ADDRESS BY SHRI OM MEHTA, MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS
SHRI OM MEHTA
Minister of State
Ministry of Home Affairs
I am extremely grateful to the members of the Board for having given this opportunity to me for placing before this august assembly of educationists, scholars and administrators, the educational problems of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes who are one of the most deprived sections in the community. I am extremely sorry that I have not been able to participate in the, deliberations yesterday because of some other pre-occupations. I am extremely gratified to note that a number of members have expressed their deep concern for the education of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes and have made important contribution to their cause. I need not state the obvious before this learned assembly that education is the most important element in the development of any community particularly when it is faced with a new situation with which it is not familiar. in particular I may invite your attention to the more backward tribal areas where new developmental programmes are being taken up. These areas are being thrown open to the influences of modern administrative, economic and social processes. These communities are in face to face with a completely new situation which is beyond their social control and even beyond their comprehension. Ignorance is the biggest reason for weakness and knowledge is power. Therefore, the more articulation begin to take advantage of the simple situation in the backward areas. Our developmental effort designed for the benefit of the more backward people may, in this situation on the contrary, result in some disadvantage. In this context, take any criteria, edu- cation emerges as the most important and crucial investment. It is of late that the role of education as an investment in human resources has been increasingly recognised all over the under-
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developed and developed countries. In India we are faced with a peculiar situation where the explosion of higher education has raised some important questions about the utility of present pattern of outlays in education as investment for economic growth. However I may submit that the problem of education so far as Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes are concerned has to be viewed in a different context and not in terms of the general and average situation as it obtains in the country. Process of change has a differential impact on various sections of a community. Certain aspects may even have adverse consequences for certain sections. In the case of the 'backward areas and people education is the most important communication channel for the beneficial aspects of the processes of change. If this complimentary role is not assumed by education, by an educational effort suited to the needs of these areas and people, a selective process, which may favour only those influences which may benefit the vested groups, may dominate. This will be detrimental to the balanced development of the society. Therefore, not only is investment in elementary education, or a broader form of citizen education, will be an economic investment for these communities but an investment for building up the society and an investment which will help them to maintain their balance in the face of new situation which is now largely beyond their comprehension.
Although the spread of education in the country as a whole has been quite fast in the last two decades the spread of education amongst the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes has been quite uneven. In some areas and some groups the results are commendable. However, in other areas much remains to be done. It is in this context that a national policy was adopted which aimed at 100 per cent enrolment for the age-group 6-11 by the year 1978-79 & 50 per cent enrolment in the age-group 11-14 by that date. This decision marks a change in the educational strategy in which a time bound and fast enough pace of advancement has been accepted for even the most backward and the most deprived sections of the communities. It also implicitly accepts the responsibility for the provision of all inputs which may be necessary to achieve these objectives as a time bound programme.
As you are aware the Fifth Five Year Plan also makes a clear departure in the strategy of development of backward classes. The responsibility of development of these communities has, now been squarely placed on the general sector programmes. This
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question was discussed in very great details in the Standing Committee of the C.A.B.E. last year which made a number of far reaching recommendations. Mr. Chairman, Sir, it was under your dynamic leadership that firm foundation of the new strategy was laid and each Ministry and State Department was requested to review the Position with regard to the S.Cs. and S.Ts. and chalk out suitable programmes so that the targets which have been set are achieved not only in statistical terms but in reality with reference to each group and each area no matter how backward or remote the area is. Your leadership in this regard makes a very important departure in our whole process of planning and implementation. There has never been any iota of doubt with reference to the high priority which all concerned with national development agreed to accord for the development of Scheduled Castes & Scheduled Tribes. At this stage I may invite your attention to one of the most ambitious programmes which has been in operation in this field viz. a guarantee of suitable scholarship at the post-matric stage for all eligible candidates belonging to Scheduled Castes/Tribes. This is one scheme which is an open ended one and the planned outlays do not determine the number of -beneficiaries but, on the contrary, the number of beneficiaries determine the plan outlay. The number of scholars bone-fitted under this scheme would have crossed 3.75 lakh mark during the current year. The Government have recently substantially revised the rates of scholarships for resident scholars and for courses. The girl students have been allowed an additional increase. The following table gives the comparative rates of Post-matric scholarships :
Old New
Day Resi- Day Resident
Scholar dent Scholar Scholar
Scholar
Boys Girls Boys Girls
Undergraduate 27 40 1st 40 50 70 80
General year
2nd 45 60 75 90
year &
after.
Engineering 60 75 1st year 75 85 125 135
2nd year 75 90 125 140
& after.
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Old New
Day Resi- Day Resident
Scholar dent Scholar Scholar
Scholar
Boys Girls Boys Girls
M.A. & Post- 35 50 1st 50 60 80 90
graduate year
- 2nd 55 70 85 100
year.
M.Sc. 35 50 1st year 60 70 90 100
- 2nd 65 80 95 110
year.
The total investment on post-matric scholarships during the Fifth Plan period may be of the order of Rs. 200 crores. Such a huge outlay on one single programme clearly shows the concern of the National Government to tackle the problem of educational development of the weaker sections of the society. However at this stage I may invite your attention to rather unbalanced growth of education at the primary and middle school level. The effort to precisely assess the problem of elementary and middle school education for tribal areas and for the Scheduled Castes is' aimed at giving form and content to the declared policy of the national government. In pursuance of this policy the Planning Commission have requested the various State Governments to prepare Sub-plans for tribal areas. They have also requested that a suitable strategy for the dispersed Scheduled Castes and Tribes popu- lation outside the tribal areas should also be evolved. I am grateful to the State Governments who have spared no effort and prepared the sub-plans for tribal areas. I understand that a suitable strategy for the students belonging to S.Cs. and S.Ts. is also being separately worked out. I may take this opportunity of inviting your attention to the urgency in the matter, and request to complete the exercise as soon as possible.
The educational effort so far as the S.Cs. and S.Ts. are concerned has to be somewhat different than for the general areas. In the case of advanced groups and areas a demand for education is already there. Establishment of an educational institution itself is sufficient to attract the children from the advanced communities because their parents are interested in their education. This is not the case with the poorer section
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of the community. The message has as yet not reached the more backward tribal areas where the citizen is still not very much aware about the practical utility of education. Thus, a number of socioeconomic factors are coming in the way of members of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in sending their children to schools. In many cases it is sheer economic hardship. Therefore, a universal educational programme at the elementary stage in the case of these communities has to be a much more than a mere opening up of an educational institution. The students belonging to these communities may have to be provided with free text books, mid-day meals and in the case of girls even a pair of uniform. As they grow old and become an economic asset to the family, it may be necessary that they are provided suitable scholarships and stipends in higher classes. It has to be ensured that if we cannot compensate the family at least education should not be a burden on a poor family. In the case of tribal areas it may be further necessary that at the middle school and high school level adequate hostel facilities are also provided. Unless this package of special assistance programmes is provided an institutional net-work itself will not be much of help. It is commonly observed that in some tribal areas much of the institutional capacity remains under utilised.
The importance of these programmes is generally appreciated and the State plans also make provisions for them. In some States the schemes have a universal coverage. In many States, however, there is a very small percentage of students benefitted. The result is that only those groups who are in a position to cross the first two hurdles of primary and secondary schools, are eligible to take the benefit of post-matric scholarships. Although it may be desirable to have universal coverage at the primary and middle school levels also it may not be possible to do so with limited resources. However, it will be essential to evolve a suitable strategy so that all assistance is made available to the weakest sections and the most backward areas even amongst the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. Such a strategy will need a very careful analysis of the field situation.
It is also generally accepted that Ashram school is more suitable to the tribal areas. It may be desirable to have Ashram Schools but the question is whether we can have a universal coverage with a scheme which is extremely expensive. Here again a suitable strategy is called for. I would submit for your consideration to make a distinction between Ashram Schools as, an essential element in the strategy for universal coverage and
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as an additional facility to the poorer sections of the community. In its former role an Ashram. school will be necessary in those sparsely populated areas which cannot support even a single teacher school. Only when the requirement of such areas has been satisfied can we think in terms of Ashram School as an additional benefit to other areas where a primary school can otherwise serve.
There is also a tendency to substitute resource consuming programmes where administrative stream-lining would be the real answer. For example, in the sparsely populated tribal areas single teacher schools are inevitable. What is necessary is that these single teacher schools are subjected to the discipline of a centrally located well staffed primary school and they are not allowed to exist in isolation free of any administrative control and discipline. In some cases there is a tendency to open Ashram School and discontinue single teacher schools. You have to consider that this really means withdrawal of even elementary facilities from the more backward areas unless you have ensured that Ashram Schools or residential schools can cater to the entire child population in that region.
I may also invite your attention to the special requirement of these areas so far as educational content is concerned. The Prime Minister yesterday made a reference to her own work experience in a Swiss school which she attended. The syllabus and -educational content of our schools is tending to be uniform and generally takes for granted a certain background which is not available to the students belonging to the tribal areas. It will be necessary that we take into account the environment and background of students in each specific area and prepare suitable reading material for them which may be meaningful to them. The educational content also should aim at giving the tribal communities an idea of the increasing new contact. Their world view may have to be influenced delicately by educational inputs which may be so structured that it is within his comprehension and yet adds to his knowledge. In fact the problem of the more backward tribal areas, who have to telescope millenia into a few decades, is a challenge to the educationists. The problem is as to how without disrupting the socioeconomic structure we can introduce the tribal -community to the modern life. I may invite your attention to the new strategy of tribal development which provides a very wide frame for working in these directions. I hope this august assembly will ponder on these points and provide some guidelines for future work.
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School timings, vacations etc. also need a review. Educational sessions and timing in the tribal areas are the same as for the advanced areas. As Prime Minister yesterday referred to her experience where the school was closed when the local economy required the help of the child. Similarly, in the tribal areas it is during the minor forest produce collection season that labour is most scarce and there should be a vacation. Similarly it could be considered whether in those areas where pucca buildings cannot be provided on a priority-basis, rainy season could be treated as vacation the school session starting after the rains. All these points can be considered only if the rigid uniformity is not enforced in the case of tribal areas and the educational system is evolved with reference to the specific problem and condition of each of the regions for which we are now preparing integrated tribal development projects.
I may also refer to you the problem of teachers. Many of the teachers who belong to other areas do not know the local dialects. They are unfamiliar with their local customs. The result is that the teacher finds himself alienated in the society in which he is working and is not able to influence it. It will be necessary that the selection methods for teachers, their qualifications etc. are changed in respect of these areas. I am happy to note that you have been considering all these questions and have also been thinking of introducing multi-point entry in the educational stream, as also informal education. Any effort which tries to bridge the gap between the backward areas and communities on the one hand and advanced areas and communities on the other is most welcome. I hope a suitable programme of the informal education which prepares the citizen for the new challenge is formulated. I may however stress here that informal education can be an important supplement to formal education but can not be substitute for it. There should be a suitable blend of formal and informal educational inputs in all these areas.
I may also invite your attention to the duplication of efforts which sometimes goes on in the tribal areas. Sometimes there are more than one institution in the same area under different names or run by different institutions. Although in theory a pre-primary and primary institutions have different target groups, in the more backward areas there is hardly any difference. Any programme always starts from more advanced areas but by the time it reaches the most backward regions it loses its force. Thus one may find many programmes in the more accessible villages in
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tribal areas but none in the inure remote ones. Yesterday Dr. Malcolm S. Adiseshiah had emphasised that innovation may not be attempted with additional resources and must start with the existing institutions. I whole heartedly agree with him in respect of tribal areas. Innovation by rationalisation of the existing institutional frame work in the tribal areas may be taken up forthwith. There should be one frame for educational programme and no duplication. I may commend for your consideration that the pre-primary and primary educational institutions may be combined in these areas. It will be useful if- husband wife teams are appointed in these areas to such institutions where the minimum educational qualifications of the wife may not be insisted upon. Grades/salary depending on qualifications may be given. Such teams will solve a number of problems at the same time. When a teacher does not live with the family in the more backward areas he tends to be absent from there. There is no communication between him and the community at the, social level. If a couple lives in the area a more intimate relationship is likely to develop. It is also well-known that girls education is extremely undeveloped in these regions. The very presence of a lady in the educational institution will attract the girls to the school. It is also well-known that girls are kept behind to look after their younger childern. If the pre-primary section is combined with the primary unit the girls can also bring their younger brethern who can go to the pre-primary section. This will also help the young to get used to the school and admission in primary section will not be a problem. There are some of the ideas which I wanted to share with you. I hope the problem of the tribal areas and the backward communities will be examined by you in the context of local situation.
The question of resources is also an important one. As I have already submitted, the new strategy places the entire responsibility on the educational sector for this purpose. The question of allocation for the educational sector is important but the still more important aspect is that what attention is being given to the education of these poor sections from the funds which are available. I am happy that the question of resources also came up for discussion in the Education Secretaries Conference. It is for you Sir, to have an overall view of the total situation and evolve a strategy so that the targets which we have set for ourselves are achieved in a stipulated time. If necessary, the existing pattern of assistance
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may be reviewed so that the vast difference between the educational level of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, on the one hand and the advanced areas and communities on the other is removed as early as possible.
Before concluding, I may mention here that the Central Government will start consultation with the concerned Ministries and authorities regarding the recommendation of delinking University degree with the. job under the Central Government.