APPENDIX A (i) : REPORT ON THE PROGRESS OF EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLANS IMPLEMENTED BY THE GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
Government of India Merit Scholarships in Public. Schools In order to make available the benefits of a Public School education to poor but meritorious students who would otherwise have been unable to secure them, the Government of India instituted in 1953 a scheme of scholarships tenable at schools which are members of the Indian Public Schools Conference. The awards, that are made on an all-India basis are open to all children in the age group 5 + to 11 +, with a 17 1/2 per cent reservation for children belonging to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes. The scholarship once awarded shall be continued, subject to satisfactory progress until the scholars complete their school leaving examination courses. The value of each scholarship shall depend upon the income of parents/guardian, and in suitable cases will also cover the clothing expenses and pocket money of the scholar.
2. For the academic year 1953-54, 57 candidates were selected out of over 1,000 applicants ; of the selected candidates, 11 are from Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes. All except three have availed themselves of the scholarships awarded and joined the schools to which they were nominated. A sum of Rs. 32,355/- was spent on these scholarships during 1953-54.
3. As a result of an informal conference convened by this Ministry in March, 1954, and attended by the Directors of Public Instruction of various States, the Headmasters of the various Public Schools and the Officers of the Psychological Research Wing of the Defence Ministry to review the working of the scheme, it was decided to liberalise the scheme in some details, e.g., by the provision of a clothing allowance for children of parents whose income is less than Rs. 250/-, and the provision of travelling allowance to cover the cost of the child's journey to and from the school. Selection for the current year's awards, that will be made under the liberalised scheme, as well as for the scholarships which, at the suggestion of this ministry, some Public Schools (given below) had instituted more or less on the same lines
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as the Government of India scholarships and for which they requested this Ministry to make selections, is now under way. The names of the selected candidates were announced by the end of December, 1954.
Name of School. No. of Scholarships
Instituted.
1. Lawrence School, Sanawar 16
2. Lawrence School, Lovedale 6
3. M. G. D. Girls' Public School, Jaipur 2
4. Daly College, Indore 1
5. Rajkumar College, Rajkot 1
6. Mayo College, Ajmer 16 (4 half-
freeships and 12
quarter-freeships).
4. A budget provision of Rs. 2 lakhs exists for this scheme for 1954-55 and a provision of Rs. 3,25,000 has been made in the budget estimates for the year 1955-56. This will progressively increase each year by about Rs. 1.0 lakh until in the 10th year of the operation of the scheme the expenditure is expected to be Rs. 10.0 lakhs.
Research Scholarship in Humanities The University Education Commission in their report drew the attention of the Government of India to the marked trend to shift from the Arts to Natural Sciences, particularly among the better class of students and the dangers to the community of an unbalanced development of material knowledge, power and energy, with a more or less complete absence of wide-spread influence of the humanities, especially in a period of crisis and conflict. In order to remedy these defects and to secure an uninterrupted supply of young workers, infused with the right attitude and bias for study in the Humanities, the Government of India instituted in 1953 this scheme for the award of Research Scholarships.
2. The scheme envisages the award of not more than 100 scholarships annually during 1953 and 1954, each of the value of Rs. 200/- per mensem, to First Class M.A.'s, (or persons holding an equivalent degree) for doing higher research in any branch of the Humanities at a university or an approved research centre. The scholarships are normally tenable for a period of two years
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but may in exceptional cases be extended to three years. The selections are made on the recommendations of an ad hoc Selection Committee appointed by the Government of India.
3. The scheme was approved by the Government in August, 1953, and applications for the first batch of scholarships under the scheme were invited in September, 1953. Out of about 500 Applicants, 27 candidates were finally awarded scholarships with effect from January, 1954. As the scheme was approved late in the year and as only 27 candidates were found suitable for scholarships as against 100 provided for, a sum of Rs. 9,992/- only was spent during 1953-54.
4. A provision of Rs. 5 lakhs exists in the current year's budget of the Government of India for expenditure on this Scheme and a sum of Rs. 3,60,000/- has been provided for in the next financial year.
5. For the second batch of awards under the scheme, 192 applications were received and, as recommended by the Selection Committee setup by the Government under the chairmanship of Sardar K. M. Panikkar, scholarships have been offered to 51 candidates.
6. The scheme has been sanctioned as an experimental measure for three years and provides for the selection of two batches of scholars. A special Committee will be set up by this Ministry in 1955 and on the basis of their recommendations it will be decided whether the scheme should be continued and, if so, with what modifications.
Scholarships to Young Workers in Different Cultural Fields 1. For the first awards under the scheme about 2,000 applications were, received in October, 1953. The Selection Committee set up by the Government for the purpose under the Chairmanship of Mr. Justice P.V. Rajamannar, Chairman, Sangeet Natak Akadami, recommended 49 candidates for scholarships. The names of the selected applicants were announced on 9-11-54 and formal letters offering scholarships were issued.
2. A provision of Rs. 3 lakhs exists in the current year's budget of the Government of India for expenditure on the scheme. A sum of Rs. 3,50,000 has been provided for in the next financial year.
3. A special committee will be set up by this Ministry sometime in 1955 to review the progress of the scheme and assess re-
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sults. On the basis of the committee's recommendations, the question whether the scheme should be continued and if so, with modifications, will be decided.
Development of Cultural Activities During the year 1954-55, a sum of Rs. 10,00,000/- has been provided for the development of cultural activities. It has been the firm belief of the Government that through the medium of cultural relations with foreign countries much can be achieved in the way of promotion of mutual understanding and goodwill between India and foreign countries. With this aim in view, the Government have undertaken a number of activities. The more important of these are :-
1. Sending of delegates to International Congresses and Conferences or assisting individuals to go and attend such conferences.
2. Sending of cultural lecturers abroad : Dr. A. S. Altekar, Head of the Department of Indian History and Ancient Culture, Patna University was deputed on a lecture tour of the British West Indies, British Guiana and Jamaica.
3. Grants to educational and cultural institutions abroad.
4. An Indian Artists' Delegation was sent to the U. S. S. R. on an invitation from that Government.
5. A student-cum-teachers' delegation from an Indian university was helped in going to the U. S. S. R.
6. A cultural delegation of Artists from the Republic of China has been invited to tour India.
7. Assistance was also given to enable parties of Indian dancers to visit foreign countries.
8. Hockey and football teams were sent to Afghanistan to participate in the Afghan Jashan Day Celebrations. Sports teams from other countries are also being helped financially in order to play against Indian teams in various cities in India.
9. To spread knowledge about India, books on Indian history culture, religion, art, literature, philosophy and other subjects were presented to foreign institutions, libraries, schools and other dignitories.
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Proposals for the promotion of education in places where a large percentage of Indians is settled and the encouragement of the study of Hindi in those places are also under consideration of the Government. The Government also intend to send cultural lecturers to these places and also present sets of selected books on Indian history, culture, art, language, literature, etc., to a number of important libraries in foreign countries.
Financial Assistance to Eminent Writers and Artists in Indigent
Circumstances In order to encourage the development of literature and art in the country, the Government of India have decided to provide funds each year from which a suitable allowance and/or a lump sum grant can be made to persons, distinguished, in letters, art and such other walks of life, who may be in indigent circumstances.
The scheme is meant for the benefit of only those persons who have made substantial contribution to the field of literature, art or such other fields and who are really in indigent circumstances.
A budget provision of Rs. 1,00,000 was made each year during 1952-53 and 1953-54. During the current financial year there exists a budget provision of Rs. 1,50,000/-.
So far financial assistance has been given to about 80 persons.
Academy of Dance, Drama and Music, Academy of Letters and Academy
of Arts In 1944, the Government of India accepted, in principle, a proposal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Bengal (as it was then called) that a National Cultural Trust should be set up to encourage cultural activities in all fields. The Trust was to include three Academies-one in Letters, one in the Visual Arts and one for Dance, Drama and Music. After the National Government was established in 1947, three Conferences were convened to work out in detail the implications of this proposal. The Conference agreed about the need for the Academies but felt that, since a National Government had now been established, it was not necessary to set up a National Trust. Steps could, however, be taken to set up the Academies as autonomous bodies and provide them with the funds necessary for their work. The Government of India accepted this recommendation.
Academy of Dance Drama, and Music was accordingly set up in 1953 under the name "Sangeet Natak Akadami". Similarly the Academy of Letters was set up under the title `Sahitya Akadami'
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in March this year. The Academy of Arts under the name `Lalit Kala Akadami' was set up in August last and with its establishment the programme for the establishment of the National Cultural Trust is now complete.
Academy of Hindustani Music Nothing tangible has been done in setting up the Academy of Hindustani Music. The Government of India is still in negotiation with the Government of Uttar Pradesh and other State Governments regarding this matter.
Academy of Karnatak Music The matter has been closed as the question of setting up the Academy has not found favour with the Government of Madras.
Acquisition of Art Objects In 1953-54 a sum of Rs. 51,000/- approximately was spent for the purchase of art objects and a sum of Rs. 1,28,500/- was contributed to the National Art Treasures Fund. A provision of Rs. 5 lakhs exists in the current year's budget for the purchase of contemporary and old art objects and for contribution to the National Art Treasures Fund.
National Gallery of Modern Art In order to preserve the work of contemporary art of the country, the Government of India have set up a National Gallery of Modern Art in Jaipur House, New Delhi. It was formally opened on the 29th March, 1954, by Dr. S. Radhakrishnan, the Vice-President of the Indian Republic.
Indian Council for Cultural Relations There is a provision of Rs. 2.5 lakhs in the current year's budget for the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (T. C. C. R.) out of which a grant of Rs. 2 lakhs has already been paid to the Council. There has been steady progress in the activities of the Council during the year and special mention may be made of the following:
(1) The Students' Service Unit of the Council organised a very successful educational-cum-recreational Summer camp for foreign students in Kodaikanal. The camp was attended by students coming from 16 different countries abroad who are now studying in India.
(2) Mr. E. M. Mtopuka, a well-known journalist from Central Africa, has been invited to India by the Council on a six-month scholarship to study journalism.
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(3) Dr. Suniti Kumar Chatterjee, Chairman, West Bengal Legislative Council and a well-known anthropologist and philologists has recently undertaken a successful cultural tour of West Africa (Gold Coast, Nigeria and Liberia) under the auspices of the Council.
(4) Two cultural lecturers, Sarvashree S. D. Dixit and Mahatam Singh, have been sent to Trinidad, British West Indies, for teaching Hindi to the Indian community there.
(5) The Council has sanctioned a grant of Rs. 25,000/- to the Ramakrishna Mission Society, Rangoon, for its cultural activities.
Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, Minister for Education, has been re- nominated as the President of the I. C. C. R., by the Government of India for a period of three years.
Direct Grants to Public Schools The Government of India decided in 1953, in accordance with the recommendation of the Secondary Education Commission's report (p 51) that "State or Central Assistance should be given to them (public schools) on a gradually diminishing scale, till at the end of that period (five years) they will either become self-supporting or will close down, if adequate public support is not forthcoming. But the State or the Centre may provide for certain free studentships for public schools to be given on the basis of selection".
The Government of India have therefore decided (1) to institute a scheme of merit scholarships in these schools and (2) to make certain ad-hoc grants to public schools, where there is enough justification or there, is a commitment on the part of the Government.
With regard to (1) above, information is given separately. Regarding (2), in 1953-54, the Mayo College, Ajmer and the M. G. D. Girls Public School, Jaipur, were given ad-hoc grant-in-aid to the extent of Rs. 50,000 and Rs. 22,000 respectively.
During the current year, a budget provision of Rs. 3,00,000 exists for the purpose. An ad-hoc grant of Rs. 25,000 has been given to the Doon School, Dehra Dun so far. The grants to the public schools are not given as a matter of course and in no case to schools which are able to meet their expenses. A detailed scrutiny of the audited accounts of the schools is made and no grant is paid if Government are not convinced that there is enough justification for the grant. Moreover a grant is given usually on `half the deficit' basis on the understanding that the school will raise the necessary amount to cover the balance of the deficit and also that it will take steps to wipe out its recurring deficit within a few years.
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