TWENTY POINT PROGRAMME AND ACCESS TO EDUCATION FOR THE DISADVANTAGED
14.1.0 Under point No. 10 of Twenty Point Programme (TPP)-1986, the progress in elementary education and adult education has to be closely monitored in physical and financial terms with reference to predetermined targets. Periodic reports on progress of expenditure on Elementary and Adult Education Programmes were sent to the Ministry of Programme Implementation. Annual Reports of physical achievements in respect of Elementary and Adult Education together with evaluator reports on content of education, nonformal education and value- oriented education were also furnished to Ministry of Programme Implementation. Consistent with NPE 1986 and POA, efforts are on for establishment of a new monitoring system emphasising universal enrol- ment, universal retention and attainment of minimum standards of education.
Education of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes 14.2.1. The NPE,1986 envisages a number of steps for the educational development of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and other weaker sections. A Working Group to deal exclusively with education of weaker sections was formed in the Meeting of the Central Advisory Board of Education (CABE) held on July 6-7, 1989. This Group took stock of the existing programmes and made a number of
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recommendations to ensure greater progress. These have been taken up with different agencies for speedy implementation.
14.2.2 Special emphasis has been laid on the removal of disparities and equalisation of educational opportunities by attending to specific needs of scheduled castes and scheduled tribes who have scheduled castes and scheduled tribes who have not been able to take full advantage of the present educational provisions and facilities, as brought out briefly in the succeeding paragraphs:
14.2.3 Under the schemes of Operation Blackboard, Non-formal Education and Adult Education, States have been advised to give high priority to selection of blocks which have large concentration of scheduled castes and scheduled tribes.
14.2.4 Under a crash programme for providing multiple facilities in SC/ST habitations, assistance was provided to start Non-formal Education Centres; to the States of Andhra Pradesh, Orissa and West Bengal and an amount of Rs. 90.20 lakhs was released.
14.2.5 Sixty one out of 215 DIETs (District Institutes of Education and Training) for which grants-were released with the objective of providing total academic and training support to the elementary education system at the district level, are located in Tribal Sub Plan areas.
14.2.6 Under the scheme of Navodaya Vidyalayas, a total number of 261 schools have been opened all over the country enrolling 48940 students. The number of SC students enrolled was 9150 and that of scheduled tribes was 5493 accounting for 18.7% and 11.2% of total enrolment.
14.2.7 The scheme for upgradation of merit of SC/ST students started in 1987-88 continued to be under implementation through States/UTs. Assistance was released to 39 schools. Under the scheme, remedial coaching was given in classes IX to XII, apart from special coaching in classes XI and XII as described in the part on "Scholarships"
14.2.8 As brought out in the part relating to the activities of the NCERT, this institution continued preparation of primers/text books in tribal dialects. it also conducted workshops for preparing instructional materials for trials in Andhra Pradesh.
14.2.9 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 of University level research fellowships, research associateships, teacher fellowships etc. were continued.
14.2.10 The IITs operate a scheme under which candidates belonging to SCs and STs who do not qualify in the joint Entrance Examinations by very slender margin of marks are given further training and admitted to relevant courses.
14.2.11 Under the Special Component Plan and tribal Sub-Plan, about 12.5% and 6.5% respectively of the divisible outlay of the Department of Education for the year 1989-90 were quantified and earmarked.
Education of Minorities 14.3.1 In pursuance of NPE, 1986 and Prime Minister's 15-Point Programme for welfare of Minorities, the following steps were taken :-
Model guidelines for recognition of minority managed institutions
14.3.2 A set of policy norms and principles for recognition of minority managed educational institutions other than those meant exclusively for imparting religious instruction was finalised in consultation with the Ministries of Law and Welfare and forwarded to the State Governments/Union Territories for appropriate action.
Vocational Training 14.3.3 Two additional community polytechnics were opened during the year in minority concentration areas, thus raising the total number of such institutions to 12. Eight more of these institutions would have been sanctioned by the end of the year. More than 13000 persons have so far been trained through short-term vocational Courses in various skills and crafts.
Coaching classes 14.3.4 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. During the year coaching was conducted in 20 universities and 22 colleges.
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Constant review of the programme is made to improve its efficiency and effectiveness.
14.3.5 Teachers of minority educational institutions were given orientation training by the NCERT.
Review of Text Books 14.3.6 As brought out in the part relating to School Education, school text books are being reviewed from the point of view, interalia, of removal of untouchability, racialism, casteism and communalism. The school text books in use in States/UTs having been reviewed in the first phase, a fresh programme of evaluation was commenced during the year, overseen by a national level Steering Committee.
Education of Women 14.4.1 As brought out elsewhere in the report, enrolment of girls as a ratio of total enrolment is only 40.3% at primary stage, 36.2% at middle stage, 32.1 % at secondary and higher secondary stage and 30% at Higher Education stage.
14.4.2 All out efforts were made during the year for improving girls/women's, participation in Education. Details of specific steps are presented below:
- Under Operation Blackboard, Govt. of India has provided assistance since 1987-88 for creation of 78430 posts of primary school teachers, mainly to be filled by women.
- Hundred per cent assistance was given for NFE Centres meant for girls. The cumulative number of NFE Centres for girls is 66792.
- The Mahila Samakhya (Education for Women's Equality) Project has been under implementation in the States of Gujarat, Karnataka and Uttar Prades 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 26.67% in Navodaya Vidyalayas has been ensured. (Number of girls in these Vidyalayas is 13054 as against the total of 48940).
- In the open school, attention was given for enrolment of girls; out of a total of 1.16 lakh persons enrolled as on 31.8.89, girls were 27067 in number-23.33%.
- The scheme of freeships for girls introduced in 1985-86 was continued with an outlay of Rs.7 crores during the year for reimbursal of tuition fees chargeable from girls in classes IX-XII. Assistance was given to States.
- Five workshops and training/orientation programmes were organised by NCERT, covering subjects like vocational education for women. These included a Unesco sponsored national workshop on UEE for girls.
- The UGC provided financial support to universities for undertaking well defined research projects on women's studies. Twenty seven such projects were approved till March, 1989. Universities and Colleges were supported for establishing cells for women's studies.
- Special attention was given for enrolment of women in Adult Education Centres. Under the RFLPs, out of 39.72 lakh adult illiterates enrolled, 22.66 lakh persons were women (57.06%).
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