SCHOOL EDUCATION
The main programmes in the field of School Education include :
(i) Universal, free and compulsory elementary education;
(ii) Vocationalisation of higher secondary education;
(iii) Improvement of quality;
(iv) Intensification of the programme in educational technology in
the context of INSAT;
(v) Introduction of Population Education Programme; and
(vi) Programmes carried out through National Council of Educa-
tional Research and Training.
Other programmes concern the provision of schooling facilities to children
of transferable Central Government employees and of Tibetan refugees
in India; women's education; recognition of school teachers through
National Awards; welfare of teachers in indigent circumstances; provision
of extra curricular activities to children through Bal Bhavan Kendras;
educational concessions to children of defence personnel; and implementa-
tion of cultural exchange programmes in the field of school education.
Universalisation of Elementary This forms an essential component of the Minimum Needs Programme
Education and has been accorded, a very high priority in the field of education with
a Sixth Plan outlay of Rs. 905 crores (or 36% of the total plan outlay
of Rs. 2524 crores for Education)-Rs. 851 crores in the State sector
and Rs. 54 crores in the Central sector.
Much progress has been made in enrolment through the years of plan-
ned development. The main drawback of the elementary education system
relates to huge drop-out rates at the end of primary (class V) stage and
at the end of middle (class VIII) stage. Attempts under the Sixth Plan
are being made to remove the infrastructural deficiencies and the two-
pronged attack is directed towards :
(i) achieving an additional enrolment of 180 lakhs of children in
classes I-VIII, and
(ii) reducing the drop-out rates drastically.
Many administrative measures to operationalise the programme of uni-
versalisation in all its aspects were taken during the period. A National
Committee on Elementary Education was constituted under the chairman-
ship of Union Education Secretary, with the Director, National Council
of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), Director, National Insti-
tute 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-secretary. The Committee met for the first time
on July 6, 1981 and, on its recommendation, State Task Forces on
Elementary Education were constituted in all the educationally backward
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States. Till December 1981, the first meetings of six State Task Forces
were held. The meetings made a review of the present position, problems
and difficulties encountered in a State in the context of the Sixth Plan
physical targets and decided upon measures needed to overcome them
and modifications needed in the various schemes taken up and special
measures necessary to realise the targets. The Ministry of Education.
Planning Commission, NCERT and NIEPA are represented in each of the
State Task Forces.
Free Education According to the Constitutional directive in Article 45, education in all
schools-government, local bodies and aided-at the primary stage (classes
I-V) and at the middle, stage (classes VI-VIII) is free in all States and
Union Territories except for boys at,the middle stage in Uttar Pradesh.
Till September 30, 1980, Orissa also did not provide free education for
boys at the middle stage.
Compulsory Education Acts Legislation for compulsory primary education exists in 16 States, namely,
Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and
Kashmir, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa, Punjab,
Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. Among the Union
Territories, such legislation is in force in Andaman and Nicobar Islands,
Chandigarh and Delhi. In Himachal Pradesh, the Act covers the entire
elementary stage (classes I-VIII).
Enrolment Targets In the base-year of the Sixth Plan, i.e. 1979-80, enrolment at the
primary stage was 709.50 lakh or 83.6% of the 6-11 age,-group population;
it was 194.83 lakh at the middle stage of 40.2% of the 11-14 age-group
population. The targets of the additional enrolment during the Sixth Plan
are 180 lakh of the 6-14 age-group population--117 lakh at the primary
stage and 63 lakh at the middle stage. If achieved, the enrolment at the
end of 1984-85 would rise to 95 per cent and 50 per cent respectively
at the primary and middle stages based on projections made on the 1971
census figures. The 1981 census figures show that the actual number of
children to be enrolled would be much more than the numbers assumed
in the above forecast. Substantial progress has, however, been achieved
at the primary stage and the emphasis of the Sixth Plan is on further
substantial improvement of enrolment in the primary stage which will shift
to middle stage in the next plan period. The following table indicates
the position and enrolment targets at the. elementary stage
1950-51 1979-80 Target
1984-85
Age-group 6-11:
Enrolment: Classes I-V 191.55 709.50 826.50
Enrolment as percentage of age-group popu-
lation 42.6 83.6 95
Age-group 11-14 :
Enrolment: Classes VI-VIII 31.20 194.83 257.83
Enrolment as percentage of age-group popu-
lation 12.7 40.2 50
Age-group 6-14 :
Enrolment: Classes I-VIII 222.75 904.33 1084.33
Enrolment as percentage of age-group popu-
lation 32.4 67.2 77
Enrolment Strategy The hard core of non-enrolled children, particularly at the primary stage,
belong to weaker sections including Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes,
agricultural labourers and slum-dwellers. More than two-thirds of the non-
enrolled children are girls. More than 80 per cent of the non-enrolled
children are in nine educationally backward States, namely, Andhra
Pradesh. Assam, Bihar, Jammu and Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa,
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Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. The programme of Universali-
sation, therefore, is target group-oriented. Special steps taken are as under :
(i) Concentrated attention in the backward States and in the back-
ward and low literacy areas of each State/Union. Territory.
(ii) Identification of the size of the various target groups in each
State and quantification of inputs for Scheduled Castes and
Scheduled Tribes both under the tribal sub-plan and special
component plan for Scheduled Castes, under the Central and
State sector schemes for elementary education.
(iii) Increase in coverage under the incentive programmes like pro-
vision of free textbooks and stationery, free supply of uniforms,
attendance scholarships particularly for girls and mid-day meals
programme for the benefit of children of the weaker sections.
Reduction in the Drop-out Rates
The problem of drop-outs at the elementary stage has been reducing
the significance of increase in enrolment. Comprehensive measures for
reducing drop-out rates have been suggested to States. These include un-
graded school system including 'no detention' up to class VIII, conversion
of single-teacher primary schools into two-teacher schools, provision of
schooling facilities in all habitations with viable population. setting up of
early childhood (pre-school) education centres in rural areas as adjuncts
of primary schools, promotion of girls' education, curricular reform projects,
improving physical facilities, improving teacher competence, community
participation, and, above all, large non-formal part-time education pro-
grammes for children who cannot join and attend formal schools due to
socio-economic reasons.
2 Non-formal Part-time Education Almost all the States and Union Territories have taken up non-formal
for Elementary Age-group part-time education programmes for out-of-school children including non-
Children starters and drop-outs. Under a centrally sponsored scheme with a central
sector plan outlay of Rs. 25 crores, special central assistance is being pro-
vided to the educationally backward States. So far, a total sum of Rs. 6.05
crores has been given to the States for this programme on equal sharing
basis including Rs. 3.44 crores during 1981-82 (till January 15. 1982).
Grants, out of this scheme, are also given to voluntary agencies in the
educationally backward States for running non-formal centres on State
Government pattern and to academic institutions. Government or private,
in all States and Union Territories for experimental and innovative projects
of non-formal education.
With Central assistance, non-formal education has picked up its momen-
turn in eight educationally backward States. During the year under report,
51,712 centres were functioning in the 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 is expected to
he 1,28,905 with a total coverage of 34.80 lakh children in these eight
States.
Central Paper Assistance for Under a central sector scheme with a plan outlay of Rs. 28 crores, com-
Non-formal Education modity assistance in the form of paper is being extended to all States and
Union Territories for producing books, guides and other teaching/learning
materials. The plan outlay covers the cost of paper from any country
of the world and import duty thereon including handling and like charges.
This has, been possible with Swedish cash assistance of the order of 75
million Swedish Kronors or Rs. 14 crores. 20.000 metric tonnes of paper
are to be imported over a period of 5 years. 1979-84. according to an
Indo-Swedish Agreement signed on January 20. 1990. 3,200 metric tonnes
of paper representing the requirements for 1979-81 were imported through
the State Trading Corporation and transported from the ports to the State
storing points by February. 1982. Action for procuring 4.000 metric tonnes
of paver constituting the requirement for 1981-82 was also initiated for
effecting shipments by the end of the financial year.
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Grants for Early Childhood A modest programme for Early Childhood Education (ECE) has been
Education Centres proposed under the Sixth Plan by way of broadbasing elementary edu-
cation. Pre-schools, as adjuncts of primary schools, in rural areas, for 3-6
age-group children of the disadvantaged sections, envisaged under the pro-
gramme, also aim at enabling out-of-school girls to attend schools,
thus removing one of the causes for non-enrolment and drop-out. While
it has been recommended to the States to implement early childhood edu-
cation programmes in a meaningful way during the Sixth Plan, under a
central sector scheme with a plan outlay of Rs. one crore, voluntary
organisations will receive financial assistance from the Central Government
for running ECE centres in rural areas. In addition, certain inputs of the
ECE programme receive UNICEF assistance, the details about which are
given later.
Primary Curriculum Reform The main thrust for improving the quality of elementary education is
Projects with UNICEF Assistance in the State sector. Under central initiative, a few innovative projects have
been in operation to improve the school curriculum. Under such projects,
relevant, interesting and useful curricula are being attempted on a decen-
tralised basis suiting the needs and life-situations of children in diverse
social, economic, cultural and geographical areas of the country, within a
broad national framework. These programmes are being assisted by
UNICEF and. implemented in conjunction with the States and Union
Territories.
For the period 1981-83, a Master Plan of Operations (MPO) for
UNICEF assistance in the field of education was drawn up comprising con-
tinuation of the earlier projects, as also initiation of new projects. These
are : (1) Nutrition/Health Education and Environmental Sanitation (formal/
on-going), (2) Primary Education Curriculum Renewal (formal/on-going),
(3) Developmental Activities in Community Education and Participation
(non-formal/on-going), (4) Comprehensive Access to Primary Education
(non-formal/new), (5) Early Childhood, Education (non-formal/new). All
these projects are in wider implementation or experimental phase. The
central-level implementing agency is the National Council of Educational Re-
search and Training (NCERT) and the State level agency is its counterpart,
State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT)/State
Institute of Education (SIE).
Nutrition/Health Education and Started during 1975 in a pilot phase in five regional centres at Baroda,
Environmental Sanitation Calcutta, Coimbatore, Jabalpur and Ludhiana, the project in its experimental
phase during 1981-1983 is being extended to 14 additional States/Union
Territories. Of the States that were invited to participate in the project,
agreements from ten States/Union Territories were received by January
1982. They are : Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Haryana, Kerala,
Maharashtra, Mizoram, Orissa Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. Agreements
from the remaining States/Union Territories were awaited. Curricular
materials on nutrition, health and sanitation habits have been and are
being developed for primary stage, according to the objective conditions
in diverse areas. The project includes try-out of materials, training of
teachers, teacher-educators -and supervisors for introducing such curricula
on a wider scale.
Primary Education Curriculum Implemented since 1975 in 15 States, in 30 primary schools in each
Renewal State, the project, Primary Education Curriculum Renewal, aims at
a qualitative adjustment of the formal primary curriculum to the life styles
of the children and to the socio-economic opportunities available in the
areas of the project schools. During the MPO period, this project is
being extended to another 100 schools in the earlier 15 States/Union
Territories. The project has, besides, been extended to another 15 States/
Union Territories in its experimental phase. The project involves detailed
survey to locate representative experimental areas according to as many
diversities as there are in a State, developing innovative decentralised
curricula and instructional materials and training of teachers, teacher-
educators and administrators. The decentralised curricula developed in
various- States/Union Territories are subjected to evaluation with reference
to Minimum Learning Continuum that has been developed by NCERT listing
the gradewise minimum competencies to be achieved under the formal
system.
Hopeful signs about the usefulness of the project have already come
to light. Enrolment and attendance in the project schools have increased;