTRODUCTORY
1.1.0. The Ministry of Human Resource Development was set up in 1985, with the objective of integrating efforts for Development of Human Potential in the areas of Education, Women and Child Develop- ment, Arts and Culture, Youth Affairs and Sports. During 1994-95, the Ministry continued its efforts in fulfilling this objective through its constituent Departments of Education, Culture, Youth Affairs and Sports and Women and Child Development. This report covers the activ- ities of all the four Departments of the Ministry and is presented in four parts as follows:-
Part-I-Department of Education
Part-II-Department of Culture
Part-III-Department of Youth Affairs and Sports
Part-IV-Department of Women and Child Development
Department of Education 1.2.1 The Education For All (EFA) Summit of Nine High Population Countries held i New Delhi on 16th December, 1993 culminated in a policy declaration and framework of strategies for its implementa- tion. The policy declaration calls for providing basic education fa- cilities for every child and consolidating efforts towards basic education for children, Youth and adults. In the context of an inte- grated strategy of basic education for all people, literacy and adult education programme are to be improved and extended, eliminating disparities of access, improving the quality and relevance of basic education. Human Development is to be accorded the highest priority ensuring that a growing share of national and community resources is dedicated to basic education.
1.2.2 Developing a collaborative mechanism for distance education, periodic consultations and sharing experiences among the nine countries; Decentralised management of structure in education making the school more accountable to the community for its performance, development of performance norms and code of conduct for teachers and development of districts specific programmes are some of the steps taken in this direction.
1.2.3 The NPE 1986 and POA 1992 while resolving to ensure free and compulsory education of satisfactory quality to all upto 14 Years of age before 21st Century adumbrate the policy statement made at the EFA Summit. Consequently the intensification of NPE/POA programmes with new initiatives and priorities is also an attempt towards commitment made during EFA Summit.
1.2.4 Five thrust areas have been identified to achieve UEE; to make education relevant to the needs of the community and also to meet new challenges of liberalization and globalisation of the economy. These areas are : adult literacy, primary education, decentralisation of management of education, vocational education and technical educa- tion.
1.2.5 Strategy for achieving Universalisation of Elementary Educa- tion and Universal Adult literacy is being adopted through disaggre- gated approach, with the focus on district-specific, population- specific plans both in Primary Education and in Adult Education Sectors.
1.2.6. In keeping with NPE 1986 and POA 1992 a new initiative to achieve UEE `District Primary Education Programme' has been formulat- ed. The programme takes a holistic view of primary education and seeks to operationalise the strategy for UEE through district specific planning and disaggregated target setting. The programme lays great emphasis on participatory processes for planning and management, has marked gender focus and seeks to enhance school effectiveness through inputs in teachers training and decentralised management. The pro- gramme emphasises capacity building at all levels and seeks to evolve strategies which are replicable and sustainable.
1.2.7. DPEP is a beachhead for effecting improvements and fullscale development of the entire elementary education sector. The overall goal of the programme is the reconstruction of primary education as a whole in the districts instead of the piecemeal implementation of schemes. The DPEP is not to be seen as an enclave project; it is a major and multi-faceted programme seeking to overhaul the primary education system in the country.
1.2.8. As of now the DPEP has been launched in 42 districts in the States of Madhya Pradesh, Assam, Haryana, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala. The Planning process has been initiated in five districts each in Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal where it would be funded by ODA. 19 districts of Madhya Pradesh are funded by Euro- pean Community's programme assistance to DPEP while the remaining 23 districts are funded by IDA.
1.2.9 The emphasis has been shifted from enrolment per se to enrolment as well as retention and achievement. Micro planning will provide frame-work of universal access and universal participation. The targets for VIIIth plan include: (i) Universal enrolment of all children including girls and persons belonging to SC/ST; (ii) provi- sion of Primary School for all children within one km. distance for habitation with a population of 200 and/or facility of non-formal education for school drop outs, working children and girls who cannot attend school; (iii) improvement of ratio of primary schools to upper primary schools from existing 4:1 to 2:1 (iv) reduction of drop out rates; (v) improvement of infrastructural facilities including upper primary level; (vi)achievement of MLL at primary and upper primary stage; (vii) quality of academic contents to be improved and NFE curriculum to be relevant to the specific needs of the target group; (viii) to facilitate lateral entry of NFE beneficiaries into formal system.
1.2.10 NCERT has been providing resource support in crucial areas of School education and presently conducting Sixth All-India Educa- tional Survey to assess the present status and facilities of school education in the country. Scheme of Science Education, Environment Education, CLASS project etc. have been revised to improve the quality of school education. Teacher Education has also been restructured and re-organised to upgrade the competency level at various stages. While Kendriya Vidyalayas and Navodaya Vidyalayas are promoting education with national identity, National Open School has been promoting dis- tance education and is reaching out to deprived and Socio-economically backward sections of society in the remote parts of the country.
1.2.11 The Total Literacy Campaign (TLC), has been accepted as the main strategy for eradication of illiteracy in the country. It is Volunteer based area-specific, time-bound and cost-effective pro- gramme. The campaigns have led to greater demand for elementary education, gender sensitivity and women's empowerment among some of the spin-offs.
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1.2.12. The main objective of the scheme of vocationalisation of Secondary Education at plus two level is to provide diversification of educational opportunities so as to enhance individual employability. The scheme covers vocational courses in the areas of business and commerce, agriculture, engineering and technology, Health and paramed- ical, Home Science and Humanities. The Vocational courses are also being offered to impart training in simple marketeable skills and to develop vocational interests in students. 35 Vocational courses iden- tified by UGC are being introduced at under graduate level.
1.2.13 NPE has accorded highest priority to women's education and envisages the entire educational system to have builtin provisions for women's empowerment. Enrolment and retention of girl child in formal and non-formal Schooling is emphasised. There is stress on removal of gender bias in curriculum. Recruitment of rural women as teachers is emphasised in various schemes. Free education is provided to girls upto Class VIII by various State Govts./UTs while education is free for girls upto Class XII in Kendriya and Navodaya Vidyalayas. Voca- tional programme with emphasis on entrepreneurship are being designed for girl drop outs. In major thrust areas-DPEP and TLC, Women are a special focus. Steps are being taken to increase women's participa- tion in educational process, nation-wide gender sensitization pro- gramme of educational personnel and parental awareness programmes for generating a positive climate for girl's education. The Mahila Samak- hya project seeks to bring about a change in women's perception about themselves and that of Society in regard to women's `traditional roles'. In Higher and Technical Education there has been signifi- cant expansion of educational opportunities for women.
1.2.14 An Area Intensive Programme has been launched to provide basic facilities to educationally backward minorities, who have re- mained deprived of educational and developmental opportunities.
1.2.15 The Institutions of excellence i.e. IITs and IISc are con- centrating on technology assessment and forecaste so that futuristic approaches could be re-oriented to take up the development of emerging Science and Technology trends in the country. Consequently 7 generic areas of strategic significance have been approved for working in Collaboration with the industries. This is a result of the emphasis laid by the Prime Minister in the first full Planning Commission Meeting held in 1991 for Industry Institute Interaction mode. The missions would go a long way towards coupling the IITs/IISc closer to industry. Major initiative through World Bank assistance is underway to enhance quality and efficiency of technician education in the country. Scheme of community polytechnics empower and equip rural youths and school dropouts in villages through technical training and technology transfer.
Department of Culture 1.3.1 During the year, the Department continued with its various activities of promotion, preservation and dissemination of art and culture through various schemes and projects implemented by it direct- ly or through its net work of institutions working in the diverse fields such as archaeology, archives, museums, performing, literary & visual arts, anthropology, Buddhology/Tibbetology, libraries etc. A few of the achievements of the Department during the year in its diverse fields are given in the following paras.
1.3.2 The conservation, preservation and maintenance of the cen- trally protected ten monuments and sites is the prime task of Archaeological Survey of India. During the year, about 300 monuments were identified for large scale comprehensive work in different parts of the country. A large number of sites and remains ranging from Pre- historic to the medieval times have been discovered by A S I Explora- tion surveys are continuing in the
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areas to be submerged on account of the construction of dams in Gujarat, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh under Sardar Sarover Project and Sannati in Karnataka under upper Tunga and upper Bhadra Project. Under excavation programme, the clearance operation of Gingee fort in South Arcot district. Tamil Nadu has revealed the palace of 16th century subterranian passage and throne platform. Excavation at Sarvasti U P., had been undertaken in collaboration with Research Institute., Kansai University, Japan. Excavation at Barabeti Fort, Cuttack has brought to light some hidden facets of our history. An important event during the year in the field of archaeology was organisation of World Archaeology Congress in Delhi which was attended by a large number of Indian and foreign delegates.
1.3.3 The National Museum, during the year, set up a permanent Jewellary Gallery, which was inaugurated by the Prime Minister of India. It organised a number of exhibitions. An exhibition entitled "Buddha in India and Early Indian sculptures" is planned in Vienna during March 1995. The Museum acquired 208 art objects during the year. The Indian Museum, Calcutta organised an international exhibition on "Indian Bronzes - Sacred Images from 9th-12th Centuries A.D.: in two Museums of Australia - Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney and National Gallery, Canberra. The Museum also participated in the exhibition on "The peaceful liberators: Jain Art from India", held in Los Angles, USA. Under the programme of Renovation and Installation of Galleries under scientific surveys, a new Animal Ecology gallery has been set up jointly by the Indian Museum and Zoological Survey of India providing a glimpse of rich animal life of our country.
1.3.4. The National Gallery of Modern Art organised a number of educational programmes and special exhibitions during the year. It also produced 2 documentary art films and another film is nearing completion. It also produced a colour folder for the exhibition" Paintings of Nicholas Roarich". The Nehru Memorial Museum and Library which illustrates through visual materials the life and times of Jawahar Lal Nehru, continued to be the centre of interest for visitors from India and abroad. Beside its routine activities of collections for Library, archives, reprography, preservation etc. It organised a number of symposiums and seminars on various topics of interest. The Salar-Jung Museum, Hyderabad organised the 108th Birthday Celebrations of Salar Jung III, and as a part of the celebrations, a special exhi- bition entitled, "The Salar Jung - Founders of the Museum" was held. The Museum also observed the World Heritage Day and a special exhibi- tion "Structures : Indian Heritage" was organised in collaboration with the National Council of Science Museum. To coincide with the Buddhist Silk Route Expedition and World Heritage week, the Museum organised a special exhibition "Buddhist Master Pieces in Salarjung Museum". The Victoria Memorial, Calcutta, during the year, organised a number of temporary exhibits. The memorial also organised a series of illustrated lectures on various aspects of conservation of Museum objects and architectural heritage. The National Council of Science Museums continued its activities in its 21 Science Centers spread throughout the country. The work for Regional Science Centre at Calicut with a planetarium, District Science Centre at Vijayawada and District Science Centre and National Camp at Digha are expected to be completed during the year. A number of new exhibits were completed and added at various Centres during the year. The Mobile Science Exhibition" Man the Tool Maker" was completed in April 1994 and is now on the road under the Centre at Delhi. The Delhi Centre has also taken up fabrication of a large animated exhibit "Dinasaur" which is expected to the completed shortly. The Council has also set up School Science Centres in rural schools throughout the country.
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1.3.5. The Libraries under the administrative control of Department like the National Library, Calcutta the Central Reference Library, Calcutta, the Central Secretariat Library and Delhi Public Library continued its routine activities of acquisition of books, journals etc., providing services to readers, conservation of library materials as also educational activities like lecture series etc. Besides, libraries like TMSSM Library, Thanjavur, RRRLF, Calcutta KBPOL, Patna and Rampur Raza Library, Rampur concentrated more on educational and Research activities including organising seminars, symposia, talks, publication of rare manuscripts etc. The Raja Rammohun Roy Library Foundation continued to pursue their major activites of promotion of public library services all over the country through assistance.
1.3.6. The Anthropoligical Survey of India has completed the project "Ethnicity, Politics and Political System in India", and the reports dealing with the information on electoral behaviour collected from Meghalaya, Sikkim, Orissa, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Gujarat have been finalised. The reports on the ecological adaptation of populations under the project "Ecology, Environment and Human population in India" are in the process of editing. These apart, field investigations have been undertaken in various parts of country under many projects concerning tribals of India. Anthroplogy of Place Names and Personal Names, Studies of Religion etc. The Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sanghrahalaya, Bhopal during the year organised the exhibitions "Indo Afghani Cultural relations" on the common elements of Indo-Afghan Heritage, and Godna - an exhibition on the tatto motifs popular among the tribals of India. Tribal Habitat, the first perma- nent open air exhibition was added with three exhibits. A Dwelling type was added to the Coastal Village Exhibition. A 16 mm film "Charts of Rock" was prepared on prehistoric rock paintings of middle India and documentation for another film "Murias, a tribe in transi- tion" is in progress. It organised a 10 days long workshop on the terra-cotta and lacquer work of Orissa. A special craft demonstration on the traditional Jhara metal craft technique of Rajgarh, Madhya Pradesh, was also organised.
1.3.7. In the field of Archieves, the National Archieves of India continued with its activities of record management and providing facilities to researchers. It also organised an exhibition entitled "Archives and Jallianwala Bagh: A Saga of Independence" to commemorate the 75th anniversary of Jallianwala Bagh episode which was inaugrated by the Hon'ble President of India. The Asiatic Society, Calcutta carried on its research and educational activities. It organised a number of lectures, national workshop/seminars and an international seminar. The Society also negotiated with the Institute of Oriental Studies in Moscow and prepared a draft agreement to be signed for collaborative research. During the Year, the UNESCO has identified the Society as one of its resource bases, the only one in India for its Memory of the World Programme.
1.3.8. The Sangeet Natak Akademi held a six day national level workshop and a festival of Marionettes of Udupi, in association with Janapada and Yakshagana Akademi and Regional Resource Centre for Folk Performing Arts, Udipi. The Grants Committee has recommended 219 cultural institutions for financial assistance during 1994-95, which include 8 institutions/individuals for preservation and promotion of Puppetry. The Akademi held a traditional theatre festival entitled. Paramparik Natyotsav featuring 1993 awardees in the field of tradi- tional theatre in Delhi. The documentation unit of the Akademi did extensive documentation of tribal music and dances of Andhra Pradesh, ritualistic festival of Lamas, Kuchipudi dance of Raja & Radha Reddy, dance demonstration by Nataraja Ramakrishna. The Akademi has complet- ed video films on Mani Madhava Chakiyar, Parvati Virham, Kanglei Haroba and Bah-dein-Khlam. The Sahitya Akademi conferred its highest honour "Akademi Fellowship" to five eminent writers namely Dr. V
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B Kolte, Smt. Asha Purna Devi, Dr. P T Narasimhachar, Shri Kanu Charan Manty and Baba Nagarjuna. Seventeen translators in different Indian languages were presented with Sahitya Akademi translation prize. National seminars were organised on Sardar K M Panicker, historian, writer and diplomat and writer Bidbhutibhushan Bandyapadh- yay. A six day workshop on Literary Translation in English was orga- nised in collaboration with the Academic staff college, Jaipur. The Lalit Kala Akademi organised an Exhibition on the works produced in the International Artists camp held at Jaipur as part of the 8th Triennale at Ravindra Bhavan Galleries. The Akademi participated in the 4th Asian Art Show at Fukuoka, Japan. It organised a film festi- val "Art & Artists" in the Fresco gallery of the Akademi. It plans to organise Rang Rag- Synthesising Art & Music in the Fresco Gallery and Paricharcha - a presentation of art works through slides by five eminent women painters. A National seminar on "Art Terms and Termi- nologies" is also proposed to be organised. The National School of Drama organised 8 Theatre workshops in various cities. Two Children Theatre workshops - were conducted at Jhabua - M P., and at Ravipur. Experts were provided to five schools for technical assistance. The organisation displayed YATRA exhibition in three cities. The first theatre festival was organised in May-June, 1994.