ITEM No. 14 OF THE AGENDA
The Question of Placing the State Governments? Share of Assistance on the Development Schemes Formulated by the U.G.C, at the Disposal of the Commission (Memorandum at Appendix K)
After considerable discussion, the Committee does not find itself in a position to make any recommendation on the proposal.
SOCIAL EDUCATION COMMITTEE The report of the Ministry of Education on the important recommendations of the Central Advisory Board of Education during the first two Plan periods, viz. 1951-60, was noted.
ITEM No. 4 OF THE AGENDA
Central and Centrally Sponsored Schemes of the Ministry of Education (Memorandum at Appendix A)
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SOCIAL EDUCATION AND LIBRARIES The Committee considered the various Central and Centrally spon- sored schemes for social education and library service in the Third Five Year Plan and generally noted them. The Committee makes the following specific recommendations in this connection:
(a) CONCEPT AND COORDINATION OF SOCIAL EDUCATION Having considered the reports of the State Governments on social education, the Committee notes that some State Governments had not put into effect the recommendations of the 26th Meeting of the Central Advisory Board of Education that the entire planning and coordination of social education work should be the responsibility of the State Education Department. In some States, the social education organisers are still continuing in the Development Departments and have not been placed under Education Departments. This has resulted in a sort of diarchy and has retarded the progress of social education programme. It has also noticed that because of this dual control, the district social education organisers are not able to function effectively. This Committee is of the opinion that social education organisers should be immediately brought under Education Departments of State Governments and that planning of social education programmes and control of the personnel should vest in the State Departments of Education. The Committee is further of the view that such State Governments as have not yet appointed district social education organisers for each district should take immediate steps to recruit the personnel. It is also desirable to have the social education and library programmes of the whole State under a separate officer of a fairly senior status, working directly under the Director of Education.
(b) INADEQUATE PROVISION OF FUNDS The Committee notes with concern the inadequate provision made for social education in the Third Five-Year Plan. The Committee is convinced that the amount of money which will be spent on primary education as also on other development schemes will be largely infructuous unless adequate provision is made for social education. The Committee, therefore, recommends that the Planning Commission should reconsider the matter and provide more funds for social education in the Third Five Year Plan, in order that the urgent need for social education in the country is properly met.
(c) PROPER UTILISATION OF FUNDS FOR SOCIAL EDUCATION With regard to the existing limited funds, the Committee strongly urges that in view of the increasing population of adult illiterates.
(i) greater attention should be given to the spread of literacy among adults and provision of library and reading room services, as a follow-up measure for maintaining literacy, and
(ii) the funds provided in the block budget and under other heads for social education should be exclusively used for social education and not diverted for other purposes.
(d) TRAINING OF SOCIAL EDUCATION ORGANISERS With regard to the recommendation of the 26th meeting of the Board, in connection with the social education organisers' training centres, the Committee feels that an early decision should be taken in the interest of the satisfactory promotion of social education in the field.
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(c) REPORT OF THE LIBRARY COMMITTEE. The Committee considered the report of the Library Committee and while generally endorsing the suggestions made therein, recommends the following specific measures:
(i) In order to find adequate funds for library services, the State Governments may examine the possibilities of imposing a special library cess similar to what has been successfully done in Madras and Andhra Pradesh.
(ii) Central and State Governments may enact legislation for organisation and maintenance of public libraries on the lines recommended by the Library Committee.
(iii) In the light of the 25-year library plan, proposed by the Library Committee, the State Governments may consider the preparation of a suitable long-term plan for the development of library service in the States.
(iv) Progressive measures should be taken to realise the objective, to have free libraries.
(f) ADULTSCHOOLS. The Committee feels that it is necessary to provide educational facilities for adults up to the secondary stage. It, therefore, recommends that institutions which conduct evening or night classes for adults should be supported by State Governments and all educational institutions should be, encouraged to take up this type of work.
(g) ASSISTANCE TO VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS The Committee recommends that as large a provision as possible should be made both in the Central and State sectors for assistance to voluntary organisations in the field of social education. The Committee further feels that procedural difficulties should be minimised and complicated financial rules should be simplified as far as possible in order to avoid delays in the sanction of such assistance to voluntary organisations.
(h) ASSOCIATION OF VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS The Committee considers it necessary that representatives of voluntary organisations in the field of social education should be actively associated in the promotion of social education programmes at all levels.
(i) ALL-INDIA COUNCIL OF SOCIAL EDUCATION The Committee recommends that the Ministry of Education should set up an All-India Council of Social Education.
EDUCATION OF THE HANDICAPPED The Committee considered the various Central and Centrally sponsored schemes for the education, etc. of the handicapped and generally noted them. The Committee makes the following specific recommendations in this connection:
(a) EDUCATION AND WELFARE ACTIVITIES AT THE STATE LEVEL The Committee strongly urges that all welfare activities relating to the welfare of women, children, handicapped, scheduled castes, scheduled tribes etc. should generally be the responsibility of one Department in each State. All educational programmes under various welfare schemes should
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be planned and executed in consultation and collaboration with the State Education Departments so that educational standards may be maintained and duplication of efforts may be avoided.
(b) FREE AND COMPULSORY EDUCATION OF HANDICAPPED CHILDREN The Committee wishes to invite the specific attention of the State Governments to the fact that Article 45 of the Constitution applies to all children including the handicapped. As such, the programme of compulsory and free primary education should also cover handicapped children, and necessary provision should be made from the total funds for primary education, for providing free and compulsory education to the handicapped children, in special schools wherever necessary.
(c) SALARIES OF TEACHERS IN SPECIAL SCHOOLS FOR THE
HANDICAPPED The Committee feels that teaching in schools for the handicapped is more arduous and calls for more specialised knowledge than teaching in ordinary schools. The Committee, therefore, recommends that, in order to attract competent persons to the teaching profession in institutions for the handicapped, the teachers in such institutions should be given at least five advance increments in the scales of pay, which should not be less than scales for teachers with similar qualifications in comparable institutions for normal children, and, in addition, should also be given a suitable special allowance.
(d) SCHOLARSHIPS FOR HANDICAPPED CHILDREN. In view of the need to promote education of handicapped children, so that they may become useful members of society, the Committee recommends that State Governments should make a liberal provision for award of scholarships to the blind, the deaf-mutt and the orthopaedically handicapped children, at least up to the secondary school stage and for vocational and technical training.
GENERAL PURPOSES COMMITTEE ITEM No. 4 OF THE AGENDA
Central and Centrally Sponsored schemes of the Ministry of
Education
PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND RECREATION, SPORTS AND YOUTH
WELFARE ACTIVITIES
36. DEVELOPMENT OF LAKSHMIBAI COLLEGE OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION,
GWALIOR. In regard to physical education and recreation, sports and youth welfare activities, the Committee is generally in agreement with the provisions and progress made in- respect of implementation of the schemes. The Committee, however, recommends that:
(i) Admission to diploma courses in physical education should be open to under-graduates also, S.L.C. being considered adequate for admission with a view (a) to avoid wastage of time and resources over graduation, and (b) to remove over-emphasis on degrees as minimum qualifications for any specialised courses.
(ii) Teachers (a) holding certificates in physical education, (b) or with five years' or more practical experience of teaching in physical education
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should be allowed to appear for diploma course as external students, the latter without undergoing actual training course.
(iii) Vacation courses for diploma and certificate in physical education split into three or four parts, should be instituted with a view to giving an opportunity to persons interested in physical education under five years' employment, to pass these courses in parts.
37. STRENGTHENING PRIVATE PHYSICAL EDUCATION TRAINING
INSTITUTION While the Committee approves the system of giving grants to private institutions of physical education, it emphasises that the new institutions started by State Governments, for similar purposes, should also be given similar grants.
38. PROMOTION OF RESEARCH IN SPECIAL BRANCHES OF PHYSICAL
EDUCATION, INCLUDING YOGA AND RECREATION As therapeutical claims are made in yogic exercises, it is desirable and necessary to enlist the,co-operation of the Health Ministry with regard to finance as it is already giving expert technical advice.
Regarding pilot projects for promotion of recreational activities, it is felt that adequate attention does not appear to have been paid to the provision of facilities for recreational activities for the non-school-going children. It is, therefore, recommended that during vacations recreational centres should be organised in schools to provide facilities to the non-school-going children up to the age of 14. These centres, should be sufficiently publicised to attract the non-school-going children, who should be encouraged to take advantage of the facilities.
39. SEMINARS ON PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND RECREATIONS 57.
STUDENTS' TOURS The Committee feels that the real educative value of such seminars and tours undertaken by children from one State to another for emotional integration purposes can be fully utilised by them only if the teachers in charge of such tours discuss and emphasise the special objects of such tours and seminars.
40. NATIONAL PHYSICAL EFFICIENCY DRIVE. The Committee after considering the paper recommends
(a) that the Central Government should continue to give Rs. 300 per centre to enable the State Governments to establish a large number of centres to provide adequate facilities for the National Physical Efficiency Drive;
(b) that special attention should be paid to encourage non-school- going youth to undergo the National Physical Efficiency Tests in larger numbers; for this purpose, it is recommended that some amount should be spent on publicising the Scheme among the non-student youth; and
(c) that steps should also be taken to popularise the Scheme among women, both school-going and non-school-going. Special facilities to train women desirous of participating in the drive should also be made available through women's clubs or girls' schools, etc.
41. IMPLEMENTATION OF SYLLABUSES OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND
HEALTH EDUCATION No comments.
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42. NATIONAL DISCIPLINE SCHEME
59. BAL BHAVAN The Committee strongly recommends that these two schemes which serve the basic needs of children and which have contributed substantially and effectively in the moulding of character of children-future hope of India-should receive very high priority in the matter of allocation of funds. If necessary, funds from some of the other schemes which are meant for youth organisations may be diverted towards the two schemes so as to enable them to accelerate their expansion programme.
SPORTS AND GAMES
43. NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF SPORTS AND NATIONAL COACHING
SCHEME In regard to the National Institute of Sports and National Coaching Scheme, it is suggested that the foreign coaches employed at the Institute may be asked to tour other parts of the country for two or three weeks during a year for the benefit of local talent. On the basis of experience of the National Institute of Sports and National Coaching Scheme, other regional institutes on similar lines may be started later.
44. GRANTS TO NATIONAL SPORT'S FEDERATIONS No comments.
45. ASSISTANCE FOR CONSTRUCTION OF STADIA AND UTILITY STADIA No comments.
46. DEVELOPMENT OF THE OLYMPIC VILLAGE IN DELHI No comments.
YOUTH WELFARE ACTIVITIES
47.LABOUR AND SOCIAL SERVICE CAMPS No comments.
48. CAMPUS WORK PROJECTS The Committee approves the progress made under the Scheme. It is, however, mentioned that a number of applications which were called from various States had not been considered for grant due to the limitations put on the allocation of grants. The result was that the enthusiasm of the institutions whose applications had been rejected was dampened. It is, therefore, recommended that State-wise approximate allocation of grants be prescribed to avoid frustration. The Government should review the system of allocation of grants from this point of view.
49. SCOUTING AND GUIDING No comments.
50. YOUTH HOSTELS
51. YOUTH WELFARE BOARDS AND COMMITTEES
52. NON-STUDENT YOUTH CLUBS AND CENTRES
53. HOLIDAY CAMPS.
54. CAMP SITES
55. YOUTH FESTIVALS No comments.
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56. YOUTH LEADERSHIP AND DRAMATIC CAMPS.