EDUCATION IN THE UNION TERRITORIES
 

Education in the Union Territories constitutes a special responsibility of the Central Government. The Territories of Goa, Daman and Diu, Pondicherry, Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram have their own legislatures and exercise powers specified in the Government of Union Territories' Act, 1963. According to Delhi Administration Act, 1966, Delhi has to have a Metropolitan Council and an Executive Council. The other territories, namely, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chandigarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, and Lakshadweep have no legislature. An account of the educational facilities, and activities undertaken during the year in respect of each of the Union Territories is given in this chapter.

1. ANDAMAN AND NICOBAR ISLANDS

During the year under report, at the primary stage, additional enrolment of 2411 children in class (I to V) has been achieved by opening of additional 6 primary schools and opening of 35 additional primary sections. In the middle school stage Class VI to VIII an additional enrolment of 5080 has been achieved. In the Union Territory, free education up to senior secondary level is being imparted. Textbooks are also supplied to the children whose parental income is less than Rs. 4,000 per annum. Mid-day-meals-are being arranged free for the children in Class I to VIII. Hostel facilities are being provided to rural school children in nearby hostels. 110 students are being provided hostel stipend at the rate of Rs. 60 in the headquarters and Rs. 75 for outlying areas. The number of students provided free-textbooks in the year has been 17,000. 1400 children are avail- ing themselves of free travel concession. In tribal areas, 120 students have been enrolled in class I to V, 2 primary schools have been opened and 4 additional sections have been added.

In the non-formal education, 10 centres are working.

To improve quality of teaching, teachers are being given training in the Teachers' Training Institute.

Scholarships are also being given to local students for higher education in such subjects in which facilities do not exist in the local Government college.

2. ARUNACHAL PRADESH

The Department of Education, Arunachal Pradesh, established in September, 1947 inherited only two primary schools from the British Regime. Since then there has been a phenomenal expansion of the educational facilities for the benefit of the long neglected local people. Within a span of 35 years the total number of educational institutions has gone up to 1227 with a total enrolment of 90,069 speaking of a spectacular progress in this field. 1227 educational institutions in the Union Territory of Arunachal Pradesh comprise 99 pre- primary schools, 930 primary schools, 123 middle schools, 34 secondary schools and 18 Higher Secondary schools besides 23 other mission schools, aided institutions, Kendriya Vidyalayas etc. 23 institutions were given financial aid by the Union Territory Administration. To meet the increasing demand for higher education, 8 primary schools, 4 middle schools and one secondary school have been upgraded to middle school, secondary school and higher secondary school respectively. An increase in enrolment by 19.8% over the last year has been achieved.

50

Life being very hard in this track, the parents compel their children to help them in earning livelihood. This result in very heavy drop-outs also. To attract more and more children to schools without causing financial burden to the parents, the scheme for awarding stipend at the rate of Rs. 90 per month per, student of classes I to X and at the rate of Rs. 100 per month for the students of classes XI and XII residing in hostels attached to the schools has been introduced. The total number of beneficiaries both under plan and non-plan sectors is 14861. Looking over to the last year's number of beneficiaries i.e. 10438, the increase has been substantial, which clearly shows that the scheme has been very well taken up by the people and will go a long way to help spread the cause of education.

Apart from free education at the school stage for tribal students, textbooks are also being distributed to the students tree of cost in addition to the tree supply of stationery and also school uniforms. There is a provision of free mid- day meals both under plan and non-plan sectors. Under non-plan sector a sum of Rs. 5,89,915 has been sanctioned for the purpose to cater to 15,440 children of primary schools for 150 days during the current session. To inculcate in the students good habits and infuse in them the sense of discipline a lot of attention is being paid to games, sports and other activities like N.C.C., etc. Under the scouting and guiding, there are 3,312 boys and girls enrolled. Free medical aid is being provided to all the students in schools.

Special attention is being paid to the teaching of science and mathematics more effectively in schools of all categories and to improve the teaching learning material. A workshop in collaboration with NCERT was organised to finalise draft books on English for class I and 11. The books are being prepared, keeping the background of the children in view. A State Institute of Education has been established in this Territory.

During the current year, 20 more adult education centres have been opened raising the number of these centres to 268; 5425 adults benefiting from the scheme.

With the purpose of encouraging voluntary organisations to open good schools in the Territory grant-in-aid is being sanctioned to some of them, There are two degree colleges in the Territory with the enrolment of 437 students.

3. CHANDIGARH

Chandigarh is the only Union Territory in India where universalisation of education at primary stage has been achieved. At present, enrolment at primary stage is 102% and at middle stage it is 97%. In the year under report, 2 nursery schools and 2 middle schools were opened and 2 middle schools were upgraded to high schools. A few sections in the existing schools have been added to cope up with the rush of students as it is not possible to open any more new schools for want of proper land in existing sectors.

Various incentives have been provided to children belonging to Scheduled Castes and other weaker sections of society. This has proved help- ful in achieving universalisation targets and all the more these are required to retain universalisation and increase qualitative improvement. Uniform and stationery have been supplied to students belonging to Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes and weaker sections of society. Textbooks have also been provided free to these students.

Under the adult education programme 106 centres exist,

The number of beneficiaries belonging to Scheduled Castes of various incentives/concessions is 7,000. 25,000 children have been provided books and stationery free and 31,000 have been provided with mid-day-meals.

In 7 non-formal education centres, 100 students are being covered.

The Union Territory has a State Institute of Education which is catering to the quality improvement in education at school stage.

In order to accelerate struggle against poverty, illiteracy and ignorance and for ensuring a better future for those who are still deprived of the basic

51

minimum needs of life, the adult education programme is gaining in momentum in the Territory. During the year under report there were 4060 learners in the 160 centres.

Adequate attention is being given to sports and other activities amongst the students.

4. DELHI

The Directorate of Education, Delhi has to cater to the additional enrolment of about 25,000 to 30,000 students every year. To meet the additional enrolment 483 sections have been added during the year 1982-83 to the existing 14,923 sections by opening of a new Government Middle Schools, bifurcation of 9 Government schools. upgradation of 9 Government secondary schools and upgradation of 16 secondary schools to senior secondary schools.

A large number of facilities aiming to povide better opportunities, incentives and educational aids, to the children of the weaker sections of the society are also being given by the Department. Some of these are free transport for girls in rural areas (2800 beneficiaries), free supply of uniform (2500 beneficiaries), free supply of textbooks (1200 beneficiaries), promotion of sports, merit and open merit scholarships to Scheduled Castes/ Scheduled Tribes (2800 beneficiaries) and remedial coaching for students of Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes and other weaker sections of the society (1000 beneficiaries). In addition to the above, free distribution of exercise books, mid-day-meals have also been undertaken to encourage students from weaker sections of the society to get enrolled in the schools and remain enrolled. Books prescribed for Class I to VIII were got published from Delhi Bureau of Textbooks, an autonomous organisation under the Directorate of Education and made available to the students in adequate number on the opening day of the academic session 1982-83. Similarly the process of fabrication and distribution of exercise books made out of the concessional papers allotted to the Union Territory was streamlined and for the first time adequate number of exercise books were made available to the students through the heads of institutions at the beginning of the academic session. For the students not studying in the recognised educational institutions, a sizeable quantity, of exercise books Was released for sale in the open markets through Super Bazars, Delhi Consumer Co-operative Whole Sale Store Ltd., Delhi State Civil Supplies Corporation Ltd., etc.

Due emphasis has been laid on science education in school and there is a Science Branch of the Department looking after this. Not only does it look after the needs of the school and the areas for science education, it also continuously evaluates school problems, curriculum etc. and imparts, in-service training to teachers through long term and short term courses. Television lessons are given through the T.V. Branch of the Directorate of Education. Schools are gradually being equipped so that more time becomes available on the television for giving lessons under various subjects. The All-India Radio, in collaboration with Education Department broadcasts regularly enrichment lessons and general information talks for school children. Besides, qualitative improvement, there has been quantitative improve- ment also in the field of education from year to year. Many students have secured merit positions both in secondary and senior secondary examination of 1982-83 of Central Board of Secondary Education.

Intensive efforts are being made to increase the number of beneficiaries under the adult education and non-formal education programme in the 1600 adult education/non-formal education centres run by the Directorate of Education. The enrolment rose from 29,415 in 1981-82 to 34,500 in 1982-83 while the number of Scheduled Caste adults in these centres rose from 3904 to 6200 in the same year.

The Directorate of Education has also been running a Teachers Training Institute which prepares teachers for primary schools. Teachers for middle, secondary and senior secondary schools are trained by the Central institute of Education under the- University of Delhi There is a corres- pondence course school also run by the Department for secondary and senior secondary examinations. This year the enrolment has gone up to 12,000.

52

With a view to universalising elementary education, efforts are being made to impart non- formal education to such children in the age-group of 8 to 14 years who do not attend regular schools due to various socio-economic factors. For this purpose, 24 centres are functioning and 685 children are deriving benefit therefrom. Under the Plan scheme additional schooling facilities and new schools are opened in the resettlement/J.J. colonies under both Minimum Needs Programme (MNP) and non-MNP. This is done in order to provide educational facilities to the children belonging to economically backward sections of society nearer to their places.

Great emphasis has been laid on physical education and sports. A number of sports facilities have been created for school-going children.

More than 2500 teachers have undergone short term/long term orientation refresher course training in various subjects in the State Institute of Education. In addition, the Institute has taken up many other projects for curriculum development, preparation of resource material, promotion of audiovisual etc. in the teaching of various subjects. Educational and vocational guidance facilities are also available in schools specially those located in resettlement/J.J. colonies.

Special attention is also being given to the welfare of the physically handicapped. There are, at present, 5 schools specially equipped to impart education to physically handicapped children.

5. GOA, DAMAN AND DIU

In the Union Territory, most of the schools at the primary level are being run by the Government whereas, at the secondary level most of the high schools are being run by private management with financial assistance from the Government. There are no schools run by the local bodies. There is no education act in operation at the moment but an Education Bill has been placed before the Legislative Assembly and the same has been referred to the Select Committee of the House.

There has been a good achievement as far as the enrolment of students in primary, middle and secondary schools is concerned in the year under report. During the year, enrolment in classes I-II is 1,37,180 as compared to 1.33.623 during 1981-82. Enrolment in classes V-VII is 74,510 as compared to 72,250 during 1981-82, while in secondary education, it is estimated to be 51,100 as compared to 48,102 during 1981--82. 21 higher secondary schools and 19 colleges are imparting education to the students. In the year 1982-83, the enrolment of students in the colleges is 12,600 as compared to 12,547 during the last year. A State Institute of Education is also working for improving the quality of education. The Union Territory has also an examining board called the Goa, Daman and Diu Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education.