18. There should be earmarked opportunities for SCs and STs in all courses and at all levels of education in proportion to SC and ST population percentages. Wherever necessary, there should be special attention on them and adequate measures should be taken to ensure that these recommendations are fulfilled.
19. There should be Advisory Bodies to review and oversee the implementation of the educational programmes for SCs/STs at block, district, State and Central levels. SC/ST people should be adequately represented in these bodies.
20. Wherever there are tribal communities in adequate number, there should be attempts to make them learn in their mother tongue at primary levels.
21. Wherever teachers are not available in schools located near SC/ST localities, crash programme under a Centrally Sponsored Programme should be even to eligible persons from SCs and STs and the eligible among them should be appointed in these schools.
22. The delivery system should be streamlined and made effective.
23. In sports activities, it should be ensured that in those sports and games which are an integral part of the tribal way of life such as archery and javeline, the ST boys and ST girls from
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amongst students should be given additional incentives and en- couragements.
24. The existing Central or Centrally sponsored Schemes should be continued and also expanded wherever possible to ensure effective implementation of all recommendations found above.
25. The philosophy of Dr. Ambedkar should form part of school and college curriculum.
MINORITIES EDUCATION The Group reviewed the Report of the action taken on the recommendations of the 45th Conference of the CABE held at New Delhi on July, 6-7, 1989. The Group is, firmly of the view that a well coordinated, fully funded, time bound and a closely monitored programme specifically designed and to bring the backward minority communities into the educational mainstream should be evolved and implemented. On the basis of available data and reports on the subject, the Group has made the following recommendations.
1. Special Plan for Backward Minorities (SPBM) A Sub-Plan should be formulated for the educational uplift of the educationally backward minorities on the lines of Special Component Plan and Tribal Sub-Plan.
2.Data relating to Educational Status of Minorities The Group observed that in the absence of reliable data with regard to educational status of minorities realistic planning has not been possible. It accordingly recommends that community-wise data in this regard should be made available to the public.
3. Centrally Sponsored Schemes for Educationally backward
minorities The Central Government should make use of the concurrency provision in education and play a vital role to make its recom- mendations incumbent on the State Governments to implement the programmes on uniform basis throughout the country. There should be some Centrally Sponsored Schemes for minorities.
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4. Educational Mapping of Minority concentration areas The list of 41 minority concentration districts should be reviewed and those districts, particularly in the East and North-East, which were left out should be included. Detailed educational mapping should be carried out in minority concentration districts to identify the deficiencies in educational infrastructure and to draw time-bound action plan.
5. Women's Education Schools and hostels for women should be given first priority in all future programmes of opening of schools. Arrangements for subsidised transport in towns and other incentives like uniforms, mid- day meals should be given to the girls in minority concentration areas.
6. Incentives to poor students The alarming rate of drop-out among the minority students should be checked by specially designed measures. Incentives should he given to poor minority students in the shape of freeships, stipends and uniform. They should also be given pre-matric and post-matric scholarships.
7. Remedial Coaching Most of the students drawn from the backward minority communities are grievously handicapped because many of them are first generation learners with the result that they get neither academic environment nor academic support at home. The Group, therefore, feels that provision of remedial coaching at class VI and above to the weaker students of minority communities is absolutely essential in lifting these communities out of the morass of educational backwardness.
8. Crash Programme A time-bound crash programme of school improvement with an in- built mechanism for covering minority concentration areas with the on- going programmes of Operation Blackboard, NonFormal Education and District Institute of Education and Training should' be implemented on priority basis.
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9. Instruction in Mother tongue
(a) Primary Education The Group observed. that the present arrangements for instruction in the mother-tongue at the primary stage are grossly inadequate. The Group, therefore, recommends that the States and Union Territories and the Local Bodies should make all necessary arrangements for imparting instruction in the Mother-tongue at the primary stage. The Group also recommends that the recommendations of Gujral Committee for promotion of Urdu on primary education be accepted for Urdu and extended to other minority languages.
(b) Secondary Education The Group recommends that the recommendations of the Gujral Committee on promotion on Urdu in respect of Secondary Education should be also accepted for Urdu and extended to other minority languages.
(c) Training of Teachers The Group also felt that it is absolutely necessary to ensure on a continual basis the training of teachers in minority languages and their utilisation for the purpose for which they had been trained. A Centrally Sponsored Scheme for appointment of language teachers, fully funded by Government of India, should be launched in the Eighth Five Year Plan.
(d) Timely availability of Text-Books By suitable arrangements it should be ensured that text-books are made available to the school students on time in their own language along with textbooks in English/Hindi.
(e) Three Language Formula No programme for educational development among minorities can succeed unless adequate and effective arrangements are made not only for providing instruction to children from minorities in their first language (mother-tongue) at the primary level but also at the secondary level under the Three Language Formula. The distortions that have crept into the Formula Over the years to the disadvantage of Urdu speaking people and speakers of other minority languages should be straightened.
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10. Continuous Evaluation of School Text-Books. This Group is of the view that the evaluation of text-books should be a continuous programme both at the Centre and the States. It should be effectively monitored periodically and members of minority communities should be associated with the process of evaluation and review.
11. Improvement of education in traditional institutions. Traditional institutions like Madras as should be encouraged and assisted to include Science, Mathematics and English in their curriculum. This is necessary to bring them into the educational mainstream of India. A Centrally Sponsored Scheme in this regard should be launched.
12. Training in Crafts. As provided for in the Programme of Action, 1986 technical institutes should be opened in areas predominantly populated by artisans. The latter's children should be allowed to upgrade their inherited skills by availing of these facilities to the extent of 80%. Similar preferences may operate in case of admission to polytechnics.
13. Community Polytechnics. The Group observed that the Deptt. of the Education has already established 20 community polytechnics in minority concentration areas but they do not cover all the 41 districts of minority concentration identified in the POA of which only 16 districts have been covered so far. The remaining 25 districts which have not yet been covered under the scheme of Community Polytechnics should also be brought under their coverage before the end of the 8th Five Year Plan.
14. Coaching for competitive examinations for minorities. The Group observed that the scheme for pre-examination coaching operated by the, UGC through universities/colleges has, not made a dent into the problem so far primarily because of certain weakness in the scheme. The implementation of the scheme needs to be reviewed effectively on continuing basis and remedial action taken from time to time with a view to ensuring that the benefit of the scheme goes to the target group.
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The Group also observed that the Ministry of Welfare has recently launched a scheme for setting up of pre-examination coaching/training centres through minority voluntary organisations. It is necessary that the pitfalls observed in the implementation of this scheme, and the implementation should be closely monitored.
The Group further recommends that open universities including the IGNOU should establish distance education programmes for imparting special coaching to the minorities.
15. Recognition and encouragement of voluntary efforts. Recognition and encouragement of voluntary effort for education of backward minorities is essential. Government can, in this context, act as a catalyst. Socially oriented and public spirited persons in the communities should receive due recognition and impetus; for, in the ultimate analysis, it is the voluntary effort that can bring about a real educational and social transformation. Federations and Associations of Minority-managed institutions should be encouraged and actively associated with the functioning of minorities education and implementation of programmes of educational uplift.
16. Monitoring. A strict and vigilant monitoring of the recommended programmes for minorities education is absolutely essential if these are to make a real impact.
17. Amendment of Prime Minister's 15-Point Programme for
minority welfare. The Group noted that at present the 15-Point Programme does not incorporate any point relating to general education for minorities. Accordingly it recommends that the Programme may be recast so as to include a specific point of general education so that it gets necessary impetus.
Other Backward Classes The Group recommends that facilities extended to SC and ST communities in the matter of promotion of education should be mutatis- mutandis extended to the children of socially, educationally and economically backward classes. A suitably formulated Centrally Sponsored Scheme in this regard should be implemented.
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Specially Disadvantaged Groups (Most needy and most neglected)
This group Consists of :
(1) Working Children
(i) Children engaged in family jobs/Mostly rural.
(ii) Children in small menial unskilled jobs/Mostly Urban Slum.
(iii) Children in industries/Rural & Small Towns.
(2) Handicapped Children
(i) Physically handicapped;
(ii) Socially handicapped like street children, children of beggers & prostitutes, children in custody, children of migrant labour, etc.
Recommendations : (i) Reaching children. through alternative modes of education, flexible hours etc.
(ii) All facilities extended to the children of SC/ST should be provided to these children at least up to the level of primary education.
(iii) Coordination, with other Ministries like Labour, Industry, etc. for
(a) Compulsory provision of teaching and learning time during children's work hours;
(b) The centres should be located in the place of work.
(c) Expenses should be borne by the employer and the State.
(d) Close monitoring of the system.
(iv) Strong links between functional literacy/non- formal educational programmes with mainstream educational programme. Multiple entry point in the mainstream education.
(v) Strengthening of voluntary efforts and enabling them to play their watch-dog and conscientization role effectively.
(vi) Employment/Income guaranteed linkages with education.
(vii) Provision of vocational guidance and counselling.
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(viii) Role of mass media and traditional media to highlight the educational problems of these, groups.
(ix) In-depth study of this problem for effective understanding and intervention by the State.
PARTICIPANTS IN THE GROUP ON EDUCATION OF WOMEN AND OTHER
DISADVANTAGED SECTIONS INCLUDING SC, ST, MINORITIES ETC.
(Chairman)
1. Shri H. S. Lyngdoh
Education Minister
Meghalaya
(Rapporteur)
2. Shri A. K. Mishra
Secretary, Education
Government of Orissa
3. Shri Ram Dayal Munda
Professor, Ranchi University
4. Dr. (Smt.) Saraswati Swain
Kalyan Nagar, Cuttack
Orissa.
5. Shri K. V. Madanan
Director of Public Instruction
Government of Kerala
6. Shri R. N. Datta
Additional Secretary of Public Instruction
Government of Meghalaya
7. Dr. H. L. Malsawma
Secretary (Scholarships & Higher Education)
Government of Mizoram
8. Dr. M. L. Sachdeva
Deputy Director (Vocational Education)
Government of Punjab
9. Shri V. Venkatachalam
Special Secretary, Education
Government of Uttar Pradesh
10. Shri S. C. Behar
Consultant, NIEPA
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11. Shri T. Munivenkatappa
Joint Secretary
Ministry of Welfare
12. Shri M. S. Pandit
Joint Secretary
(Minorities & Backward Classes)
Ministry of Welfare
13. Shri Ram Singh
Director
Ministry of Welfare
14. Shri G. Balachandran
Deputy Secretary
Ministry of Welfare
15. Dr. Manjula Chakravarty
Deputy Director,
W.D. Division, NIPCED
Department of Women & Child Development
Ministry of H.R.D.
16. Smt. V. Lakshmi Reddi
Director (Planning)
Department of Education
Ministry of H.R.D.
17. Shri K. K. Khullar
Consultant
Department of Education
Ministry of H.R.D.
18. Smt. Vimla Ramachandran
Project Director (MS)
Department of Education
Ministry of H.R.D.
19. Shri Jai Ram Singh
Deputy Education Adviser(P)
Department of Education
Ministry of H.R.D.
20. Shri G. Balachandran
Deputy Director
Department of Education
Ministry of H.R.D.
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