Details of the work of the Vidyapeeth have been published in the pamphlet "Shri Mouni Vidyapeeth: An Experiment in Rural Education", published by Prince Sivaji Education Society, Kolhapur.

Mr. Londhe gave details concerning the educational work carried on by Shri Shivaji Lok Vidyapeeth of Amraoti, e.g.

(1) The Prathma, Madhyama and Uttama examinations conducted by the Vidyapeeth.

(2) The Janata College where four-month refresher courses for farmers or farmers' sons as well as regular courses for two years for adults between 18-35 who had passed the 7th Standard are conducted.

(3) Regular one-year diploma courses and three- year degree courses for Matriculate boys.

(4) The Gandhi Gram Udyogya Mandir for landless people to train them in cottage industries.

(5) The Cotton Research Institute.

The details of these courses have been published in the pamphlet "Shri Shivaji Lok Vidyapeeth, Amravati and other papers of the Shri Shivaji Education Society, Amravati". Shri Londhe stated that the work of Amravati Janata College was meant to be the beginning of an experiment in Higher rural education. The Chairman then asked Shri Madiah Gowda to give an account of the work done by the Vidyapeeth in Mysore.

Mr. Gowda said that it was the intention of the Mysore State Adult Education Council to have one Vidyapeeth in each district of Mysore, but so far they have been able to start only two Vidyapeeths and the third was about to be started. The details of courses etc. are given in the various published reports of the Mysore State Adult Education Council.

Mr. Mathur remarked that the work of the Vidyapeeth in Mysore would properly fall under Social education work.

After that Dr. Sen described the work of two institutions-Shanti- niketan and Shiksha Niketan, in West Bengal. The situation in West Bengal, he said, was peculiar in as much as the urban boys were returning to villages owing to the fact that a rise in the prices of agricultural produce had made agriculture an attractive profession.

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Still, the boys wanted to continue their education and hence some type of Continuation education would suit them. These two insti- tutions were trying to cater to this need. The details of the work done by them are given in the various published or unpublished papers put out by them.

Dr. Kini gave an account of work at Sardar Shahar, started in September, 1950. The following types of work was being done there:

(a) First Five Basic Classes having an enrolment of 60 students.

(b) An Adult Education Night School reaching literacy to 55 out of the 200 labourers in Sardar- Shahar.

(c) An all day Adult Class where six out of seven hours daily were devoted to manual work and the adults' were paid at the rate of six annas per day in lieu of this work.

(d) Rural Middle School for students who had passed their 5th or 6th class.

(e) Regular Rural High School.

Besides, there was a plan for Rural Higher education. Details, of this are given in 'Rural Universities for India' by Dr. K. N. Kini.

Here again it was observed that no work at the collegiate stage was being done.

Smt. Asha Devi gave an account of the Higher education work at Sevagram. The details of the syllabus as prepared by the Hindustani Talimi Sangh are included in an appendix. It was pointed out that the Rural University at Sevagram did not want affiliation to any Central Organization.

Finally Mr. Mathur gave an account of the work at Turki, the details of which are given in the paper entitled "University Wing of the Sarvodya College, Turki", prepared by the Government of Bihar.

After hearing the various accounts, it was agreed that experi- ments described by the members were useful in their way and worthy of encouragement, though it was obvious that most of them were not really providing Higher or post-Basic education.

Mr. Mathur expressed the view that the Committee should concern, itself, only, with institutions providing rural education at the collegiate or university stage.

Mr. Saiyidain stated that in the development of Higher education for rural areas it was necessary to encourage different types and patterns to suit the needs of different regions and different classes of persons.

The Committee was of the opinion that at this stage of the deve- lopment of educational facilities in rural areas, it was desirable to effect a synthesis between these two views. Accordingly, they decided to recommend to the Central Advisory Board of Education that when the Council on Higher Education was established, it should

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encourage and coordinate the work being done in the following types of institutions in addition to preparing a scheme for the Central Rural University as recommended earlier :

A. Rural colleges or universities imparting education of the post-Secondary school standard and/or conducting research. These colleges and institutes would include colleges and institutes of the following types:

(a) Training colleges preparing teachers in Basic education.

(b) Colleges imparting general education of the University standard in the rural environment emphasising productive and practical activities, rural service, community life, contact with villagers and special study of subjects bearing on the life and problems of rural areas.

(c) Colleges imparting education of the University standard in subjects relating to new or undeveloped professions which are becoming or are likely to become important as a result of the Five-Year Plan, e.g., Rural Engineering, Rural Transport, Rural Industries, Food Technology and Nutrition etc.

(d) Rural centres of post-Graduate studies and research in specific problems relating to rural life in India.

The main characteristics of the work at these colleges and institutions would be as follows:

(i) The process of education in these institutions should embrace the simultaneous reconstruction of the life of the common people in the neighbouring villages. The institution should become a dynamic part of the community in the midst of which it is located and which it should help to rebuild.

(ii) The effectiveness of such an institution for the community depends upon the extent to which various nation building departments of the administration utilise it as an agency for their programme in the locality.

(iii) An institution for rural education should attempt to meet a portion of the cost through the productive activity of all its members. It may not aim at complete self-sufficiency but it should certainly endeavour to raise a portion of its income by means of such productive activities.

B. Part-time Continuation education of the post-schools standard provided through existing institutions or institutions set up specially for the purpose. This will cater to the needs of persons who are doing full-time work and would take the form of courses of varying duration, e.g. week-end courses, weekly and fortnightly courses, term courses in slack agricultural season etc. Both cultural as well as vocational subjects would be covered in these courses. Correspondence courses of the requisite standard may also be considered for inclusion in this category.

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C. Institutions of the type of the Folk Schools in Denmark or Village Schools in England, which function as centres of cultural, recreational and vocational activities designed to raise the standard of life and culture of the rural population, not leading up to any degree or diploma.