Fourth Plan would have an Grants Commission at their
impact on the University and meeting held on 5th May
College numbers only in the 1965. The Commission noted
Fifth and subsequent Plans. the recommendations and fur-
In so far as provision for ther suggested that a reference
additional numbers for the be made in the University
Fourth Plan is concerned, the Grants Commission annual
present upward trend would report of the important recom-
continue and therefore steps mendations of the C. A. B. E.
would have to be taken to pertaining to higher Edu-
provide facilities not only cation, such as the recommen-
for the additional numbers dation regarding (i) extension
but also better facilities for of the provision for evening/
improvement of academic morning colleges and corres-
standards. pondence courses for degrees
to a number of centres in the
(ii) While endorsing the country, (ii) improvement in
view that special attention the teacher-pupil ratio in
should be given to programmes higher education, (iii) extend-
for improvement of quality in ing the scope and increasing
the different sectors of higher the finances for the Univer-
education, the Board felt that sity Grants Commission and
quantitative development had (iv) establishment of more
to be recognised as inevitable centres of advanced study.
as the various social pressures As regards the recommenda-
for increasing number as well tion at Item 9 (ix) regarding
as the need for more and bet- acceleration of the existing
ter qualified men and women scheme and the undertaking of
would increase with our a bigger project in the Fourth
developing economy. Five Year Plan, the first part
(iii) Recognising that on of the recommendation is noted.
account of limitation of funds, In respect of the latter part
all the colleges cannot be it may be stated that an alloca-
improved on the same scale, tion of Rs- 50 lakhs has been
the Board recommended that proposed for the outlay in the
it was desirable that model Fourth Five Year Plan for
colleges at least one in each operation of the schemes for
district should be established low priced production of text-
to improve educational books and other standard works.
standards.
(iv) The Board recom-
mended that provision for
evening/morning colleges and
correspondence courses for
degrees in various disciplines
should be extended to a num-
ber of centres all over the
country.
(v) The Board was of the
view that the ultimate teacher-
pupil ratio in higher educa-
tion should be substantially
improved both for Humanities
and Science but in view of
43
the Financial limitations and
non-availability of suitable
staff financial provisions
should be made for a tea-
cher-pupil ratio of 1:15
during the IV Plan for both
additional and existing num-
bers. The Board also empha-
sized that real improvement
would result only when the
quality of the teachers also
improves.
(vi) The Board expressed
the view that the per capita
recurring cost of Rs. 750 Per
annum proposed in the pers-
pective plan for the disciplines
in Arts, Science and Com-
merce and of Rs. 2,100 for
capital expenditure was on the
low side and suggested that fur-
ther studies should be under-
taken to workout 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 edu-
cation compared favourably
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 stron-
gly recommended that the
scope of and finances for the
University Grants Commis-
sion 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 excelle-
nce in all the universities of
the country.
(ix) The Board recom-
mended that execution of the
scheme of production of low
44
cost editions of text books
should be accelerated and a
bigger project should be
undertaken in the Fourth
Plan for various subjects
including Medical and Agri-
cultural sciences.
(x) The Board was of the
view that teaching of other
foreign languages besides
English should be encoura-
ged 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 conside-
red the question of the dif-
ficulties in securing staff for
Colleges and recommended
that the staff should be selec-
ted 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 pro-
fessional institutions and con-
sider the various possible
measures to meet the situation.
(xiii) The Board recom-
mended that visits abroad by
Scientists to attend Inter-
national Conferences should
be properly planned and
adequately financed.
(xiv) The Board noted the
Report of the University
Grants Commission on Rural
Institutes and the recom-
mendations of the last meet-
ing of the National Council
on Rural Education in
regard to the scope and stan-
dard of education imparted
45
in them. The Board recom-
mended that immediate
action be taken on the recom-
mendations 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'.
Para Recommendations Para Action Taken
No. Nos.
19 The Board accepted the seven 19&20 Both these recommenda-
point progamme indicated tions were forwarded to the
in the `Concept of Social Edu- State Governments and Union
cation', as the basis for future Territories for taking necessary
planning of the programmes action in the matter. The
of social education. To suit Working Group on General
local conditions and require- Education for IV Five Year
ments, other activities which Plan has also made similar
are of educational value for recommendation to the effect
adults should be added to the that all the financial provision
list of activities mentioned for Social Education in the
therein. IV Plan should be made in
the Education budgets of
the Ministry of Education and
the Departments of Education
20 The Board was further of of State Governments and
the opinion that the responsi- Union Territories. The deci-
bility of Social Education sion lies with the Planning
should be solely that the Union Commission.
Ministry of Education and the
Departments of Education of
State Governments and Union
Territories, although other
Departments of Govern-
ment 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.
Para Recommendations Para Action Taken
Nos. Nos.
21 The Board observed that 21 , 22 These Recommendations
lack of adequate personnel & 24 were forwarded to all the State
and funds, and the diversion Governments for taking action
of substantial portion of on them.
46
the funds provided for Social
Education to other purposes
bad been the main causes of
the slow progress of eradica-
tion of illiteracy.
22 The Board Recommended
that the standard to be attai-
ned must be `functional
literacy'. There should also be
adequate provision for conti-
nuing education through
Adult Schools and evening
classes.
PRESENT POSITION
The Board further recom- 23 The present position on the
mend that production of production of suitable litera-
suitable literature for neo- ture for neo-literates and new
literates and the new reading reading public is that the
public should be taken up on Ministry of Education holds
a large scale. It was desirable two prize schemes viz. (1) Prize
to encourage all those people Competitions for production
who could make adequate of books for neo-literates every
contribution to the production year, and (2) UNESCO
of this type of literature. A Competition for production of
well planned Library Service books for the new reading
reaching the rural areas was public every two years. Both
essential to prevent relapse these competitions are meant
into illiteracy. A comprehen- to encourage the production
sive built-in follow-up service of suitable literature for neo-
should be a part of the literates and the new reading
literacy and Social Education public.
programme.
24 The Board strongly felt
that a determined effort was
required to liquidate illiteracy
within the shortest possible
time.
25 Active association of vol-
untary and non-Governmental
agencies should be welcomed
in the task and they should
be financially supported.
26 The Board also recom-
mended that a Central Body
should be established for the
purpose of proper planning
and implementation of Social
Education with Literacy pro-
gramme as its core activity.
47
Under the Prize Compe-
tition for books for neo-literates
about 40 prizes of Rs-500
each are awarded to the authors
of prize-winning books/manus-
cripts, every year. In addi-
tion, the best 4 or 5 books/
manuscripts out of the prize-
winning books/manuscripts in
every Competition were awar-
ded additional prizes of Rs.
500 each upto the 8th Compe-
tition held in 1961. Apart from
awarding cash prizes to
authors the Ministry also pur-
chase 1,500 printed copies of all
prize winning books/manuscri-
pts for free distribution in Com-
munity Development Blocks
and rural areas through the
state Governments. The Mini-
stry also undertakes to purchase
1,500 printed copies of
approved translations into
all Indian languages of all addi-
tional prize-winning books/
manuscripts.
Similarly, under the UNES-
CO Competition for book for
new reading public encourage-
ment to production of litera-
ture of this type is given through
the award of cash prizes to
authors of prize-winning books
and purchase of 1,500 copies
each of prize-winning books.
The cash prizes to authors
under the UNESCO Competi-
tions are provided by UNESCO
while the purchase of books
is done through the funds pro-
vided by the Ministry.
Under the prize Scheme for
books for neo-literates, ten com-
petitions have been held so
far beginning from 1954. In
these competitions, a total of
5,562 books/manuscripts were
received out of which a total of
379 books/manuscripts were
selected for prizes. The 11th
Competition is in progress.
Under the UNESCO Competi-
tion Scheme three competitions
have been held so far in 1959,