Shri Shiv Kumar Shastri made the following.observations:

i) People, school managements and teachers were not fully aware of the NPE directives and implementation. More publicity was required in this regard.

ii) The recent massive teacher training programmes had produced more frustration among teachers than encouragement to them; the defects, shortcomings noticed should be remedied.

iii) More emphasis be given to Sanskrit education.

iv) Sports facilities presently available should be optimally utilised.

v) Cultural and Science Exhibitions should be held in schools all over the country.

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Shri P. Namgyal, Member of Parliament observed the following:

i) Norms for selection of students in Navodaya Vidyalayas are too tough for his region and these should be suitably modified.

ii) Problem of providing elementary education in hilly and tribal areas with small habitations should receive special attention. Non-availability of teachers in remote and hilly areas should also be looked into.

iii) He recommended that more incentives be given to teachers posted in these areas. Duration of teacher orientation programmes in Science and Maths in his region should be increased.

Shri Lokesh Nath Jha, Education Minister, Bihar indicated the various measures taken by the State Government for implementation of the NPE.

i) High Power Committes, one under the Chairmanship of Chief Minister and the other headed by Education Minister have been set up for guidance and effective implementation of programme. Another Committee under the Chairmanship of Chief Secretary has been constituted for monitoring implementation of NPE. This has met twice and the third meeting was to be held on 29th June to discuss th Scheme of Operation Blackboard. Under the Teacher Orientation Programme, 33000 primary and 6000 secondary teachers were covered last year. In the current year 32000 primary and 8000 secondary teachers are being trained at 198 centres.

ii) Education surveys are being conducted by the SCERT in eight districts in connection with the scheme of Operation Blackboard. The survey is expected to be completed by the end of July 1987. An amount of Rs. 202.51 lakhs has been earmarked for providing equipments to about 4500 primary schools. All Single Teacher Schools would be provided with an additional teacher by the end of 1987. Provision has also been made for construction of 4251 school buildings.

iii) For introduction of vocational education, 43 Higher Secondary Schools have been selected. Selection of vocational courses and preparation of their curriculum are being finalised.

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iv) Revised curricula for Classes I and III will be introduced from next year and for other Classes in subsequent years.

v) Seven Navodaya Vidyalayas have been set up. Thirteen more are to be set up this, year. Sanction has been issued for establishing an Open University at Nalanda and the newly appointed Vice chancellor has already taken over. The Biroli Gramin Prathisthan is being converted into a rural university in phases. One college from each of the Universities of Bihar is proposed to be declared as an autonomous college. Necessary action has been taken for setting up of a Council for Higher Education.

vi) State Advisory Board on Education is being set up. it is proposed to set up one District Board of Education and one District Institute of Education and Training in each Division during the current year. The University Act is being amended for improving the discipline.

He stated that the State Government should be intimated of the exact quantum of Central assistance under the Scheme of Operation Blackboard. The State Government would require an assistance of Rs.250 lakhs from the Centre for the year 1987-88. For Adult Education Programme Central assistance of Rs.25 crores would, be required for 1987-88. For introduction of the revised UGC scales, the State Government suggested that the pattern of assistance should be revised to 85:15 instead of 80:20 as announced by the Central Government.

Shri Dasrath Deb, Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Education, Tripura observed that:

i) Representative of Secondary Teachers Organisations should be included in the CABE.

ii) NPE 1986 could succeed only if 10% of the Central Annual Budget is allocated for HRD.

iii) Setting up of Primary Schools is preferable to NFE Centres. At the middle stage, in view of maximum drop- outs, they would. resort to set up NFE Centres. In case of voluntary agencies the grants are being directly released by the Centre and thus the States exercise no control over them. In the light of this, he was of the

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opinion that education be brought under the State List again.

iv) Against Rs.100 crores earmarked for the Operation Blackboard, the amount to be shared by each school would be meagre. It was suggested that this amount should be sufficiently enhanced.

v) Navodaya Vidyalayas according to him, would serve the society to a limited extent since these will be mostly for the privileged class. Therefore, rethinking on this issue was desirable.

vi) In respect of Adult Education Programme and the Technology Mission, liberal grants were required to implement these programmes. Similarly in respect of Technical Education adequate funds were required.

vii) Regarding 'Open University', National Testing Service' and Delinking of Degrees' he said that since the Government cannot force any employer to accept the product of these services, the candidates can only burden the Employment Exchanges, and it would not in any. way decrease the University level enrolment.

viii) Material relating to national curricula has already been incorporated in school textbooks.

ix) 24 schools have been upgraded from Secondary to Higher Secondary level, but in view of lack of Science Teachers they were facing difficulty in starting Science Courses in most of them.

He observed that the Tripura University would be started soon and that the State Government have approached U.G.C. to have it approved and provide grants for setting up of the same.

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Thiru C. Ponnaiyan, Education Minister of Tamil Nadu said that:

i) his State introduced vocational courses few years ago and it covered 1250 schools. However, students. are no longer interested to pursue these courses, the reason being that no job is available after the completion of the said courses and only 10% out of 1,00,000 could get employment. He, therefore, suggested that job avenues may be linked with vocational training. The main thrust for the courses should be need-based. In this regard, it was suggested that an Expert Committee may be constituted to look into the various aspects concerning vocational courses vis-a-vis the job avenues, considering manpower requirements over the next 10-15 years.

ii) The Committee of the CABE on "Transfer of Teachers" is not called for in respect of his State.

iii) He felt that Value Oriented Education should be an integral part of our educational system and he supported the suggestion made by Dr. Saiyed Hasan earlier that there should be a Code of Conduct for Teachers both in the schools and colleges.

iv) He mentioned that certain courses in the colleges have outlived their utility and therefore may be replaced by new subjects having a relevance to the environment of today. There should be a linkage between education and industry so that education imparted should have its linkage with the needs of the industry and he suggested that Government of India may consider issuing directions to the States on this.

v) The suggestions from the States of Tripura and West Bengal for enhancing budgetary allocation for Operation Blackboard was supported by him.

vi) The State has given autonomy to 16 colleges and another 24 colleges are being made autonomous this year. The idea regaring granting of autonomy was said to have been welcomed by the public at large.

vii) He felt that unemployment problem can be solved through proper technical education.

viii) As far as Open University is concerned, the State has correspondence courses in three Universities and would follow the IGNOU pattern.

Shri Manubhai Pancholi said that -

i) Education-should ensure peace among classes and masses.

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However, through the medium of new National Policy on Education, both formal and non-formal education system would grow and throw light for the linkage of both the classes and the masses. He emphasised that education should have its base in the life and livelihood of masses.

ii) As regards vocational courses, he felt that these are not properly vocationalised and should include 20% of the core-curriculum with the rest being accounted for needbased and agro-industry oriented courses.

iii) he suggested a Code of Conduct/accountability of teachers and students alike since the social accountability is a must for all and also fel that Teachers Training Colleges should provide value-oriented education.

Dr.(Smt) Chitra Naik appreciated the documents circulated for the meeting and said that she was not able to find in these any mention of items relating to Early Childhood Education and Women Development, although these issues had been discussed in earlier meetings. Education Secretary clarified that these documents, subjects concerning Department of Education have mostly been covered, adding that, however all related subject of other Departments continue to be the concern of CABE. She made the following observations:

i) 'Education of Women' should also figure as a separate item amongst the problem areas and not jumbled up amongst various aspects under item 7 of Agenda.

ii) The need for consolidating the system of school education was emphasised; she also suggested that the programme of universalisatiion of elementary education should be broadened in the context of Indian poverty.

iii) Teaching facilities for Science & Mathematics should be provided in Girls Schools; she also emphasised the need for sharing laboratory facilities and these laboratories should be equipped with local materials. Girls should be awarded more scholarships to induce them to come out of household routines.

iv) She welcomed the change of T.M.E.I. to National Literacy Mission. She felt that motivation should be inculcated and for this both the Central and State Governments should share equal responsibility.

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v) For bringing women to attend the adult Education courses, the entire family both men and women need to be mobilised and involved in the programme.

vi) The courses being provided in the Women's Polytechnic need a thorough examination and revision so that emphasis is laid on teaching of Science and Technology orientation in these. The Department of Science & Technology is doing very little, A very large science movement and library movement need to be built up for implementation of National Policy on Education. We should get to action orientation for VIII and IX Plan right now.

vii) She supported the idea of scrapping the irrelevant courses in the colleges,

Dr. Sudhir Roy, M.P. observed that:

i) for implementation of University/College Teachers Pay scales, 100% Central financial assistance is essential. Me revision should ensure at least 10% increase in salary for each person. Tests for recruitment would introduce more difficulties for the institutions.

ii) He did not favour the idea of autonomous colleges since this would lead to malpractices. Teachers will be hired and fired. He added that college teachers all over the country were opposed to the granting of autonomy and University degree will not have proper value. Instead he suggested, that all existing colleges should be in, roved.

iii) He felt immediate steps may be taken to stop the capitation fee system.

iv) Common School -System should be encouraged as against Navodaya Vidyalayas.

Shri Peerzada Mohd. Syed, Minister for Education of Jammu & Kashmir stated that-

i) all efforts for UEE are being made. 2148 primary schools, identified for Operation Blackboard are being provided with buildings under NREP and RLEGP. Further 791 teachers have been provided to convert single teacher schools into double-teacher ones. NFE Centres. are being provided to supplement the effort. Massive teacher training programmes have been undertaken.

ii) TMEI is being considered for implementation. Setting up of ITIs is being encouraged.

iii) Consolidation of higher education is being done. Kashmir University has aleady switched over to

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three-year degree course which will soon be followed by jammu University.

iv) Under the detailed Programme of Action which the State is preparing would be submitted soon, hostel facilities are being considered to be provided to Gujars and Bakarwals.

Dr. Malcolm Adiseshiah complimented the Government on what has been accomplished in the implementation of NPE in less than a year. This shows we have been able to move forward. He also appreciated the analytical table depicting Annual Plan allocation of the Centre. He observed that the material circulated did not adequately bring out the State Government's role. It has not been brought out clearly what the State Governments have done. It seems they are not pulling their weight. The States feel that the NPE is only a national programme and not their own programme. He suggested that a format should be devised to report progress and problems in order to get a resume and not a long essay. Side by side with Central outlay, the State outlay should also be indicated. Such a format may be evolved for the next meeting.

From the data revealed by Member, Planning Commission, he observed one. could get the idea of priorities given to different programmes. Such an allocation table for State Sector may also be made for the next meeting. He suggested that care must be taken to ascertain whether in our system of education, learning process is taking place or not. If not, it must be developed. Employment of those who come out of the educational institutions is also very important.

Prof. Rais Ahmed observed that the objective of the NPE is to bring change in the quality of education. This would change drastically our outlook on education. Discussions/seminars in this regard must continue. It is possible that the community still might not be able to grasp the element of our NPE. One should not therefore presume that everyone has understood what has been conveyed in NPE. Implementation is crucial but it is a very difficult process. Education Policy has to be pursued over a number of years. We may otherwise falter once again. The change has to be brought in the quality of education. It would be the change of relationship between students and teachers, between students and community and between institutions. What has so far

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been conveyed is that the essence may remain the same, though statistics show improvement. He observed that CABE has to monitor the impact of charge in policy on social life.

CABE should set up a cell which would obtain reports from states and submit achievements to the Apex Body.

Intervening HRM observed that most of the programmes are being started in 1987-88, which need some time for implementation.It is the progress report which will indicate whether they have rightly understood the meaning at NPE.

Shri B. Somasekhar, Minister fox Education of Karnataka stated that in his State -

i) 80% of school-going children of 6-10 age-group are in school and 20% are yet to be covered. THe drop-out rate for 6-10 age group is 42% and that for 11-14 age group is 73%. The State intends to start a course "Learn with Hands". The incentives like supply of uniforms and Mid-day Meals are also being given to bring them to school.