SOCIAL SERVICES

15. It has been estimated that by the end of the first plan there will be about 70,000 medical practitioners in the country. Data furnished by the States and the Central Ministries indicate that about 7,800 additional doctors would be required for the implementation of various development schemes in the public sector. Past experience shows that of the total number of doctors produced by medical institutions in the country about 35 per cent. are in employment under Government, Local Bodies, or with other employers and the rest ate engaged in private practice. With the development of public health services it is possible that the number of doctors in private practice may diminish, as more doctors will be absorbed by public authorities. On the basis of the demand for additional doctors and percentage of doctors seeking employment it would appear that about 20,000 to

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SECOND FIVE YEAR PLAN

22,000 medical graduates may be required during the second plan, The estimated outturn from medical colleges, whose number increased from 30 to 42 during the first plan period, is about 2,500 doctors a year. Since this number will not be sufficient for meeting the demand for doctors, plans of States have provided for expansion of capacity in 28 existing colleges. It is also proposed to set up six new medical colleges. The plan provides for the completion of the All India Institute of Medical Science and for upgrading of departments in selected medical colleges for post-graduate training and research. Four new dental colleges are to be established and two existing dental colleges expanded. Most of the additional facilities that are being created during this period are likely to mature towards the end of the plan period. In the meanwhile, it is apprehended that the shortage of doctors will continue. The question of ensuring adequate supply of ancillary personnel such as nurses, midwives, health visitors, nurse dais, and dais, health assistants and sanitary. inspectors is equally important. An attempt is being made to achieve substantial advance in augmenting training facilities for these categories.

16. In the field of education, requirements for trained teachers for, manning new schools, to be opened, have been estimated at 3.1 lakhs. In addition, about 2 lakh teachers will be needed for normal replacement purposes. Against this over-all estimated demand of about 5 lakh trained teachers, arrangements have been made for the training of nearly 6 lakh teachers during the plan period. In order to give added impetus to the task of reorientation of educational system at the elementary level on new lines, the number of basic training colleges will be increased from 33 to 71 and basic training schools from 449 to 729 by the end of the second plan. In addition, a National Institute of Basic Education which will serve as a research centre is also proposed to be established. The problem of ensuring adequate attention being paid to basic education in the postgraduate training colleges of Universities which serve as a reservoir for the supply of personnel for manning basic training schools is also being considered. The overall training facilities to be provided in this field, will help to train about 1.2 lakh basic teachers against the demand for 1 lakh teachers. The targets envisaged will thus not only meet the additional demand for teachers of various categories but also reduce to a certain extent the existing gap of trained teachers.

17. Expansion of training facilities form an important element of the programmes relating to welfare of backward classes. A technical institute is proposed to be started at Imphal where tribal students will receive training for diplomas and certificate courses in civil and mechanical engineering. Three similar institutes costing about Rs. 75 lakhs are also proposed to be opened at suitable centres to provide training for tribal youth. In addition, scholarships will be provided for enabling tribal students to pursue courses in pro- fessional and technical subjects. 18,000 persons are to be trained in various arts and crafts such as tailoring, smithy, tanning, weaving, basket making etc. A large number of persons with basic training in social sciences will be needed to implement programmes under social welfare. The Social Welfare Board is contemplating to train for its extension projects, 8,000 gram sewikas, 1,600 midwives and 6,000 dais in addition to training programmes for such categories of personnel referred to earlier. It is felt that with the out-put of existing institutions and the new training facilities that are planned for this purpose, the supply and demand are likely to balance.

18. Training programmes mentioned above do not exhaust the whole field of technical personnel. These are only a few illustrative examples of how the problem of increasing supply of technical personnel is being dealt with. Certain programmes have been specially mentioned with a view to bringing out the fact that the Central and State Governments are well aware of the problem and have taken steps to draw up schemes to meet at least the critical shortages of per- sonnel which may arise in connection with the second five year plan. It is possible as has been stated earlier that some regional imbalances may develop, and these may require specific action as and when they arise.

GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS

19. There is one aspect of training to which attention may be drawn when considering programmes for the plan. The provision of training facilities for higher categories of personnel, whether in engineering and technology, or in medicine and agriculture, draws sub- stantially on our limited resources. It is not the intention to starve any of the training activities on this account. But a plea for economy in the use of funds, and what is more important in the use of personnel for training, can never be out of place. The suggestion that expansion of facilities within existing institutions is generally to be preferred to the setting up of new institutions should be viewed in this context. Also, it may be necessary in the case of certain technical skills not to look upon the problem of providing training facilities in terms of regions and States. This becomes an important consideration especially in regard to training higher categories of personnel.

20. Another point to which specific attention needs to be drawn is the excessive emphasis which employing authorities tend to place on experience. While hesitation on their part to take up persons, who, according to them, are not adequately qualified for the job is understandable, it would appear that insistence on accepting only `ready made' material is not in the

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PERSONNEL REQUIREMENTS AND TRAINING PROGRAMMES

best interest of development There is a danger of moving in a vicious circle if, for want of technical personnel, development programmes suffer and for want of employment, personnel with basic training cannot gather the necessary experience. Employing authorities should be prepared for a period to tolerate insufficiency of experience and skill in trainees who have potentialities of being `built up'. Both employers and technical personnel seeking employment should look upon institutional training as something which would develop in a trainee adequate basic equipment for work.

21. India is on the threshold of large-scale industrial development. It is, therefore, necessary to visualise in advance the difficulties likely to be experienced in finding technicians in the required numbers and to take steps to meet these difficulties. For the successful implementation of any manpower policy there is need for a machinery which will, among other things,

(a) collect and maintain statistics and relevant information regarding avenues of employment in technical and other fields;

(b) maintain information on. the supply side with sufficient precision;

(c) frame policies and programmes on the basis of information collected under (a) and (b) so as to secure requisite trained personnel at different levels; and

(d) facilitate transfer of personnel from completed projects to those in the initial stages of execution.

22. At present Ministries at the Centre are endeavouring to collect facts relating to the demand for personnel, but there is yet no overall guidance and co-ordination in matters of policy affecting technical personnel. Requirements of personnel in the public sector will continue to increase. For evolving policies pertaining to the recruitment and utilisation of such personnel it is, therefore, necessary that decisions shall be taken at the highest level. A Committee of the Cabinet on technical Manpower could provide the necessary direction and steps might be taken to strengthen the manpower and employment units in the Planning Commission and the Ministry of Labour. Similar arrangements are needed in the States also for meeting their departmental needs. In manpower planning, close co-ordination is required between the Centre and the States.