OVERVIEW
Allocation of Funds and their use 2.1.0 A budget provision of Rs.2423.61 crore was made for educa- tion in the central sector during the year 1994-95. Out of this Rs. 875.31 crore was under non-plan and under plan.
Education for All 2.2.1 Education for All (EFA) has been the focal point of the programmes in education last year. For achieving EFA a two pronged strategy of universalising adult literacy and universalisation of elementary education in a mutually supportive manner is being fol- lowed.
Adult Education 2.2.2 The Total Literacy Campaigns, the major programme for uni- versalising adult literacy, are now operational in 338 districts, either partially or fully, in the States of Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. Currently, approximately 50 million people in the 9-45 age- group are learning with the help of about 5 million volunteers. They are in different stages of learning but it is estimated that about 15 million of them have already acquired the threshold level of literacy and numeracy. Post Literacy and Continuing Education activities are being launched even as TLCs make significant progress in an area. The objective is to cover 345 districts during the Eighth Plan and make 100 million people functionally literate. The focus of the campaigns now is on the four low literacy and high population States of Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh which have nearly 48 per cent of the illiterate population in the country and where the litera- cy programme earlier has not been very strong. Out of the 53 TLCS sanctioned during 1994-95, thirty-two are in these states.
Elementary Education 2.2.3 In the area of primary education, the major initiative in the form of Operation Blackboard, non-formal education programme and Teacher Education through Mass Orientation of Teachers and DIETs have been continued with maximum priority. In addition, during the year, the major initiative is in the form of the District Primary Education Programme (DPEP). The DPEP moves away from the earlier schematic, piecemeal approach and takes a holistic view of elementary education, emphasises decentralised management, community mobilisation and under- takes district and population specific planning. The programme also builds upon experience gained from the earlier generation external- ly assisted primary education programmes. The DPEP is characterised by loftiness of its objectives, the nature and the intensity of the planning process, the integration of professional. inputs, participa- tive planning and management, emphasis on capacity building and inte- grated and locally relevant curriculum and pedagogy. A system of concurrent evaluation as well as monitoring of learner activity is being set up so that the impact of implementation on the ultimate objective of evaluation, retention and achievement can be evaluated. The programme has already been launched in 42 districts in seven States and the objective is to cover 110 districts by the end of the Eighth Plan.
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2.2.4 Apart from the DPEP, a number of externally aided projects have been launched with a view to supporting the state/national re- sources for achieving EFA by 2000 AD. Notable among these are:-
- Uttar Pradesh Basic Education Programme with the assistance of World Bank with an outlay of Rs.728 crore covering 10 districts.
- Bihar Education Project with the assistance of UNICEF with an outlay of Rs.360 crore covering 20 districts by 1995-96)
- Shiksha Karmi Project in Rajasthan with the assist- ance of Swedish international agency (SIDA) with an outlay of Rs.60.32 crore covering 38 districts.
- Lok Jumbish project in Rajasthan with the assistance of SIDA with an outlay of Rs. 18 crore covering 25 blocks.
- Mahila Samakhya project in four states with the assistance of the Netherlands with an outlay of Rs.51.29 crore covering 14 districts.
- Andhra Pradesh Primary Education project with ODA funding covering 23 districts.
2.2.5 The Post-NPE initiatives continue with greater focus on quality of implementation. The Operation Blackboard launched in 1986 with a view to improving facilities in primary schools has made tre- mendous progress. Almost all primary schools in the country have been covered by the programme; 1.49 lakh posts of teachers sanctioned; out of which 1.22 lakh posts filled; approximately half of the posts (56132) have been filled by women. Teaching-learning equipment has been sanctioned to 99.9 per cent primary schools in the country. In schools with enrolment of more than hundred children, 14,535 third teacher posts have been sanctioned. Last year, the scheme was extend- ed to cover the upper primary schools; already 7,335 schools have been covered.
2.2.6 The Government is alive to the problem of unreached areas and disadvantaged groups which may have inadequate access to educa- tion. The non-formal system is intended to increase participation of these groups. The 2.5 lakh centres being run today cater to about 62 lakh learners. This programme is being considerably strengthened in terms of teaching-learning materials, orientation of personnel and community involvement. Ninety per cent of the cost on exclusive girls centers is borne by the Central government in keeping with the special focus on education of girls. The programme is now being dove tailed with the national programme on the elimination of child labour.
2.2.7 The Minimum Levels of Learning strategy enunciated in the Programme of Action, 1992 has emerged as a major intervention in all programmes of elementary education. With focus on outcomes, it rede- fines the process of elementary education leading to an improved, integrated pedagogy to suit the multi-grade situation of our class rooms.
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Secondary Education 2.3.1 Secondary Education is being upgraded through various schemes. These include scheme for improvement of Science Education, Environment Education, Culture & Values in Education, Computer litera- cy, Education Technology etc. In addition, the NCERT has been provid- ing resource support in crucial areas of School Educational Research & Training at School level. The NCERT with the assistance of the NIC and State level agencies is currently conducting VI All India Educa- tional Survey. This will help in Proper educational planning at grassroot level for a balanced growth and expansion of educational facilities in rural as well as Urban areas. Critical statistical data of institutions, habitations- wise access, enrolment, physical facili- ties, teachers and their qualifications, etc., would provide an appro- priate data base for satisfactory implementation of various Centrally sponsored Schemes.
2.3.2 Kendriya Vidyalayas and Navodaya Vidyalayas are promoting education with national identity throughout the country. In both these organisations, expansion without simultaneous creation of neces- sary infrastructure has tended to somewhat compromise quality of education. The government has this year accelerated the process of creating buildings, laboratories, libraries and teacher training facility so that these chains of schools can credibly act as pace setters for other Schools in the country. National open School has been assigned the responsibility of Research Development and Dis- semination of the information for promoting open schooling in the country with a view to providing distance education to deprived and socio-ecnonomically backward sections of society in the remotest parts of the country.
2.3.3 The problem of academic burden on the school students has been under consideration at various stages and a frame-work of action on the basis of Prof. Yashpal Committee Report has been suggested to State Governments. The Government of India is following up implemen- tation of recommendations of this report to ensure that meaningful reform of school education comes about as a follow up of this report.
2.3.4 The national policy of education has accorded priority to vocationalisation of education to enhance individual employability, reduce the mis-match between the demand and supply of skilled manpower and provide an alternative for those pursuing higher education without any particular interest or purpose. Although impressive coverage has been built up under these scheme, the quality of courses remains a cause for concern. This is largely because most states have been slow in creating Professional Management system and in establishing contin- uous linkage and collaboration with employer organisations. The scheme of pre-Vocational Education at lower secondary stage was introduced from 1993-94 to impart training in simple marketeble skills to the students and to develop vocational interest. The target is to divert 10% of higher secondary students to the vocational stream by 1995 and 25% of them by 2000 A.D. During the year under report the emphasis is on consolidation and qualitative improvement of the pro- gramme to remove the weaknesses of the programme.
2.3.5 Courses are selected on the basis of assessment of manpower requirement through surveys. About 150 vocational courses have been introduced in six major areas of agriculture, business and commerce, engineering and technology, health and para medical services, home science, services and others.
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2.3.6 The policy emphasises the need for making available non- formal, flexible and need based vocational programmes to school drop- outs, Neo literates etc. Collaborative arrangements are being worked out with the Ministries of Railways, Health and Industry etc. Be- sides, a large number of industrial enterprises, both in public and private Sectors, are also being involved in the programme.
Technical Education 2.4.1 The NPE has laid emphasis on modernisation and removal of obsolescence of laboratories and workshops of engineering colleges and polytechnics in order to enhance functional efficiency. The scheme covers IITs and RECs and other Engineering Colleges, Technical Facul- ties of Universities and Polytechnics.
2.4.2 Priority is being given to bringing industrial commercial system and institutions closer together. Technology missions in eight identified priority areas have been taken up on the basis of their relevance to the Indian economy through IITs and IISc. The user industry will be prominently associated in the designs and implementa- tion of these missions and efforts are being made to make available the result of R&D in these missions to the Indian Industry. Promotion of excellence in RECs, Upgradation of Technician Education system to improve the capacity, quality and efficiency of polytechnics are being pursued as programmes which will rejuvenate the Technical Education system.
2.4.3 For giving greater autonomy, improving performance and ensuring accountability a new pattern of funding by block grants has been introduced in IITs, IIMs and IISc. This would enable the insti- tutions to achieve economy, be cost effective and generate their own resources for development purposes.
University and Higher Education 2.5.1 There has been a steady growth of higher education system in the country since independence. The number of Universities has in- creased from 25 at the time of independence to 211 (including 36 deemed universities and 10 institutions of National Importance vested with the authority to award degree). The enrolment of students has increased from 2 lakhs to 50.07 lakhs at the beginning of the year 1994-95. Of the total enrolment of 50.07 lakhs, 44.11 (88.1 %) are enrolled in graduate programmes, 4.76 lakhs (9.5%) in postgraduate programme and 0.55 lakhs (1.1%) in research programmes. The enrolment of Women Students at the beginning of the 1994-95 was 16.44 lakhs as against 15.90 lakhs in the previous year.
2.5.2 There has been a perceptible change in the trend of student enrolment during 1980s. While student enrolment increase over 5% average each year upto 1985-86. annual compound rate of growth of enrolment during the period 1988-89 to 1993-94 was 4.2%. It is esti- mated that if this rate of growth continues the total enrolment at the end of the 8th Five Year Plan should be around 60 lakhs students.
2.5.3 The faculty-wise break up of students shows that nearly 40.4% students were enrolled in Arts and Humanities, 21.9% in commerce 19.6% in Science and 18.1% in Engineering and Technology, Law and in other faculties. The University Education is important for the Na- tional System because the University students enter the Job market immediately and the standard of their education influences productivi- ty in the National System. The two Universities in Assam and one in Nagaland having been
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operationalised, the Bill for setting up Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Univer- sity at Lucknow was passed during the year. A sizeable programme of vocational courses at degree level was started through UGC in 1994-95 and Central and some State Universities have been substantially as- sisted by UGC for libraries and laboratories.
2.5.4 There has been considerable enthusiasm for Distance Educa- tion System in the last 3-4 Years. Student enrolment at the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) for various programmes of study during the Year 1994-95 is likely to be over 84,000/ With this, the aggregate enrolment of students in the university is likely to be 2.57 lakhs. One of the thrust areas during the 8th plan period would be to achieve additional enrolment of one million students in open university and distance education institution.
International Cooperation 2.6.1 Indian National Commission for cooperation with UNESCO (INC) with its secretariat in the Department of Education has been contrib- uting significantly to UNESCO;s work particularly in the formulation and execution of its programmes. INC continued to provide effective intellectual inputs in UNESCO's regional programmes.
2.6.2 The Department of Education was privileged to host the Education For All Summit of Nine High Population Countries in New Delhi in December 1993 in which the Head of three U.N. Agencies UNES- CO, UNICEF, & UNFPA also participated as Cosponsors. As a follow up of the EFA Summit, the undermentioned steps have been taken:
(a) There was a Minister level meeting in Geneva on 8th October 1994 of the nine countries which participat- ed in the Education for All Summit of nine high popula- tion countries held in New Delhi in December 1993. Heads of UNESCO, UNICEF and senior representatives of UNEPA - the three sponsoring agencies of the EFA-9 Summit - participated in the, meeting. The meeting was held during the 44th Session of ICE and the Indian delegation was led by the Minister of HRD.
(b) A three member delegation led by Km. Selja, Deputy Minister (E&C) attended the national Conference on Education for All held in Brazilia, Brazil from 29th August to 4th September, 1994.
2.6.3 Measures were taken to strengthen external academic rela- tions by close monitoring of the implementation of the education component of more than 60 bilateral Cultural Exchange Programme and other Collaborative arrangements.
2.6.4 The highly prestigious NOMA Award, one of the three Interna- tional Literacy Prizes awarded by Unesco annually has been awarded for 1994 to the Loreto Day School at Sealdah, Calcutta for raising Litera- cy awareness among under privileged groups in the most neglected slum and remote rural areas from which they come,
2.6.5 The Indian National Commission for Unesco has been coordi- nating the participation of Indian photographers in the Photo Contest organised by Asia Cultural Centre for Unesco, Japan. Ten persons from India have won prizes in UNESCO/ACCU
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World Photo Contest 1993, under the theme of "The Family" on the occasion of the World Decade for Cultural Development (1988-97) & the International Year of the Family (1994). In the 18th Unesco/ACCU World Photo Contest, 15 persons have won prizes.
Languages Development 2.7.1 Government of India continued the scheme of Appointment of Hindi Teachers in non-Hindi speaking States/UTs and under this Scheme Assistance to State Governments is provided to meet the salary of Hindi Teachers/Training Colleges.
2.7.2 The Central Hindi Directorate has offered Correspondence Courts for teaching Hindi in regional languages to about 15,164 per- sons.
2.7.3 The Central Institute of Indian Languages, Mysore continued its programme of training of teachers from Hindi speaking areas in Modern Indian Languages.
2.7.4 The Central Institute of English and Foreign Languages(CIEFL), Hyderabad played an effective role in coordinating the activities of the English Language Teaching Institutions. CIEFL also monitored the schemes of Saturation Training of English Language Teachers through District Centres.
2.7.5 A Committee on the Establishment of Urdu University which was constituted in September, 1992 to consider in detail all aspects of the proposed university and make suitable recommendations to the Government has submitted its report on 12.6.1993. A decision has been taken to set up the proposed university by introducing a Bill for this purpose by the government in the Parliament for its consideration.
2.7.6 A Committee on the International Hindi University which was constituted in July, 1992 to advise the Government on setting up the proposed International Hindi University in the country has submitted its report on 1.5.1993. A decision has been taken to set up the pro- posed university by the Government and a Bill for consideration of the Parliament will be introduced soon.
2.7.7 A New Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Financial Assistance for appointment of modern Indian Language Teachers (other than Hindi) in Hindi speaking States/Union Territories was launched in 1993-94 and continued in the year under report.
Education of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes 2.8.0 The Schemes continued to emphasise removal of disparities and ensuring equalization of educational opportunities for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
Education of Minorities 2.9.1 The Scheme with area intensive approach is being implemented for advancement of educational opportunities of areas with a concen- tration of educationally backward minorities.