ITEMS SUGGESTED BY THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND YOUTH SERVICES
Item No. 1.-To record appreciation on the services
rendered by those who have ceased to be members of the
Board since last meeting and to welcome new members. The Board records its appreciation of the services of the following persons who have ceased to be the members of the Board after the last session : 1. Dr. Triguna Sen
2. Prof. Sher Singh
3. Shri Bhagwat Jha Azad
4. Shri G. K. Chandiramani
5. Gen. K. M. Cariappa
6. Km. S. Panandikar
7. Shri L. R. Sethi
8. Prof. Samuel Mathai
9. Dr. (Smt.) Durgabai Deshmukh
10. Dr. D. M. Sen
11. Shri V. K. Gokak
12. Smt. Raksha Saran
13. Dr. Romila Thapar
14. Shri Anil Mohan Gupta
15. Shri S. K. Vaishampayan, M.P.
16. Shri Samar Guha, M.P.
17. Shri Ram Krishan Gupta, M.P.
18. Shri J. M. Lobo-Prabhu, M.P.
19. Dr. A. L. Mudaliar
20. Dr. D. S. Reddy
21. Dr. R. M. Kasliwal
The Board extends a hearty welcome to the following new members who were appointed to the Board after the last session.
1. Prof. V. K. R. V. Rao
2. Shri Bhakt Darshan
3. Smt. Jahanara Jaipail Singh
4. Shri S. Chakravarti
5. Shri Ram Niwas Mirdha, M.P.
6. Smt. Indumati Chimanlal
7. Dr. P. D. Shukla
8. Dr. R. K. Singh
9. Smt. Mina Swaminathan
10. Dr. A. C. Deve Gowda
11. Shri S. S. Bhandarkar
12. Smt. Asha Devi Aryanayakam
13. Smt. Kamalini H. Bhansali
14. Prof. S. V. C. Aiya
15. Shri S. D. Patil, M.P.
16. Prof. Saiyaid Nurul Hasan, M.P.
17. Dr. Surya Prakash Puri, M.P.
18. Smt. Sangam Laxmi Bai, M.P.
19. Shri Suraj Bhan
20. Shri I. J. Patel
21. Dr. A. D. Joseph
The Board also welcomes the Education Minister of the autonomous State of Meghalaya who would be attending the Board meeting for the first meeting.
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Item No. 3.-The role of the Ministry of Education and
Youth Services and the manner in which the Centre and
the States can cooperate and collaborate in educational
development. In this connection, the paper on the subject of Centre-State Relations in Education, read by Prof. V. K. R. V. Rao, Union Minister of Education and Youth Services at the National Convention on the Constitution : Union State Relations, may be seen. (Annexure III of Part I).
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Item No. 4.Implementation of Government Resolution on
National Policy on Education. The recommendations of the Education Commission were considered by Government and its decisions are included in the Resolution on the National Policy on Education. Copies of the Resolution were sent by the Ministry to other Ministries concerned, the State Governments, the University Grants Commission, the Universities, etc. for information and necessary action. In discussing the Fourth Five Year Plan of the State Governments, an attempt was made to follow the broad guidelines contained in the National Policy on Education to the extent possible. But unfortunately, not much could be done because of the constraint of resources. Similarly, in formulating-the Fourth Five Year Plan of the Ministry itself, an attempt was made, to the extent resources permitted, to follow the broad guidelines laid down in the National Policy on Education. More recently, some of these programmes have been taken up for implementation through the Conference of Education Secretaries, the Conference of the Directors of Public Instruction/Education, the Asian Institute of Educational Planning and Administration and the National Council of Educational Research and Training.
2. It must be pointed out, however, that the implementation of the National Policy on Education is largely the responsibility of the State Governments; and the Centre is not in a position to do much in this matter for the following reasons:
(i) The Centre has no authority over education, which is mostly a State subject.
(ii) The Centre can indirectly influence educational policies of the States provided it is in a position to give substantial financial aid. This is possible only through a large centrally-sponsored,sector. But unfortunately, the centrally-sponsored sector in education has been immensely reduced in the Fourth Five-Year Plan. Unless this sector is enlarged, the Centre will not be in a position to develop effective policies covering the entire country.
(iii) In the absence of authority or funds. the Centre can only act as an adviser or a guide and concern itself with tasks like research, experiments or pilot projects. Some programmes in these fields are being developed. But it is obvious that they will not be of very much help in im- plementing the major recommendations of the Education Commission.
3. Following is a statement which shows, programme by programme, the action taken so far and the achievement in respect of the different programmes included in the Statement on the National Policy on Education.
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Action taken to implement the Government Resolution on
National Policy on Education 1. Free and Compulsory education.- Strenuous efforts should be made for the early fulfilment of the Directive Principles under Article 45 of the constitution seeking to provide free and compulsory education for all children up to the age of 14.
2. Suitable programme should be developed to reduce the prevailing wastage and stagnation in schools to ensure that every child who is enrolled in school successfully completes the prescribed course.
3. The emoluments and other service conditions of teachers should be adequate and satisfactory, having regard to their qualifications and responsibilities.
1. At the beginning of the Fourth Five Year Plan, the enrolment in Classes I-V (age group 6-11) was only 77.9% of the population in the age-group; and in Classes VI-VIII (age-group 11-14) it was only 33.5%. With the funds available for the development of primary education in the Fourth Plan, the enrolment in classes I-V will only increase to 85% of the age-group 6-11 in 1973-74 and that in classes VI-VIII will only increase to 42.1% of the corresponding age-group. The Education Commission had recommended that free and compulsory primary education up to the age of 14 should be provided by 1986. At the present rate, even this moderate target does not seem to be feasible. The States which will fulfil the Constitutional directive the soonest are Kerala and Tamilnadu which may do so between 1975-76 and 1980-81. Maharashtra,. Mysore and Gujarat may follow soon thereafter. But in backward States like Bihar or Rajasthan, the target may not be reached till 2,000 A.D. Obviously, a more vigorous effort and a larger allocation is called for.
2. It has been decided to conduct pilot projects for reduction of wastage and stagnation and some funds for this have been provided in the Central Plan. A Committee has been set up to work out the details.
3. The Government of India has adopted the scales of pay for university and college teachers recommended by the U.G.C and the Education Commission. A scheme has been introduced at the Centre under which 80 per cent of the additional expenditure involved is being given as grant-in-aid to the State Governments for a period of 5 years. At the end of this period, the entire expenditure will become the committed expenditure of the States concerned. A large number of States have accepted and implemented the scheme. The matter is being pursued with others and it is hoped to implement this scheme in all the States before this period is over.
In so far as the school stage is concerned, it has not been possible to provide any central assistance to the State Governments to improve the salaries of school teachers, although they have been asking for 80 per cent of the additional expending as grant-in-aid on the anology of the university and college teachers.
However, owing to several pressures from the public and the teachers' organisations, a good deal has been done to improve the remuneration of school teachers in the States and Union Territories. In Punjab and Haryana, the scales of pay recommended by the Education Commission have been adopted by the State Governments. III several other States, the D. A. of the State Government servants was equalised with central D. A. and this has substantialy upgraded the remuneration of teachers. In some other States (e.g. Mysore, Gujarat, Maharashtra, etc.) pay commissions were appointed to revise the salary scales of Government servants including teachers and effect has been given to these recommendations.
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4. The academic freedom of teachers to pursue and publish independent studies and researches and to speak and write about significant national and international issues should be protected.
5. Teachers' education particularly in-service education should receive due emphasis.
6. Energetic development of Indian languages and literature is a sine quanon for educational and cultural development. Regional languages are already in use as media of education at the primary and secondary stages. Urgent steps should now be taken to adopt them as media of education at the university stage.
All things considered, the salaries of primary and Secondary school teachers have, on the whole, been upgraded substantially in all parts of the country, although they generally fall much below to what has been recommended by the Education Commission (except in Punjab and Haryana). In U. P. the scales of pay, especially of primary teachers, are still very low. A proposal was placed before the Finance Commission that it should assist the State Governments for improving the remuneration of school teachers to the levels recommended by the Education Commission. Unfortunately it has not been accepted.
4. This recommendation has been circulated to the State Governments and the universities.
5. Teacher education at the primary stage has been included entirely in the Slate sector in the Fourth Five Year Plan. The allocation available, is, however, so limited that the programme will not make much headway.
At the secondary stage, the U.G.C. has been requested to assist universities and the teachers' colleges in programmes of qualitative improvement. A sum of Rs. 8 crores has been provided for the purpose in the Fourth Five-Year Plan. The U. G. C. has set up a Standing Committee to supervise the implementation of the programme.
6. Prior to the adoption of the National Policy on Education, Ministry of Education on the advice of the Planning Commission, had taken steps for the formulation of a 12 crore scheme for writing of books at university level in regional languages with a view to switching over to regional languages as media of instruction at the university stage. This scheme is being run in co-operation with the State Governments and university authorities under which a sum of Rs. I crore spread over a period of six years is being made available to each Slate except Jammu and Kashmir and Nagaland for writing of such books. From this year the Government of India have taken upon themselves the production of certain core books to be used in all universities in India. Urdu being an important non-state language, Government of India has set up a Tariqqui-e-Urdu Board for production of educational literature in Urdu.
It has also been decided in principle to set up such a board for Sindhi. In the case of the Hindi-speaking States, Government of India, for better co-ordination in the book production programme in Hindi and in order to avoid duplication has set up a conference of representatives of Hindi-speaking States, the coordinating and core committee of which are meeting frequently to expedite writing of books. The Govt. of India will also implement a scheme from this year under which 100 fellowships will be offered through the University Grants Commission annually to those who will be appointed, after training in translation, in different universities to take up translation work of books in various regional languages. It is estimated that within the next five years all the universities in India will adopt regional languages as media of instruction at the first degree level in some of the disciplines. As on today, 55 universities in the country allow regional languages as medium of examination.
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7. At the secondary stage the State Governments should adopt, and vigorously implement the three-language formula which includes the study of a modern Indian language preferably one of the southern language, apart from Hindi and English in the Hindi-speaking States and of Hindi along with the regional language and English in non-Hindi speaking States.
8. Every effort should be made to promote the development of Hindi. In developing Hindi as the link language, due care should be taken to ensure that it will serve, as provided for in Article 351 of the Constitution, as a medium of expression for all the elements of the composite culture of India. The establishment, in non-Hindi States of colleges and other institutions of higher education which use Hindi as the medium of education to be encouraged.
In nearly 15 universities the proportion of students opting for regional languages as medium at the first degree level is about 90% in 17 the regional languages can be used as medium of education at the post-graduate stage also. Government has also decided to establish a Central Institute of Indian Languages.
In some form or the other, the Three-language Formula has been accepted by all State Governments excepting Tamil Nadu. Government of India have been giving assistance to the non-Hindi speaking States so far for appointment of teachers to teach Hindi and for establishment of Hindi Teachers Training Colleges. So far there has been no scheme for giving financial assistance to the Hindi-speaking States for appointment of teachers in modern Indian languages other than Hindi. For the first time such a scheme on pilot basis, with a small allocation of Rs. 1 crore has now been prepared. It would train over 1,000 teachers from Hindi speaking States for teaching of southern languages and other modern, languages other than Hindi during the Plan period.
Suitable courses in Hindi/English would also be available for universities and colleges with a view to improving the proficiency of students in these languages up to the prescribed university standard. This is under study by the Central Institute of English, Hyderabad and Central Hindi Institute Agra.
8. The first priority programme relates to production of books a, university level so that Hindi becomes medium of instruction at the first degree level in all Hindi-speaking States. A total provision of Rs. 5 crores will be spent during the six-year period commencing from 1968-69. These book, will be produced by the State Govts. of Hindi- speaking States in co-operation with their universities. In addition to this, it has been decided to produce in Hindi at national level books on technology, agriculture and medicine.
The other important scheme is the evolution of terminologies in humanities and science subjects including medicine, engineering and agriculture. In their effort to produce an all-India terminology the Commission for Scientific and Technical Terminology have adopted international terms by transliterating them in Devnagari and such works represent about 10% of the terminologies finalised by the Commission. 80% of the terms have been drawn from various regional languages.
The National Book Trust and the Sahitya Akademi are also publishing books in Hindi for the enrichment of Hindi language. The Sahitya Akademi has so far brought out 60 books in Hindi which are mostly translation of classics and award winning books of other Indian languages. The N.B.T. has so far brought out 81 Hindi books.
Ministry of Education & Youth Services have also instituted awards of prizes to Hindi writers from non-Hindi speaking States.
During the current financial year provision has been made for providing financial assistance to existing colleges in-non-Hindi States for opening Hindi-medium sections. A total Plan provision of Rs. 50 lakhs has been made.
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9. Considering the special importance of Sanskrit to the growth and development of Indian languages and its unique contribution to the cultural unity of the country, facilities for its teaching at the school and university stages should be offered on a more liberal, scale. Development of new methods of teaching the language should, be encouraged, the possibility explored of including the study of Sanskrit in those courses (such as Modern Indian language, Ancient Indian History, Indology and Indian Philosophy) a, the first and second degree stages.
10. International Languages-Special emphasis needs to be laid on the study of English and other international languages. World knowledge is growing at a tremendous pace, especially in science and technology. India must not only keep up this growth but should also make her own significant contribution to it. For this purpose, study of English deserves to be specially strengthened.
11. Regional imbalances in the provision of educational facilities should be corrected and good educational facilities should be provided in rural and other backward areas.
12. To promote social cohesion and national integration the Common School System as recommended by the Education Commission should be adopted. Efforts should be made to improve the standard of education in general schools.
9. In pusruance of the recommendations of the Sanskrit Commission, Ministry of Education & YS launched several schemes during the second and third Plan periods for the development of Sanskrit. A total provision in the third plan was Rs. 75 lakhs and in the fourth plan a provision of Rs. 2.55 crores has been made for the purpose. This recommendation has been brought to the notice of all universities for implementation. Kendriya Sanskrit Vidyapith, Tirupathi, is already engaged in development of improved methods of teaching Sanskrit. This work is continuing.