WELCOME ADDRESS OF SHRI PRABODH
 CHANDRA, MINISTER OF EDUCATION,
 PUNJAB
 

Shri Probodh Chandra, Minister for Education, Punjab delivered the following address:

Hon'ble Shri M. C. Chagla, Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is my very proud privilege this morning to extend to you all the most cordial welcome on the occasion of the 32nd Session of the Central Advisory Board of Education. It is a rare distinction for the Punjab to have the foremost educationists in the country gathering together in its infant capital. Education is a State subject, and ordinarily, all the States are expected to chalk out their own plans in accordance with the needs and aspirations of their people. But this arrangement, if pushed too far, is likely to bring into being all sorts of disparate structures from State to State, and a welter of varied and various educational systems in different States. In the circumstances, the existence of the Central Advisory Board of Edu- cation is of the utmost importance, since not only does it provide expert guidance to the Education Departments of different States, but it also, keeps an eye on the educational needs of the nation as a whole, as also on the national ideals and aspirations in this field. It is like the brain in the body, coordinating the activities of different parts, and preserving the unity of thought and action in the organism as a whole. The Central Advisory Board of Education helps the State to learn from the experience of one another and to be conscious of the points where there is room for improvement. As such, it is really an honour to be able to welcome so important a body in this border State. That we are able to do so at the present juncture is something all the more gratifying.

As in the past, the Punjab has had to bear the brunt of Pakistani aggression, and has lived up to her glorious martial traditions. The fighting men at the front as well as the civilians in the field and the factory have worked as soldiers of the nation and have proved to all, friends and foes alike, that India is not to be trifled with. It fills my heart with pride to be able to say that in this national crisis, teachers and students have done yeoman's service. They have reckoned nothing too low in the service of the country, and have delivered the goods in whatever capacity they were required to serve. Our NCC cadets in particular have done an excellent job in taking over traffic control duty, guarding vulnerable points, patrolling round the clock, clearing debris from bombed localities and under-growth near the Air fields (where other unskilled labour could not be employed for obvious reasons), rounding up enemy paratroopers and escorting ambulance vehicles and trains to hospital. All this work has been of vital importance not only for defence but also for the preservation of civilian morale. In addition, the Education Department launched a collection drive for contributions to the Defence and Security Relief Fund, and I am very happy to inform you that we have been able to collect a little over Rs. 27 lacs so far, and have

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already exceeded the target. What gives me the greatest satisfaction is that all this was done with the minimum disturbance in the curricular activities of the students. Schools and colleges continued to function as usual and the programme of work was so arranged as to disturb the smallest number for the shortest time.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I crave your indulgence for having launched into non-educational matters, but Pakistani aggression is on the minds of all Punjabis at present, and I am sure you will make some allowance for the present state of my mind. In fact, I feel persuaded to think that one of the aims of education should be to help the nation to defend itself in case of attack, and to become so strong in men and material that no irresponsible neighbour should feel tempted to try conclusions with us. Coming to education proper, the Punjab greeted our Independence Day in August, 1947 in a state of crisis-economic, social, educational and cultural. We were up against stupendous problems of rehabilitation and re-construction. At the time of partition, there were 3,246 Primary schools (Boys and Girls) in East Punjab, 255 High Schools, and 32 Colleges. At present, there are 12641 Primary Schools, 1566 High/Higher Secondary Schools, and 152 Colleges in Punjab. As a result of economic deterioration immediately in the wake of partition, it was noticed that a large number of privately managed institutions had ceased to be fully viable; so they had to be nationalised. For similar reasons about 10,000 local body schools have also had to be provincialised. In order that education should be brought within the competence of all, a large number of scholarships, stipends and freeships are available in the State. The Education Department is the largest department of the Government as education is a subject that touches practically everybody. We are doing our best according to our resources, but it would be an over- simplification on my part to say that we are fully successful. The problems in the field of education are numerous, and the resources at our disposal are strictly limited. Since this difficulty is common to all states, I am sure the Board is already seized of the problem as to how to get the best out of our limited resources, and we shall look forward eagerly to their deliberations and suggestions in the matter.

There is no denying the fact that education is the birth right of every child; also that every normal child has got at least the capacity to acquire the know-ledge of what are known as the 3 R's. In other words, Primary Education for all the children should be within the competence of parents. We in the Punjab have made education free up to the 8th class. and free and compulsory up to the Primary level. It has been experienced, however, that a large number of students drop out even before they have completed five years' schooling. They ultimately lapse into illiteracy and the time and labour spent on their education goes waste. Some others do not make any progress and continue to be detained in lower classes until they drop out. Thus, wastage and stagnation are the two major problems in the field of Primary Education, and it is necessary to devise ways and means at least to reduce them to the minimum. In the field of Secondary Education our difficulty is slightly different. The object of introducing the Higher Secondary system was to round off the education of boys and girls at this stage in such a manner that a

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very large majority should consider themselves competent to enter. life and only the exceptionally brilliant among them should go in for University Education. That object has so far evaded realisation. Whether it is due to our inability to adequately equip the Higher Secondary Schools or to some shortcomings in the instruction imparted or to the absence of avenues of employment, the fact is there, staring us ominously in the face, that the craze for University Education is as unabated as ever. We are obliged, therefore, to have a second look at the Higher Secondary system and find out where things have gone wrong. As regards, University Education, my own experience is that in a large majority of cases it is a substitute for employment, and results from that policy of drift which our lopsided economy forces upon the young people. I am sure there would be a palpable improvement in our College and University teaching, if the right kind of students could find their way into these institutions, because an incompetent or lazy teacher cannot last ten (lays, if he has to face a class of really earnest and inquisitive students. In the present set- up it is apparent that a large number of brilliant students have to drop off on account of poverty before they reach the University stage and an equally large number of others drift into the University because they find nothing else to do. It is our immediate anxiety to enable gifted but financially handicapped students to acquire University Education, and a scheme of studentships for such gifted students has already been drawn up for the purpose. In course of time, the number of such studentships will be increased so as to cover more and more poor and brilliant students. We are also enlisting the support of a number of public spirited citizens under a scheme of poster parents for poor and brilliant students. It is my belief that poverty as such should not be allowed to stand in the way of a bright student, since that will mean a national loss. But the basic problem about University Education is that all sorts of students are rushing for it, and I hope that the Board will be able to provide necessary guidance in this connection.

We are alive to the necessity of raising the Teacher's status in society, and the Education Department has already taken in hand a programme of work under the National Foundation for Teachers' Welfare. Last year a sum of Rs. 54,000.00 was collected on the Teachers' Day, 80% of which is being given away in the form of pensions, ex-gratia grants and financial assistance to teachers and their dependents. This year our collection has crossed the five lac figure, the highest collection having been made from Jullundur District (Rs. 82,000.00). We are keen to improve the pay scales, give more facilities and raise the status of teachers, Despite the lean finances of the State we gave financial benefits to teachers to the extent of Rs. 1.00 crore in the beginning of 1965. Later a special allocation of Rs. 25.00 lacs was made for the purpose. The facility of free education has been extended right up to the Higher Secondary Standard for the children of all teachers whose basic pay does not exceed Rs. 250.00 per month.

All students dependent upon war-victims are also being given free education free education.

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Ladies and Gentlemen, I have placed before you for consideration some of the more urgent educational problems that we are facing, and I look forward with hope and confidence to the deliberations of this august body on these and other allied matters. Before I close I want to make an apology. Placed as we are, it may not be possible for us to entertain you with the traditional Punjabi hospitality. For one thing, there is the Guest Control Order, and for another, the fear of your displeasure, if we depart from the standards of austerity which the nation is expected to observe in this emergency. We are very gratefully conscious of the honour done to the State, by the Board in accepting our invitation to hold its session at Chandigarh, and I hope you will not mind some minor inconveniences that might be caused to you during your stay here. I assure you they will be in spite of us. Ladies and Gentlemen, I most heartily welcome you once again.