TWENTY POINT PROGRAMME AND ACCESS TO EDUCATION EDUCATION FOR THE DISABLED
Education of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes 14.1.1 Department of Education continued to lay special emphasis on the education of scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) in all its Programmes which include the removal of disparities and equalisation of educational opportunities by catering to special needs of SCs and Sts.
14.1.2 Under the schemes of Operation Blackboard, Non-Formal Education, Adult Education, etc., states were advised to give high priority to selection of blocks which have large concentration of SCs and STs.
14.1.3 The scheme of upgradation of merit of SC/ST students started in 1987-88 continued to be implemented through States/UTs. Under this scheme, remedial coaching is given to SCs and STs in Classes IX-XII, and special coaching in Classes XI and XII for preparing them for competitive examinations.
14.1.4 other facilities like reservation of seats (15% for SCs and 7.5% for STs) in admissions and in appointments of teachers upto the level of Lecturer, in educational institutions funded by Government of India, relaxation in qualifying marks in entrance examination, provision of Junior Research Fellowships, Senior Research Fellowships, Research Associateships and Teacher Fellowships exclusively for the students belonging to SC/ST were continued.
14.1.5 The Indian Institute of Technology operate a Scheme under which candidates belonging to SCs and STs, who fail in the joint Entrance Examination by very slender margin of marks are given further training and admitted to relevant courses,
Minorities' Education 14.2.1 In pursuance to the revised POA-1992, two new Central Scheme, i.e., (i) Scheme of Area Intensive programme for Educationally Backward Minorities and (ii) Scheme of Financial Assistance for Modernisation of Madrasa Education, were formulated.
Scheme of Area Intensive Programme for Educationally Backward
Minorities 14.2.2 The basic objective of the scheme is to provide basic educational infrastructure and facilities in areas of concentration of educationally backward minorities which do not have adequate Provision for elementary and Secondary schools. The emphasis is on the block/Tehsil for the administration of this programme. For each of the block area a distinct
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identifiable project is to be prepared.
14.2.3 Under the scheme 100 percent assistance is given for (i) establishment of new primary and upper Primary schools, nonformal education centres where such a need is felt and viability established on the basis of a school mapping exercise; (ii) Strengthening of educational infrastructure and physical facilities in the primary and upper primary schools; and (iii) opening of multi-stream residential higher secondary schools for girls where science, commerce, humanities and vocational courses are taught to the educationally backward minorities.
14.2.4 The scheme has been launched in the first week of June, 1993 for implementation in eleven States, Viz., Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Utter Pradesh and west Bengal, Covering 41 minority concentration district identified in the POA, 1986 pending identification of the block with concentration of educationally backward minorities.
14.2.5 An amount of Rs.16.27 crores is proposed for the scheme under the Eight Five Year Plan. The budget provision for the scheme during the year 1993-94 is Rs. 2.20 crore.
Scheme of Financial Assistance for Modernisation of Madrasa
Education 14.2.6 The scheme of Financial Assistance for Modernisation of Madrasa Education has formulated with a view to providing financial assistance for introducing science, mathematics, social studies, Hindi and English in the curriculum of madarasas and Muktabs. This scheme will help to initiate the process of Modernisation of these traditional institutions. Cent per cent assistance will be given by the Ministry to such institutions for appointment of qualified teachers for teaching the new subjects to be introduced. The scheme is being implemented through the State Governments.
Monitoring Committee for Minorities' Education 14.2.7 A Central Monitoring Committee for Minorities Education is also being set up which will monitor implementation of programmes proposed in chapter 3 of POA, 1992.
Scheme of Coaching Classes for Competitive Examinations 14.2.8 The University Grants Commission introduced a coaching scheme in 1984 to prepare students belonging to educationally backward minorities to enable them to compete in various competitive examinations:
i) for recruitment to services under the Central and State Governments and Public Sector Undertakings, and
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ii) for admission to Engineering, Medical, Agriculture and Management courses as also for acquiring proficiency in typing, shorthand, computer and secretarial courses.
14.2.9 The UGC is currently implementing the scheme in 21 universities and 32 college besides these, two Regional Resource Centres, one each at Calicut and Aligarh Muslim University, have been set up with the objective of preparing teaching and learning materials and also for conducting orientation programmes for the functionaries of the Coaching Centres. So far 41002 candidate have availed of the facility of Coaching Classes upto March, 1993. The number of successful candidates is approximately 2650 during 1992-93.
14.2.10 The Scheme was revamped in March, 1993. Under the revamped scheme, five universities have been identified with the territorial jurisdiction in coordinating and organizing the coaching classes as under:
i) Jamia Millia Islamia University: New Delhi, UP, Bihar, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab and MP.
ii) Bombay University: Maharashtra and Gujarat
iii) Madras University: Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Orissa
iv) Osmania University: Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka
V) Calcutta University: West Bengal and the North Eastern States.
Community Polytechnics in Minority Concentration Areas 14.2.11 As a part of implementation of the 15-point programme, ten polytechnics were selected during 1984-85 in minority concentration areas for upgrading them as community polytechnics. By the and of financial year 1990-91, all the 41 minority concentration districts have been covered by the community polytechnics or their extension centres.
Training Programmes for Principal/Managers/teachers in minority
managed schools 14.2.12 NCERT has been organising seminars and training programmes for principals/teachers of minority managed schools. The programme include seminar cum-workshop for principals and managers, and training programmes for teachers from minority managed institutions in subject areas of English, Science Mathematics, Vocationalisation of education and Educational Evaluation. Such training programmes are also being organised by the Regional Resource Centres of NCERT. About 450 Principals and 950 teachers have been trained so far.
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Guidelines for recognition of Minority Managed Institutions 14.2.13 Department of education have prepared policy norms and principal for recognition of educational institutions as minority managed institutions and these have been circulated to State Governments for enabling them to prepare detailed guidelines in the matter.
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