DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION INTRODUCTORY
Policy and Approach The year 1981-82 was marked by efforts to translate into action policies
and approaches and to give a meaningful orientation to the educational
efforts of the Government. The important goals and tasks to which these
efforts were directed included, inter-alia, achievement of universal elemen-
tary education through formal and non-formal education; removal of illite-
racy in the age-group 15 to 35; expansion of population education pro-
grammes on a priority basis in the States and Union Territories; strengthen-
ing of programmes for quality improvement in higher education; creation
of infrastructure in areas of emerging technology in the field of technical
education; introduction of new schemes to provide opportunities for the
youth of the country to develop their total personality.
A Conference of Education Ministers of States and Union Territories,
was held on June 2,1981. The focus of discussion in the Conference was
on the implementation of the educational development perspectives and
programmes as incorporated in the Sixth Plan document, which had receiv-
ed the approval of the National Development Council early in that year.
The Conference inter-alia endorsed the plan tot achieve in a 10-year period
universal elementary education through formal and non-formal education
with emphasis on primary stage in the Sixth Plan, and middle stage in the
succeeding Plan. It called for an early completion of the process of change
over to the 10+2 pattern of school education and emphasised the need to
carry out expeditiously the review of textbooks from, the angle of national
integration.
Planning and Monitoring A sum of Rs. 422.33 crores (Rs. 107.11 crores in the Central Sector
and Rs. 315.22 crores in the State Sector) was provided for the develop-
ment of education for the year 1981-82, which constituted, 2.4% of the
total plan of the country. For 1982-83 an outlay of Rs. 138 crores has
been provided for in the central sector. For the educational development
of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, the Ministry proposes to pro-
vide 12.4% of the divisible Outlay for the Special-Component Plan for
Scheduled Castes and 6.1% for the tribal sub-plan areas.
Elementary Education As an essential component of the Minimum Needs Programme, Univer-
salisation of Elementary Education has been assigned a very high priority
under the Sixth Plan and allocated a Plan outlay of Rs. 905 crores or 36
per cent of the Plan outlay of Rs. 2524 crores for Education as a whole.
The programme of Universalisation of Elementary Education. has been
pursued during the year with a greater thrust with a view to operationalis-
ing it in all its aspects; A National Committee on Elementary Education
was constituted under the Chairmanship of Union Education Secretary, with
Director, National Council of Educational Research and Training
(NCERT), Director, National Institute of Educational Planning and
Administration (NIEPA), Adviser (Education), Planning Commission
and Education Secretaries of the nine educationally backward States as
members and Joint Secretary (Schools) in the Ministry as member-Secre-
tary. The Committee met for the first time on July 6, 1981, and on its
recommendation, State Task Force on Elementary Education has been
constituted in each of the nine educationally backward States. The first
meetings of the six State Task' Forces were held during the period. The
review of the present position and difficulties encountered in each State in
the context of physical targets, was made in each of the meetings and mea-
sures needed to overcome them were decided upon. The Ministry of Edu-
cation, Planning Commission, NCERT and NIEPA are represented in each
of the State Task Forces.
Non-formal Education Concerted efforts were made to set up non-formal educational centres,
both at primary and middle levels, particularly in the educationally back-
ward States. Under the Centrally sponsored scheme of Non-formal
Education for elementary age-group children, a total sum of Rs. 3.44 crores
was given to eight out of nine educationally backward States. The total
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amount so far given to the States for this programme is Rs. 6.05 crores.
Till 1981-82, 51,712 centres have come into position in eight States with a
total coverage of 11.50 lakh children. According to the proposals so far
received, the number of centres by the end of the current Plan period will
be 1,28,905 with a total coverage of 34.8 lakh children. The non-formal
education programmes in the various States/Union Territories including
the educationally backward States were also taken up for special review in
the Annual Plan discussions for 1982-83 and it has been urged upon the
States to take on increased coverage under the non-formal channel and to
develop this as a complementary supportive channel for the realisation of
the goal fixed by the Constitution. With Swedish assistance, 3200 metric
tonnes of paper has been given to, all States and Union Territories as Central
Commodity Assistance for producing books, guides and other teaching/
learning materials for the non-formal education programme. The over-
whelming emphasis in all the schemes under the Central and State Sectors
has been- on increasing the enrolment of girls and children belonging to
weaker sections including Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
Early Childhood Education Under the Sixth Plan, a modest programme of Early Childhood Educa-
tion (ECE) has been introduced to broadbase the programme of Universa-
lisation. Designed lo start in a meaningful way, in, rural areas, mainly in
the State Sector, ECE centres in the form of pre-schools will be set up as
adjuncts of primary schools. With a Central Sector outlay of Rs. 1 crore,
a scheme of giving assistance to voluntary organisations for running such
ECE Centres was finalised and put into operation during the year. Besides,
with UNICEF assistance, an Early Childhood Education project has been
taken up for implementation in 11 States/Union Territories' during the
period, 1981-1983. This project aims at developing new capacity for the
training of pre-school educators, extension of research and developing acti-
vities and development of model preschool centres.
Educational Technology In the context of the proposed launching of INSAT, it has been decided
Programme to take over the responsibility for the production of educational material
and films for the educational television programmes. For this purpose,
production centres are being set up in the six INSAT States and the Centre
for Educational Technology is being strengthened to take on prototype pro-
duction and training responsibilities. Guidelines for Educational Broad-
casting, developed at a National Workshop in December 1980, are being
finalised in consultation with the States for formal adoption.
Review of Textbooks Based on the recommendations of the National Integration Council, a
programme for the evaluation of school textbooks from' the point of view
of national integration has been taken up. The review is being undertaken
on a decentralised. basis. All school textbooks for classes I to XII will be
taken up for review. To begin with, however, the evaluation will be con-
fined to History and Language textbooks. Tools and guidelines for under-
taking such evaluation developed by the National Council of Educational
Research and Training have been sent to all the State Governments.
Population Education The Population Education Programme launched from April 1980 with
Programme the objective of creating in the younger generation an adequate awareness
of the population problems and realisation in this regard of their respon-
sibilities towards the nation, is being implemented on a priority basis in 17
States and 2 Union Territories. Necessary curriculum for introducing
population education in the formal education system is being developed at
National and State levels. It has been decided that the programme will
be expanded to cover the remaining States and Union Territories as well.
Higher Education The stability in the growth Of enrolment in higher education achieved
during the previous decade was maintained during 1980-81. The total
enrolment increased by 3.9% in 1980-81; this was well within the average
annual rate of growth of 4% reached during the decade 1971-80. Four
new universities were established during 1981-82. The University Grants
Commission finalised their guidelines for providing development support to
universities and colleges during the Sixth Plan. These place special empha-
sis on consolidation of the facilities already created in the universities,
and ensuring their optimum utilisation. Programmes for linking education
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with development, restructuring of courses, and introduction of courses in
new and emerging areas will receive special attention. Colleges will be
provided basic assistance for books, journals and equipment. The criteria
for determining the eligibility of colleges for the development support have
been revised. Special consideration will be given to the academic viability
of colleges. Special assistance will be provided to colleges located in tribal
areas and those located in districts which have no viable colleges, even if
they do not fulfil the eligibility criteria. Programmes for quality improve-
ment like Centres of Advanced Study; special assistance to selected depart-
ments; programmes for improvement in-teaching of Science and Humanities
in the colleges are being expanded and strengthened. The Aligarh
Muslim University Act was comprehensively amended in 1981 with a view
to restoring the original character of the University.
Adult Education Adult Education Programme has been included among the Minimum
Needs Programme us a component of Elementary Education in the Sixth
Five Year Plan. Pending decision on the report of the Review Committee
on the National Adult Education Programme and the empowered Com-
mittee, the adult education programme was continued at the 1979-80
level. The programme continued to be implemented through various
agencies, which run 92045 centres with or without financial assistance from
the Government of India. The ten Shramik Vidyapeeths continued to
function. Those at Calcutta, Kanpur and Madras are also being operatio-
nalised and new Shramik Vidyapeeths have been sanctioned for Surat and
Faridabad. The Directorate of Adult Education has undertaken a project
for non-formal education for women and girls concerning mother and
child care with the assistance of UNICEF.
Technical Education During the year under report, the Indian Institutes of Technology
expanded their infrastructure, made substantial progress in acquiring new
sophisticated research equipment, in starting new interdisciplinary pro-
grammes, in promoting research and consultancy services and in intensifying
activities in the area of continuing education. The Regional Engineering
Colleges made considerable progress in the implementation of their deve-
lopment plans particularly with reference to consolidation of their activities
and modernisation of equipment. The other Central institutions including
Technical Teachers Traning Institutes, NIFFT, NITIE, School of Plan-
ning and Architecture and All India Institutes of Management also made
significant contribution in their respective spheres and carried on their
assigned role in an adequate an effective manner. The Scheme of Direct
Central Assistance provided considerable help to the selected engineering
colleges and polytechnics in developing their identified laboratories. The
Scheme of Community Polytechnic made significant contribution in promot-
ing interaction between these technical institutions and the environment.
In order to achieve the main objectives of the Sixth Five-Year Plan, a
number of new schemes were also formulated. These included the schemes
pertaining to filling the gaps in areas where weaknesses exist; creation of
infrastructure in areas of emerging technology vital to the development of
the country; modernisation of laboratories and workshops in existing engi-
neering colleges and technological institutions; introduction of Advanced
Technician Programmes; promotion of institutional development through
internal assistance programmes for developing a network in well developed
institutions like Indian Institutes of Technology, the Regional Engineering
Colleges and other engineering colleges and technological institutions; pro-
motion of interaction between the technical institutions and society; esta-
blishment of National Manpower Information System and a few others,
The Schemes of Institutional Network and Advanced Technician Pro-
gramme have already been implemented and the three major schemes for
filling the gaps, creating facilities in areas of emerging technology and for
modernisation of engineering laboratories would also be implemented by
the end of the year.
Languages Facilities for the teaching of Hindi in non-Hindi speaking States were
continued through financial assistance for the appointment of Hindi teachers
in their schools; assistance for establishing Hindi teachers' training colleges;
award of scholarships to students in these States for the study of Hindi
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beyond the Matriculation stage; financial assistance to voluntary organisa-
tions to enable them to hold Hindi teaching classes; organisation of corres-
pondence courses for teaching Hindi, conducting research on the Methodo-
logy of its teaching and Providing Hindi books to, various organisations. In
addition to the existing seven Urdu Calligraphy Centres, including those at
Bangalore and Bhopal, it has been decided to open six new Centres which
will be located at Allahabad, Nagpur, Madras, Patiala, Jaipur and Luck-
now. Six Kendriya Sanskrit Vidyapeeths are functioning under the aegis
of the Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan in which 2000 students are studying
various courses of traditional learning. Among the other classical lan-
guages that receive the attention of the Government, Arabic and Persian
have special importance in so far as their cultural aspect is concerned.
With a view to propagating and developing these languages financial assis-
tance is extended to more than 150 institutions (Madarasas) and other
traditional type of Arabic and Persian institutions.
Unesco The Indian National Commission for Cooperation with Unesco was
reconstituted in November, 1981, and its functions enlarged to include
inter-alia the encouraging of participation of national governmental and
non-governmental institutions, other institutions and individuals in the for-
mulation and execution of Unesco programmes so as to secure all the
intellectual, scientific, artistic or administrative assistance that it may
require. The membership of the Commission now consists of two, cate-
gories, viz., individual and institutional, on the five sub-commissions, viz.,
Education, Natural Sciences, Social Sciences and Humanities, Culture and
Communication. A new scheme has been formulated for (1) the reorga-
nisation of the Commission's library with a full-fledged documentation and
reference centre for publication in India; (2) holding of meetings and
conferences and organisation of exhibitions; and (3) strengthening of
voluntary organisations engaged in Unesco programmes and activities
through subsidies/subventions. A high powered delegation led by the
Minister of State for Education and Social Welfare participated in the
38th Session of the International Conference on Education geld at Geneva
from November 10-19, 1981. India also collaborated with Unesco in
organising an international meeting of experts on the Role of Women in the
Education of Young People for Peace, Mutual Understanding and Respect
for Human Rights, at Now Delhi, from December 7-11, 1981, which was
inaugurated by the Prime Minister.
Book Promotion The steps taken by, the Ministry for book promotion are related to
producing good literature at moderate prices, encouraging writers and
popularising the reading habit. The National Book Trust, besides organis-
ing special exhibitions of books and participating in international book fairs
to foster book-mindedness and to promote the "port of books, organises a,
World Book Fair once every two years. An outstanding event of the year
was the Fifth World Book Fair held at New Delhi from February 5-15,
1982. The scheme of publication of reading material for the rural areas
launched in 1980, made further progress during the year. The liberalised
import policy was continued and import of educational, scientific and tech-
nical books and journals, news magazines and records for learning of lan-
guages was allowed under Open General Licence. The Copyright Board
was reconstituted on April 1, 1981, and the Copyright Office registered
4779 works.
Youth Services Youth programmes in India have been formulated and are being imple-
mented keeping in view the absolute necessity to provide opportunities to
the youth for involvement in programmes and activities which could
develop their total personality and make them functionally efficient, econo-
mically productive and socially useful. The National Service Scheme is
being implemented in almost all the States and Union Territories covering
about 5 lakh students in 3400 colleges. A new dimension has been added
to the scheme this year, known as "Youth for Eco-development" with a
view to creating an awareness among the students about the aims and
nature of the ecological problems mankind is facing today and the measures
necessary to restore the ecological balance. An exhibition-cum-cultural
meet was organised at New Delhi from November 14-16, 1981, in which
1500 non-student youths drawn from different parts of the country parti-
cipated. This programme Was the first of its kind and highlighted the