APPENDIX H ORGANISATION OF SPECIAL COURSES FOR ENABLING TEACHERS IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS TO ACQUIRE A MASTER'S DEGREE
In the reorganised pattern of Secondary education the aim has been to raise the standard of attainment of all the pupils leaving the Secondary school it has also been emphasised that in securing this aim due attention should be paid,to the special aptitudes of the pupils by the provision of diversified courses. The diversified courses have to be regarded primarily as media of more broad-based development than courses designed to provide specific vocational training for specific jobs, though one of the objects undoubtedly is to develop vocational competence and skills likely to be useful later. Accordingly, the emphasis in these schools is on General Education through the core subjects like Languages, General Science including Mathematics, and Social Studies. The Secondary Education Commission has recommended that, in order that the standard at the terminal stage of Secondary education may be appreciably raised to as near the present Intermediate standard as possible, efforts should be made to recruit to these schools persons possessing a first or second class Master's degree or at least a first class Bachelor's degree in Arts or Science in the subjects concerned.
There are about 12,000 Secondary schools in India, and most of the teachers in these institutions possess only a Bachelor's degree. It may not be possible in any near future to find M.A.'s for all the new posts in the reorganised schools, nor will it ever be practicable to replace all the existing teachers having Bachelor's degree by teachers with Master's degree. We have, therefore, to examine other solutions to meet the problem of improving the qualifications of teachers in our Secondary schools. The experience of certain universities and State Governments in this regard may be worth considering.
Certain universities have provided special facilities for teachers with three to five year's experience to appear privately for a Master's degree in the subject which do not require practical laboratory training. It may be mentioned that only a comparatively small number of teachers are taking advantage of these facilities. Certain States like Andhra and Assam have organised special courses, particularly in Science, where teachers from Secondary schools are deputed for a year's course at the higher degree level, and then on the basis of an examination at the end of the course, are awarded degrees comparable to a degree of Master of Science, qualifying them to teach in Higher Secondary schools. These solutions which have in some parts been tried may have to be considered for application by other States and universities. By taking recourse to such measures it will be possible for many graduate teachers to qualify themselves for a Master's degree and thus help in improving the standards of work in our Secondary schools.
The Board may consider the following:-
1. The facilities for graduate teachers employed in Secondary schools to appear privately for a Master's degree be extended and that efforts be made to encourage them for the purpose.
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2. A special condensed course of one year's duration may be organised at suitable University centres, particularly in the Sciences, to which selected teachers working in Secondary schools could be, deputed for a period of one year, at the end of which on the basis of the results of a regular examination, the University may confer upon them the degree of Master of Science qualifying them to teach in Secondary schools. This would involve additional expenditure in the form of study leave to the teachers, salaries to the substitute teachers and cost of the instructional organisation in the college. The Central Government may consider the possibility of giving suitable assistance to State Governments for this purpose.
3. The organisation of vacation courses, both in Humanities and Sciences, of three month's duration for two or three years in succession, at the end of which the participating teachers may be allowed to take an examination at the Master's degree level. This course may not be as costly as the one outlined above inasmuch as there will be no payment to substitute teachers.
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