APPENDIX K : INTRODUCTION OF STANDARD VERSIONS OF THE FIVE-YEAR PLANS FOR STUDY IN SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES.
In a minute dated 9th September 1952 the Prime Minister suggested, that "some very small and simple pamphlets about the Five- Year Plan might be written for our schools." The Ad Hoc Policy Committee of the State Directors of Information held in September, 1953, recommended that "the State Governments should include a part of the Plan as part of the curriculum in Middle and High Schools and Universities up to the Intermediate stage and for this purpose suitable text books should be produced in the regional languages."
2. With the finalisation of the schemes under the First Plan the Publications Division of the Ministry of Information and Broad- casting brought out a few pamphlets written in popular style which were capable of adoption as school text books. In a letter dated 18.554, the Planning Commission wrote to the Chief Secretaries of all State Governments specially recommending "India has a Plan" as suitable for students of the 9th and 10th standards and "Our Plan" as a suitable popular brochure for adults. Most of the State Governments were agreeable to the suggestion and language versions of the books were brought out. While some of the States recommended them for libraries and as supplementary reading material, the following State Governments prescribed "India has a Plan" as a text book.
English-for Secondary Schools
(i) Madhya Bharat Hindi-for Middle Schools
English for High Schools
(ii) Madhya Bharat Hindi, Marathi, and Urdu-for the
seventh standard
(iii) Mysore English-for middle schools
3. By the time the question of bringing uniformity in regard to the books on the First Plan for use in schools and colleges was examined in the Planning Commission, the discussions of the Second Plan commenced and it was considered desirable to take suitable action in regard to it. At a meeting held on 1.6.1956 with the Planning Commission the question of preparation of a text book based on the Second Five-Year Plan was discussed and it was agreed that the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting would do the work in consultation, if necessary, with a few well-known Educationists and wanted their assistance in getting this text book prescribed in as many States as possible. At subsequent discussions with
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the Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission the need to ensure proper coordination with the Education Departments of the States in this matter was stressed and he agreed to write to the Chief Ministers of all States about the preparation of school books on the Second Plan and to discuss with two or three Vice-Chancellors the same question of books on Planning as applicable to University students either as textbooks or as reading material.
4. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting is accordingly bringing out a textbook on the Second-Five Year Plan. Written in simple and interesting language and avoiding as far as possible detailed facts and figures, the 60-page manuscripts has already been approved by the Planning Commission and the Central Institute of Education.
The book covers all aspects of the Plan under the following chapter headings :
Chapter I Why we Plan
II Our Plans
III The Good Earth
IV Fair Deal for the Farmer
V The Silent Revolution
VI Rivers in Harness
VII Building our Industries
VIII Riches in the Ground
IX Colliers for the Nation
X Soul of the Plan
XI Jobs for the Workless
XII The Role of the People
The book will be profusely illustrated with line drawings and wood-cut blocks bringing out the salient facts that have been presented.
5. It is intended to publish this book in all regional languages. To make the rising generation Plan-conscious and to introduce unifor- mity in this respect it is desirable for the Central Advisory Board of Education to issue a directive to all States on this point.
6. There are a few other points which arise for examination in this context by the State Education Ministers and Directors. They are (i) whether the textbooks should be written separately for different classes from the 6th to 11th and (ii) whether the Five Year Plan should form a separate subject of study or be prescribed as a part of other subjects.
7. As the first year of the Second-Five Year Plan is coming to an end and as the next academic year will commence in a few months, the question has assumed greater urgency. The Universities which are autonomous have not done much by way of taking active steps for promoting the planning ideology which are expected of them because of their special position in the academic world, except for the formation of "Planning Forums" in certain cases at the suggestion of the Deputy Minister, Planning. The question of preparing suitable texts for use in colleges for detailed or non-detailed study may, with advantage, be examined by the Central Advisory Board of Education. In this matter effective liaison has to be maintained between the States, the Ministries of Education and Information and Broadcasting, the Planning Commission and the Economic Affairs Department of the Ministry of Finance.
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8. A question which arises as a corollary is the authority who should print and publish the textbooks. The National Book Trust is the obvious choice as all-India action is required in the interests of uniformity. A master copy might be prepared in English which could be translated into the Indian languages with chapters of local interest added to each language version. As the Publications Division of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting are the publishers of the National Book Trust, this work would be undertaken by that organisa- tion.