APPENDIX C-- REPORT OF THE SECONDARY EDUCATION COMMISSION
On the recommendation of the Central Advisory Board of Education made at its 14th meeting held in January, 1948, and reiterated in January, 1951, the Government of India appointed a Commission in September, 1952, to examine the prevailing system of Secondary education in the country and suggest measures for its reorganization and improvement. The Secondary Education Commission has now presented its, report, copies of which have been circulated to the Members of the Central Advisory Board of Education for their consideration.
Some of the important recommendations are:
(1) The Secondary stage of education should cover seven years in all including (a) the Middle or the Senior Basic or the Junior Secondary stage of three years, and (b) the Higher Secondary stage of four years.
(2) Multilateral or multi-purpose schools should be established wherever possible to provide varied types of courses for students with diverse aims, interests and abilities.
(3) In addition to the introduction of diversified courses of sutdy selected by students, a certain number of core subjects should be studied by all.
(4) All States should provide much greater opportunities for agricultural education in rural schools and such courses should include horticulture, animal husbandry and cottage industry.
(5) Technical schools should be started in large numbers either separately or as apart of multi-purpose schools and should be located in close proximity to appropriate industries with which they' should work in close cooperation.
(6) A small cess to be called "Industrial Education Cess" should be levied on industries and the proceeds should be based for the furtherance of Technical education.
(7) The mother-tongue or the regional language should generally be the medium of instruction throughout the Secondary stage, subject to the provision already made for linguistic minorities.
(8) The study of English should be given its proper place in Secondary schools and facilities should be made available at the Middle school stage for its study on an optional basis. Special arrangements should be made in the Secondary schools to provide for an advanced course in English, for those who wish to go to higher education.
(9) Every pupil of the Secondary stage should be given an oppor- tunity of acquiring a basic knowledge of Hindi.
(10) Provision should be made for the optional study of classical languages at the High school or Higher Secondary school stage.
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(11) In introducing both Hindi and English, care should be taken that they are not introduced at the same time but at an interval of one year.
(12) A high-powered Textbook Committee, consisting of a Judge of the High Court, a Member of the Public Service Commission, a Vice- Chancellor, the Director of Education, a Headmaster and two other distinguished educationists should be appointed for the selection of textbooks.
(13) Suitable legislation should be passed making it an election. offence to utilise students below the age of 17 for purposes of political propaganda or election campaign.
(14) Religious instruction may be given in schools on a voluntary basis, outside the regular school hours.
(15) A close coordination between different Departments in States and different Ministries at the Centre is extremely necessary with a view to increase efficiency and secure economy of effort. Advisory Boards of Education should be set up in each State to examine the possibilities of educational expansion and improvement.
(16) A Board to be called the "Federal Board of Vocational Edu- cation" should be constituted at the Centre consisting of the repre- sentatives of the Ministries concerned and other interests and funds for this Board should be contributed by different Ministries.
(17) Contributions for development of Secondary education, buildings and play-grounds of educational institutions and funds bequeathed to them in the will of a deceased person and equipment like scientific apparatus, workshop appliances and books for school libraries should be exempted from all taxes.
(18) The Centre should assume a certain amount of direct res- ponsibility for the contemplated reorganization of Secondary education and give financial aid for the purpose.
The Board is invited to express its views on these and other recommendations made by the Commission for the reorganization of Secondary education and suggest practicable measures for their early implementation.