RECOMMENDATIONS
Before taking up the agenda, the Chairman moved the following resolution on the passing away of Shri Jawaharlal Nehru, the late Prime Minister. The resolution was unanimously passed by the Board, all members standing in silence :
"The Central Advisory Board of Education places on record its profound sense of grief at the passing away of the late Prime Minister, Shri Jawaharlal Nehru. As a valiant fighter' in the country's struggle for independence and as the first Prime Minister of free India, he left an indelible impress on every facet of life of this country. Himself an embodiment of the best and noblest in the composite culture of India, he worked ceaselessely till his last breath to build India into a great and modem nation drawing inspiration not only from its glorious past but also from the scientific and humanistic culture of the modem age.
2. Although not an educationist in the accepted sense, Shri Jawaharlal Nehru was deeply interested in the sound development of education in the country. His love for children was abiding. To the countless boys and girls of this country he was affectionately known as, `Chacha', the great uncle, who in the midst of his multifarious duties always had their welfare nearest to his heart.
3. The Board pays its homage to the memory of the great architect of modern India and urges upon all his countrymen not to rest till the great revolution initiated by him is successfully completed. In particular, the Board appeals to Central and State Governments, voluntary organisations, teachers and educationists all over the country to press into service all their resources and talents so that this country may build before long a national system of education, capable of helping every individual boy and girl to develop all their faculties of body, heart and mind and make them fit instruments for the service of their motherland.
The Board then took up the consideration of the agenda.
Item No. 1 :To record appreciation of the services rendered
by those who have ceased to be members since the
last meet and to welcome new members. The Board recorded appreciation of the services of the following who ceased to be members of the Board :
1. Shri S. R. Das (Nominated)
2. Dr. S. Bhagavantam do.
3. Prof T. M. Advani do.
4. Shri A. A. A. Fyzee do.
5. Smt. Renu Chakravartty, M.P. (Elected by Lok Sabha)
6. Late Shri Satyacharan (Elected by Rajya Sabha)
7. Prof. M. S. Thacker (Nominated)
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2. The Board extended a warm welcome to the following new members
1. Dr. V. K. R. V. Rao (Nominated)
2. Dr. K. L. Shrimali do.
3. Shri O.L.Narasimha Reddy, M.P.(Elected by Lok Sabha)
4. Shri Radhelal Vyas, M. P. do.
5. Dr. Gopal Singh, M. P. (Elected by Rajya Sabha)
6. Shri M. Satya Narain, M. P. (Re-elected by Rajya Sabha)
7. Maj. Gen. Ranbir Bakshi (Nominated)
8. Mrs. Mafida Ahmed do.
9. Shri G. Ramchandran do.
10. Dr. S. H. Zaheer do.
Item No. 2 : To report that the proceedings of the
30th meeting of the Central Advisory Board of Education
held at Pachmarhi in May, 1963 were sent to the State
Governments and Union Territories. 3. The Board noted the action taken.
Item No. 3 : Special steps required to step up the
enrolment of girls in the 6-11 age group. 4. The Board accepted the recommendations of the Bhaktavatsalam Committee regarding mobilisation of public cooperation to promote the education of girls and emphasized the need for their implementation.
5. The Board recommended that special measures (such as those mentioned below) to encourage girls' education should be included in the centrally sponsored sector of the Fourth Plan, with 100% Government of India assistance :
(i) Construction of teachers' quarters
(ii) Rural allowance for teachers;
(iii) Provision of school mothers;
(iv) Construction of sanitary blocks in schools
(v) Hostels
(vi) Creches;
(vii) School meals; and
(viii) School uniform.
6. The Board recommended that advance action proposals already under examination should be finalised early and necessary financial assistance to be given to the States for programmes which would promote the preparation of women teachers.
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Item No. 4 : The targets of enrolment to be aimed at
during the next Plan period. 7. The Board emphasised that the future programme of expansion at the elementary stage was mostly expansion of education among girls and in the backward areas. It recommended that every State and Territory should move towards the ultimate objective of making Elementary Education universal, free and compulsory, and that special attention should be paid to backward sectors and areas. In this connection, the Board recommended that every educationally backward State should make special efforts, with adequate and liberal Central aid, to reach the national average of enrolment, while other States should be enabled to progress as much as possible towards the ultimate objective.
8. In regard to legislation or compulsion at the primary stage, the Board was of the view that whereas statutory provisions may be necessary for such purposes as collection of cess, the really effective method of achieving universality in education in this age group would be extension of facilities in areas not yet covered and use of persuasion incentives.
Item No. 5 : Measures for improving standards of
education at the elementary stage. 9. The Board observed that practically all elementary schools were at present working at sub-standard level in so far as their qualitative standards were concerned. To effect improvement it recommended that the following measures be provided for: (i) Better paid, better qualified and better trained teachers (training including initial as well as in- service training)
(ii) Suitable textbooks and other reading material;
(iii) Suitable buildings, equipment and teaching aids
(iv) Improvement in teacher-pupil ratio;
(v) Provision of improved syllabi;
(vi) Development of school health programme;
(vii) More effective inspection;
(viii) Full development of State Institutes of Education and expansion of Extension Service Centres.
10. The Board emphasised that the accent should be on the general improvement of standards in all schools. Simultaneously selected schools should be developed as model institutions, adequate safeguards being provided in their location, admissions etc. to ensure that socially, economically and educationally backward sectors of children particularly from rural areas are also enabled to derive full benefit from these schools.
11. The Board reiterated that the minimum qualification for new teachers of primary schools should be matriculation (or equivalent qualification) with professional training and it recommended that no relaxation should be made in this direction. The Board also re- commended that the existing under-qualified teachers should be helped to improve their qualifications and reach the prescribed standard.
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Item No. 6: Scheme for improvement of quality in all
secondary schools so as to bring them to a reasonable
norm of efficiency, and the special development of
"Quality" schools. 12. The Board approved of the following steps for improvement of secondary education :
(i) Improving and strengthening of science teaching through measures like strengthening of science laboratories and special training of science teachers;
(ii) Improvement of school library services;
(iii) Improvement and expansion of multipurpose schools;
(iv) Upgrading of high schools to higher secondary pattern;
(v) Training and supply of teachers and improvement of their service conditions; and
(vi) Development of selected schools (with residential facilities) for talented children.
13. The Board recommended the continuance and strengthening of other existing schemes directed to improve the quality of secondary education, viz. Evaluation Units, Bureaux of Educational and Vocational Guidance, science units, science fairs, and science talent search scheme.
14. The Board particularly emphasised the need to strengthen the existing programmes of extension for in-service training of teachers.
Item No. 7 : The nature, extent and mechanism of
diversification of educational the secondary stage. 15. The Board recommended as under:
(i) The diversification should start at about the age of 14 plus, i.e., the end of the elementary stage.
(ii) Adequate provisions should be made to diversify courses at the secondary level. Courses in the vocational fields should be so designed as to be terminal in character. Provision should be made for adjustment courses through which such students may proceed for higher studies as show aptitude and inclination and are found to be capable. Such courses could be provided through part-time and correspondence courses to be taken by them after they have joined the vocations for which they are trained.
(iii) The expansion of vocational and diversified courses at the secondary stage should be undertaken in accordance with placement opportunities and aptitude of students.
(iv) The Board stressed the need for organising vocational guidance and counselling services in the schools in order that students voluntarily take up the various diversified courses.
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Item No. 8 : Strengthening of science education-Steps
other than those covered in item 6. 16. The Board rioted the various measures already initiated by Government to expand and improve the teaching of Science (including Mathematics) in schools. It recommended that the target to be achieved by the end of the 4th Plan should be to provide General Science (including Mathematics) in all secondary schools and Elective Science in as many as possible with the ultimate object of providing Elective Science as well in all secondary schools. To achieve this objective, it recommended adequate funds being provided in the 4th Plan to supply to the schools the required equipment and qualified teachers of science. 17. The Board further recommended that teachers of science who acquire higher qualification through condensed or other special courses should get a, suitable increase in their salary scale and that an appropriate machinery should be to ensure the follow up of the special training given to science teachers.
Item No. 9 : Salient features of perspective
planning for higher education with particular emphasis
on schemes under consideration for, the Fourth Plan. 18. (i) The Board was of the view that the diversification of courses at the secondary stage in the Fourth Plan would have an impact on the University and College numbers only in the Fifth and subsequent Plans. In so far as provision for additional numbers for the Fourth Plan is concerned, the present upward trend would continue and therefore steps would have to be taken to provide facilities not only for the additional numbers but also better facilities for improvement of academic standards.
(ii) While endorsing the view that special attention should be given to programmes for improvement of quality in the different sectors of, higher education, the Board felt that quantitative deve- lopment had to be recognised as inevitable as the `various social pre- ssures for increasing number as well as the need for more and better' qualified men and women would increase with our developing economy.
(iii) Recognising that on account of limitation of funds, all the colleges cannot be improved on the same scale, the Board recommended that it was desirable that model colleges-at least one in each district should be established to improve educational standards.
(iv) The Board recommended that provision for evening morning colleges and Correspondence courses for degrees in various disciplines should be extended to a number of centres all over the country.
(v) The Board was of the view that the ultimate teacher-pupil ratio in higher education should be substantially improved both for Humanities and Science but in view of the financial limitations and non-availablity of suitable staff financial provisions should be made for a teacher pupil ratio of 1:15 during the IV Plan for both addi- tional and existing numbers. The Board also emphasized that real improvement would result only when the quality of the teachers also improves.
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(vi) The Board expressed the view that the per capita recurring cost of Rs. 75 /- per annum proposed in the perspective plan for the disciplines in Arts, Science and Commerce and of Rs. 2100/- for capital expenditure was on the low side and suggested that further studies should be undertaken to work out these costs for each of the branches along with a comparative picture for other sectors of higher education so that the cost particularly for science education compared favouarably within the cost for professional education. A separate cost pattern should be worked out for post-graduate and research studies.
(vii) The Board expressed satisfaction at the good work being done by the University Grants Commission and strongly recommended that the scope of and finances for the University Grants Commission should be substantially increased.
(viii) The Board suggested that the centres of Advance studies should be increased as much as possible so as to help the development of scientific and intellectual inquiry and pursuit of excellence in all the universities of the country.
(ix) The Board recommended that execution of the scheme of production of low cost editions of textbooks should be accelerated and a bigger project, should be undertaken in the Fourth Plan for various subjects including Medical and Agricultural sciences.
(x) The Board was of the view that teaching of other foreign languages besides English should be encouraged in the Universities.
(xi) The Board considered the question of admission of students to professional colleges and recommended that the barriers placed on grounds of residence in a particular State or Territory should be removed in order that meritorious students from all over India are provided with facilities for higher education.
(xii) The Board considered the question of the difficulties in securing staff for Colleges and recommended that the staff should be selected on merit from among candidates all over India, and that the A.I.C.T.E. and such other bodies might go in detail into the difficulties of getting teachers for professional institutions and consider the various possible measures to meet the situation.
(xiii) The Board recommended that visits abroad by Scientists to attend International, Conference should be properly planned and adequately financed.
(xiv) The Board noted the Report of the University Grants Commission on Rural Institutes and the recommendations of the last meeting of the National Council on Rural Education in regard to the scope and standard of education imparted in them. The Board recommended that immediate action be taken on the recommendations made by the University Grants Commission and the National Council.
Item NO. 10: To consider the First report of the
Standing Committee of the Central Advisory Board of
Education on Social Education on the "Concept of Social
Education". 19. The Board accepted the seven point programme indicated in the "Concept of Social Education"* as the basis for future planning
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of the programmes of social education. To suit local conditions and requirements, other activities which are of educational value for adults should be added to the list of, activities mentioned therein.
20. The Board was further of the opinion that the responsibility of Social Education should be solely that of the Union Ministry of Education and the Departments of Education of State Governments and Union `Territories, although other Departments of Government might act as agencies under their technical and administrative control. The Panchayat Raj institutions should also be associated with the implementation of the programme at the field level.
Item No. 11: Guiding principles for the Fourth Five
Year Plan for speedy liquidation of illiteracy. 21. The Board observed that lack of adequate personnel and funds, and the diversion of a substantial portion of the funds provid- ed for Social Education to other purposes had been the main causes of the glow progress of eradication of illiteracy.
22. The Board recommended that the standard to be attained must be `Functional Literacy' (See Annexure XIII). There should also be adequate provision for continuing education through Adult Schools and evening classes.
23. The Board further recommended that production of suitable literature for neo-literates and the new reading public should be taken up on a large scale. It was desirable to encourage all those people who could make adequate contribution to the production of this type of literature. A well planned Library Service reaching the rural areas was essential to prevent relapse into illiteracy. A comprehensive built-in follow-up service should be a part of the Literacy and Social Education programme.
24. The Board strongly felt that a determined effort was required to liquidate illiteracy within the shortest possible time.
25. Active association of voluntary and non-Governmental agen- cies should be welcomed in the task and they should be financially supported.
26. The Board also recommended that a `Central Body should be established for the purpose of proper planning and implementation of Social Education with Literacy programme as its core activity.
Item No. 12: Integrated Programme of Physical Education. 27. The Board generally approved the Report on Integrated Programmes of Physical Education and suggested that the details of arrangements for implementing the recommendations contained in the Report be taken by Central Government in consultation with the State Governments from the academic session 1965-66 by providing adequate funds.
28. The Board recommended that the Government of India should establish at least two more Institutes of Integrated Physical Education of all-India status in order to enable trainess from all parts of the country to benefit from good instruction in Physical Education.
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29. The Board welcomed the National Physical Efficiency Drive launched by the Union Ministry of Education and hoped that as physical fitness was essential for the building up of national strength, the target of 20 lakhs participants would be achieved during the current financial year.
Item No. 14 : Agricultural and Health Education at
Primary and Secondary levels. (a) Inclusion of chapters on the importance of agriculture, soil conservation, forests etc. in the text-books of Primary and Secondary Schools.
(b) to consider the inclusion of Health Education in the curriculum at Primary and Secondary School stages.
30. The Board drew attention to the capacity of school children and the list of subjects which had already been included in the school curriculum. It emphasised that the scheme of Basic and Post-Basic Education, which had adequate provision for work activities, including agriculture and health education, should be implemented more fully. It also recommended that suitable books and other literature on the subject of agricultural and Health Education should be prepared and made available to the schools, teachers and children.
Item-No. 15 : Corrupt practices in educational institutions: (a) Corrupt practices in the educational world.
(b) Ban on the use of notes, guides and short cuts in educational institutions.
31. (a) The Board recommended that the corrupt practices adopted by unprincipled and avaricious men connected with educational institutions should be eradicated and all State Governments should take necessary steps in this direction.
The Board further recommended that admission to colleges should be made on merit and not on the basis of donations, fees, etc.
States should take necessary action, including legislation, to prevent unauthorised people from setting up institutions, conducting examinations, awarding diplomas and certificates and adopting names such as Universities, Vice-Chancellors, etc. The Board suggested that the Government of India should prepare a draft Bill for this purpose to serve as a model to the State Governments. The Bill should provide that any private party starting an educational institution should obtain the permission of the Government to do so.
The Universities should before recognizing or affiliating a college ensure that the managements of Private institutions have the resources to establish and maintain proper standards. If any insti- tution is found to be functioning on a commercial basis and is found guilty of non-ethical practices, the Universities should diaffiliate such institutions.
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(b) Ban on, use of notes, guides and short-cuts in educational
institutions,
Item No. 15: The effect of transfer of administration
of Educational Institutions to Panchayats. 32. The Board took note of the comments received from the Ministry of Community Development, Co-operation and Panchayat Raj and observed that there were many problems involved in the transfer and that the various States were still experimenting with it. It recommended that the matter should be examined further in the light of experience.
33. The Board felt that proper precautions should be taken to ensure, suitable conditions and security of service for teachers, whereever such transfer had been effected.
Item No. 16 : Improvement in the emoluments and
social status of school teachers of Government as well
as aided schools. 34. The Board strongly emphasised that any substantial improve- ment in the standard of education could be achieved only when the question of improvement of emoluments and social security of teachers was adequately resolved. Accordingly it recommended as follows :-
(i) top-priority should be given in the Fourth Plan to the improvement of salary-scales and social security of school teachers and that with the improvement in salary- scales due emphasis should be laid on the qualifications of the teachers;
(ii) there should be parity in the salary scales and allowances given to Government and aided school teachers, and the method of recruitment as well as other conditions of service of the aided school teachers should be similar to those of the Government school teachers.
Item No. 17 : Setting up of an Educational Development Corpora-
tion.35. The Board recommended that the provident fund money of the teachers should be so invested as to secure better interest/ return to them.
36. As regards the establishment of an Educational Development Corporation, it recommended that the Central Government should study the matter further in consultation with the State Governments.
Item No. 18 : Measures for emotional integration-
Pledge to be taken by all the students. 37. The Board recommended that the Pledge suggested by the Emotional Integration Committee, slightly amended as under, should be taken by all students and teachers at the beginning of each working day. This practice, it was suggested, should be adopted in all institutions latest by 26th January, 1965.
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Form of Pledge "India is my country, all Indians are my brothers and sisters.
I love my country, and I am proud of its rich and varied heritage.
I shall always strive to be worthy of it.
I shall give my parents, teachers and all elders respect, and treat every one with courtesy.
To my country and my people, I pledge my devotion. In their well-being ad in prosperity alone lies my happiness."
38. This pledge should be translated into regional languages and printed in every textbook and the school calendar.
Item No. 19 Scheme of Vijnan Mandirs. 39. The Board felt that the scheme of Vijnan Mandirs was a useful one and should be continued. It should also be regarded as an educational scheme and implemented under the general guidance of the Ministry of Education at the Centre. For this purpose the. administration of the scheme in the States should be uniformly under the State Education Departments. The Board further recommended, as follows:
(1) During the Fourth Plan, period also, the scheme of Vijnan Mandirs should be on 100% Centrally sponsored basis as in the case of existing Vijnan Mandirs under the Third Plan period. Lands and buildings for the Vijnan Mandirs should however be assured by the State Governments as hitherto.
(2) Vijnan Mandirs should be established not in isolation but along with established institutions like, Secondary Schools, Extension department of training colleges and community centres so that maximum use, of the facilities may be available to the rural people.
(3) State Governments should endeavour to achieve the target of at least one Vijnan Mandir per district during the Fourth Plan.
(4) As the number of Vijnan Mandirs in each State increases, State Governments should take steps to have a Coordinating Committee at the State level to guide, and supervise the function of Vijnan Mandirs in the State. These Coordinating Committees should work in close collaboration Committee which guidance from the Central Coordinating Committee which should be established by the Government of India.
(5) There should be, no, rigidity about the, pattern of the functions of the Vijnan Mandirs and State Governments should have free scope for initiative in developing, their Vijnan Mandirs, according to the requirements in their respective areas.
(6) The Vijnan Mandirs should also serve the purpose of Science education for school students and adults alike but they should not be regarded as substitute for school laboratories.
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(7) The Educational aspects of the Vijnan Mandirs should be given wide publicity in the rural areas and for this purpose it was felt that a mobile unit to the Vijnan Mandirs may be necessary.
(8) In organising the exhibits and programmes of Vijnan Mandirs, the State Governments may be advised to take the assistance of bodies like the Association of Scientific Workers in India and other specialists qualified to promote the development of science education etc. in the country.
(9) State Governments can make additional financial provision over and above the financial pattern agreed to by the Centre for the successful functioning of the Vijnan Mandirs. The qualifications of the Vijnan Mandirs staff as laid down in the,report of the Assessment Committee on Vijnan Mandirs by Balwant Ray G. Mehta should be carefully adhered to
(10) The State Coordinating Committees in consultation with the Central Coordinating Committee should evolve suitable training programme for the workers of Vijnan Mandirs and also for periodical refresher courses.
Item No. 20 : To receive the report from the
Government of India and State Governments about the
action taken on the recommendations of the Board made at
its last meeting: 40. The Board noted the action taken.
Item No. 21 : To fix the venue and dates of the next
meeting of the Board. 41. The Board appreciated the invitations extended by the State Governments of Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir and authorized the Chairman to take a decision regarding the next venue and date of the Boards' meeting.
Other Recommendations
Item No. 22 : Reservation of sites for educational
institutions in the development plans. 42. The Board recommended that in all Master plans for town development adequate provision should be made for educational institutions and allied buildings and campus and that suitable layouts for schools of all types should be evolved keeping in mind requirements of future expansion.
43. The Board recommended that the Central and State Governments should review, and, if necessary revise, the standards, plans and specifications of construction of educational buildings so that progress of education is not hampered for want of building materials like cement or of funds required, where local' materials and less costly buildings might serve more or less the same purpose. The Board also suggested that, if necessary, a special working group may be set up to examine this issue in detail.
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Item No. 23 : Development of sports and physical education. 44. The Board recommended that a survey of playgrounds be taken up and completed at an early date and that steps be taken to prevent building activity on existing open spaces suitable for playgrounds.
45. The Board recommended that the Government should take steps to ensure a high standard of sport and sportsmanship in the country. For this purpose the State Governments should provide adequate finances in the Fourth Plan, and create a full time post of Deputy Director to be in-charge of Physical Education.
46. The Board suggested that the need for physical education for the community large, that is, outside the student body, should also be met.
47. The Board welcomed the establishment of State Councils of Sports, and emphasised the need for co-ordination between these Councils and Physical education activities in the States. The Board recommended that the Government of India should study the working of the State Councils of Sports, keeping in view the difficulties experienced by them and draw up a model constitution for State Councils.
Item No. 24 Moral and Religious Education and Student Unrest. 48. In order to improve the moral calibre of students in the country by inculcating in them the principles of correct personal behaviour and good citizenship, the Board recommended the study of inspirational literature, such as lives of great men, and the study of basic elements of different religions emphasising common culture and heritage. This should be accompanied by a proper atmosphere both in the home and in the school and proper utilisation of leisure, The attention of the State Governments and educational authorities should be again drawn to the Sri Prakasa Committee Report. The Central Government should also take suitable action.
49. The Board expressed concern about the prevalent unrest among students and felt that unless proper action was taken in the immediate future, both on a short-term and long-term basis, the problem may become extremely difficult.
Item No. 25 : Administrative Problems in the
implementation of Educational Programmes. 50. The Board recommended that the Education Commission should study the administrative aspects of educational policies and programmes in order to ensure efficiency and expeditious implemen- tation of Plans and Programmes.
51. In this connection the voluntary organisations, who had an important role to play, should be allowed the same scope of useful work in the implementation of educational programmes as has been the case in the Western, Countries. The question of proper publicity of educational policies and activities should also be considered.
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Item No.26 : Students securing Top Places 52. The Board recommended that students securing top places in the examinations conducted by Universities and Boards of Education should be assisted by means of adequate scholarships, to further prosecute their studies under any other Board or University. This would help mobility of students.
Item No. 27 Expenditure on Education 53. The Board recommended that each State should spend at least 20% of its revenue expenditure on education and earmark funds for improving scales of pay and the provision of social security of school teachers and that the Central Government should give liberal assistance to. States for this purpose.
54. The Board felt that even if the local allocations of the 4th Plan have to be reduced at any stage, the allocation for education should not be affected.
Item No. 28 Teachers Constituencies 55. The board recommended that special teacher constituencies for elections to legislatures should be abolished.