ELEMENTARY EDUCATION
4.1.1 The education policy of the Government in the post independence era has been to provide free and compulsory education to all children at least upto the elementary stage. Recognising the need for a literate population and provision of elementary education as a crucial input for nation building, the Government's stand was reiterated in the National Policy on Education (NPE 1986) and the Programme of Action 1992, to work towards provision of education of a satisfactory quality to all children upto 14 years of age before the commencement of the 21st century.
4.1.2 The targets fixed for the VIII Five Year Plan have the following three broad parameters:-
Universal Access i) Universal enrolment of all children, including girls and persons belonging to SC/ST;
ii) Provision of primary school within one km. of walking distance and facility of non-formal education for school drop-outs, working children and girls who cannot attend formal schools;
iii) Improvement of ratio of upper primary to primary schools from the existing 1:4 to 1:2,
Universal Retention iv) Reduction of dropout rate between class I to V and I to VIII from the existing 46% and 60% to 20% and 40% respectively;
Universal Achievement v) Achievement of minimum levels of learning by almost all children at the primary level, and introduction of this concept at the upper primary stage.
Progress over the Years 4.1.3 The concerted efforts over the years have improved performance in enrolment and resulted in increase in institutions, teachers as shown in Table below:-
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No. Of Institutions (in lakhs)
1950-51 1995-96
Primary Schools 2.10 5.90
(Classes I-V)
Upper Primary Schools 0.13 1.71
2.23 7.61
No. Of Teachers (in lakhs)
1950-51 1995-96
Primary Schools 5.38 17.40
(Classes I-V)
Upper Primary Schools 0.36 11.65
5.74 29.05
Gross Enrolment
1950-51 1995-96
Primary Stage
Total Enrolment (in millions) 19.2 109.8
Gross Enrolment Ratio
(percentage) 43.1 104.3
Upper Primary Stage
Total Enrolment (in millions) 3.1 41.0
Gross Enrolment Ratio
(Percentage) 12.0 67.6
4.1.4 In pursuance of Constitutional directives, State Governments have abolished tuition fees in the Government, local bodies and aided schools upto the upper primary level
4.1.5 Accessibility of schooling facilities is no longer a major problem. 8.26 lakh habitations covering 94% of the country's population have now schooling facilities within one km. distance at primary stage. At upper primary stage also 726 lakh
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habitations covering 83.98% of rural population have a school within 3 km. distance. Enrolment ratio is 104 for classes IN and 67 for classes VI-VIII.
4.1.6 While the gross enrolment ratio (GER) at the primary stage in the country as a whole and in most of its States exceed 100 per cent, there are quite a few States where the ratio is considerably lower. These include Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan, Haryana, Jammu & Kashmir and Meghalaya. At the upper primary stage, these States and in addition, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa and Sikkim have GERs lower than the national average. Most of these States have literacy rates lower than the national average also. There is thus a strong regional dimension of UEE.
Gender Disparities 4.1.7 While Universalisation of Elementary Education is the ultimate goal, no strategy or programme of action can succeed without addressing itself to gender and regional dimensions specif- ically. Gender disparities are conspicuous in regard to enrolment and retention. Girls' enrolment has grown at the primary stage from 5.4 million in 1950-51 to 47.4 million in 1995-96 and at upper primary stage from 0.5 million to 16.0 million. The rate of growth of enrolment of girls has been higher than that of boys. But disparities still persist as girls still account for only 43.2% of enrolment at primary stage and 39.0% at upper primary stage. The drop out rate of girls is much higher than that of boys at the primary and upper primary stages.
Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes 4.1.8 According to the 1991 census, the population of Scheduled Castes (SCs) was 138.12 million (16.33%) and that of Scheduled Tribes (STs) was 67.8 million (8.01%) of the country's population,
4.1.9 SC and ST population are heterogeneous target groups in all respects. There are wide variations among different SC and ST groups regionally. Thus, SC girls in Kerala are likely to be better placed than non-SC boys in some of the more backward States and districts.
4.1.10 Because of the affirmative policies of the Government, the enrolment of SCs and STs has increased considerably at the primary stage. The participation of SCs and STs is now more or less in proportion to their share in population at the primary level. Drop outs, though declining over the years, are significantly large. Gender disparitie's are very conspicuous among SCs and STs also.
Strategy Frame 4.1.11 In order to achieve Universalisation of Elementary Education by 2000 AD, the following key strategies have been worked out in consultation with States and UTs:
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a) Overcome the problem of school drop outs and lay emphasis on retention and achievement rather than on merely enrolment;
b) Strengthen the alternatives of schooling, particularly the Non-Formal Education system for working children, girls and children from other disadvantaged or marginalised sections of the society;
c) Shift focus from educationally backward States to educationally backward districts;
d) Adopt disaggregated approach with a focus on preparation of district specific and population specific plans;
e) Provide universal access of schooling facilities, particularly to girls, disaggregated groups and out-of-school children;
f) Improve school effectiveness, teacher competence, training and motivation;
g) Introduce Minimum Levels of Learning (MLL) for enhancement of learners' achievement; micro planning will provide the framework of universal access and universal participation while MLLs would be the strategy for universal achievement;
h) Overall planning and management and stress on participative processes;
i) Convergence of different schemes of elementary education and related services such as early childhood care and education and school health and nutrition programmes etc.
Minimum Levels of Learning 4.2.1 India is one of the few developing countries which took the initiative in 1991 to lay down Minimum Levels of Learning to be achieved at primary stage. This new approach integrates various components of curriculum, class-room transaction, evaluation and teacher orientation. The first phase of the programme was implemented through 18 voluntary agencies, research institutions, SCERTs etc. The results of these projects showed significant improvement in learning attainments of school children.
4.2.2 The Ministry has now decided to upscale the MLL programme through institutional mechanisms throughout the country. National resource institutions like the National Council of Educational Research & Training (NCERT), Regional Institutes of Education (RIEs), SCERTs and DIETs are being networked for this
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purpose. In 1996-97, more than half of the States were implementing the programme with the assistance of more than 200 DIETs. Curriculum revision, re-writing of textbooks to make them competency based, enhancing their pedagogical value, training of teachers in the classroom processes are the major activities being undertaken.
4.2.3 Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Goa, Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala, Manipur, Pondicherry, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal have reported introduction of MLL in some of their primary schools. Madhya Pradesh, Chandigarh, Haryana and Lakshadweep are in the process of introducing MLL in their primary schools. The District Primary Education Programme (DPEP) has adopted MLL as a major strategy for improvement of quality for primary education. Nonformal education programme is also adopting MLLs wherever appropriate.
4.2.4 Laying down of MLLs is a part of the larger curriculum reform endeavour to achieve greater relevance and functionality in primary education. The implications of this exercise are:
a) Lightening the curriculum of its textual load and also the burden of memorising unnecessary and irrelevant content of facts;
b) Relating textual content with a meaningful process of understanding and application;
c) Ensuring the acquisition of basic competencies and skills to such a level where they are sustainable and would not easily allow relapsing into illiteracy;
d) Facilitating mastery in learning not only by brighter children in the class but also by almost all children including first generation learners.
4.2.5 A Committee under the Chairmanship of Prof R.H Dave is currently working to prescribe learning competencies for various subjects taught at the upper primary stage.
New Initiative taken by Government in 1996-97
I. Proposal to make the Right to Free and Compulsory Elementary
Education a Fundamental Right 4.3.1 In its endeavour to build a just and humane society, the Common Minimum Programme of the United Front Government resolved to take on the enormous challenge of Universalisation of Elementary Education by making the right to free and compulsory elementary education a Fundamental Right and enforcing it through suitable statutory measures. The resolution was discussed in a Conference of State
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Education Ministers and State Education Secretaries held on August 9- 10, 1996. The Conference recognised the momentous significance of the resolve and urged the Government to consider the financial, administrative, legal and academic implications of the proposal. The conference recommended the Constitution of a Committee of State Education Ministers to consider the implications. Accordingly, the Ministry of Human Resource Development (Department of Education) constituted a Committee of State Education Ministers under the Chairmanship of Union Minister of State for HRD (Education). The Committee has since submitted its report.
II Exemption from Payment of Excise Duty 4.3.2 With a view to cushioning the impact of the rising costs of text books and exercise books, the Government has exempted writing and printing paper supplied to all State Text Book Corporations from excise duty in the Union Budget for 1996-97. It is expected that this would make school text books and exercise books affordable for students from weaker sections of society.
III. Scheme to Assist Voluntary Agencies in the Establishment of
Residential Primary Schools 4.3.3 The Union Finance Minister had in his budget speech for 1996-97, announced a new scheme of assistance in the establishment of residential primary schools. The basic features of the scheme as outlined in the speech were as follows:
i) the scheme envisaged provision of financial assistance for residential primary schools in rural areas for the poor, irrespective of caste or creed;
ii) the scheme was intended to be implemented through NGOs; and
iii) an initial sum of Rs. 5.00 crore has been set apart in the Union Budget for 1996-97.
4.3.4 The Department of Education constituted a Committee headed by Union Education Secretary to formulate guidelines to operationalise the scheme. The Committee has since submitted its report. It has recommended that the scheme may be implemented on a pilot basis in 1996-97.
4.3.5 Based on the report of the above Committee, guidelines and operational modalities in respect of this scheme have been finalised and approval of the Standing Finance Committee is being obtained. The scheme is likely to be operationalised during the current financial year i.e. 1996-97.
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4.3.6 It is proposed that a detailed feasibility study would be undertaken by NCERT for its implementation on a long term basis beyond 1996-97. This Department has requested NCERT to formulate the detailed scheme accordingly.
Operation Blackboard 4.4.1 The National Policy on Education, 1986 recognising the unattractive school environment, unsatisfactory condition of buildings and insufficiency of instructional material in primary schools, which function as demotivating factors for enrolment and retention, called for a drive symbolically called "Operation Blackboard" for substantial improvement in the quality of primary schools. The scheme was started in 1987-88 to bring all existing primary schools in the Country upto a minimum standard by way of physical facilities by providing them with:-
i) At least two reasonably large all weather rooms along with separate toilet facilities for boys and girls;
ii) At least two teachers as far as possible, one of them a woman; and
iii) Essential teaching and learning material including blackboards, maps, charts, a small library, toys ; and games and some equipment for work experience;
4.4.2 Central assistance is provided for item numbers (ii) and (iii) which has been fully provided to all the targeted primary schools.
4.4.3 Under the scheme of OB, the construction of school buildings is primarily the responsibility of State Governments. However, in consultation with the Department of Education, the Ministry of Rural Areas and Employment has worked out a formula under the Jawahar Rozgar Yojana (JRY) to ensure availability of funds for construction of primary school buildings under the Operation Blackboard Scheme. According to this formula, 48% of the funds for construction are provided by the Ministry of Rural Areas and Employment as central matching share of JRY, if the States raise 12% JRY State share and 40% Non-JRY share.
Expanded Operation Blackboard 4.4.4 The scope of the scheme has been enlarged to provide 3 class rooms and 3 teachers. in primary schools where enrolment exceeds 100. The scheme has also been extended to cover upper primary schools.
4.4.5 The components of the sub-scheme for upper primary schools comprise the provision of (i) at least one room for each class, (ii) a Headmaster-cum-office room; (iii) necessary toilet facilities (iv) a contingency grants of Rs. 1000/- per annum, (v) library facilities (vi) essential equipment, and (vii) at least one teacher for each
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class/Section. Primary schools with enrolments more than 100 and two teachers are now being provided with a third teacher.
4.4.6 According to the guidelines of the extended scheme, the salary of one additional teacher will be provided by the Central Government for the plan period. Rs.50,000/- is provided to each school for essential teaching learning equipments including Rs. 10,000/- for library facilities. In order to promote community participation in this venture, preference is given in selection to the villages where community contributes 20% (Rs. 10,000/-) towards equipment in which case central contribution will be Rs.40,000/-. However, in tribal (ITDP) areas entire 100% assistance will be provided.
4.4.7 The achievements under Operation Blackboard are:
Physical Provision of Sanction of Construction Financial
Teaching additional of class (Rs. in crores)
Learning teachers for rooms From 1987 During
Equipment to primary to March 1996-97
Primary School 1997 till Oct.,
1997
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
Target 5.23 lakhs 1.53 lakh 2.63 lakh 1515.95 116.58
Achievements 5.23 lakhs* 1.49 lakh 1.74 lakh
Expanded Operation Black Board 8th plan targets Achievements
Sanction of third teachers 42,000 (30%) 34,780
to primary schools with enrolment
exceeding 100
Coverage of upper Primary 47,000 (30%) 47,589
Schools; supply of Teaching
learning material
* In addition 4,000 teachers have been appointed by State governments.