APPENDIX A(k)- REPORT ON THE WORK OF THE INDIAN NATIONAL COMMISSION
The Government of India have been a Member of Unesco since its foundation and have been implementing its policy and programme every year through various measures. Last year the Government sent a delegation to the Sixth General Conference of Unesco in Paria. The Hon'ble Maulana Abul Kalam Azad who led the delegation made a strong plea for the orientation of Unesco's programme so as to meet the requirements of under-developed areas of the world and for the preservation of world peace. The Government of India are participating in the Unesco Programme of Technical Assistance and have also undertaken important Projects like the Janata College, Delhi Public Library and Research on Social Tensions with the active assistance of Unesco.
Unesco is the only Specialised Agency of the United Nations which requires Member States to set up National Commissions or Co-operating Bodies with a view to enlisting active cooperation of voluntary organisations working in the various fields of Unesco. Accordingly, the Government of India set up an interim Indian Commission for Co- operation with Unesco in the year 1949, which was inaugurated by the Prime Minister in March 1949. The functions and composition of the Commission wore examined by a Constitution Committee, and in the light of its recommendations, a permanent Indian National Commission for Unesco has now been established by a Government Resolution (Annexure). The Commission comprises of three Sub-Commissions and the various Ministries of the Central Government, States and voluntary organisations are represented on the Commission. The functions of the Commission are :
(a) to promote the understanding of the objects and purposes of Unesee among the peoples of the Republic of India.
(b) to serve as a liaison agency between Unesco and the institutions concerned with and working for, the progress of education, science and culture, and
(c) to act in an advisory capacity to the Government of India in matters relating to Unesco.
The executive work of the Commission is conducted by an Executive Board. The Hon'ble Minister for Education is the President of the Commission ; the Educational Adviser to the Government of India is the Chairman of the Executive Board and an official nominated by the Ministry acts as Secretary of the Commission.
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The Ministry of Education provides funds for the work of the Commission and also a small secretariat for its work. During 1950-51 a sum. of Rs. 1,20,000/- was provided for the National Commission and the implementation of Unesco's programme in India. A similar provision has been made for 1952-53.
The Indian National Commission held its Second Session in March, 1951, and on this occasion Dr. Jaime-Torres Bodet, Director General, Unesco who had been invited by the Government of India, the Hon'ble Prime Minister and the Hon'ble Minister addressed the Commission. The various Sub-Commissions also held their meetings on this occasion. The Commission reviewed the draft Programme of Unesco for 1952 and made certain important recommendations in the fields of' Education, Science and Culture. It recommended, inter alia, that India should be included in the Translations Project of Unesco, that a Seminar on International Understanding with special reference to Gandhian Teachings should be held in India, and that Unesco should be requested to assist the Indian Universities and the Government of India in establishing mobile scientific exhibitions.
The Commission has set up important Committees for specific purposes such as a Co-ordinating Committee for Research on Social Tensions, the Committee for Improvement of Text books and Teaching Materials, the Advisory Committee, for Popularisation of Science. With the co-operation of Unesco and Dr. Gardner Murphy of the City College, New York, who has deputed by Unesco as a Consultant in connection with the Project for Research in Social Tensions, several Research Teams have been engaged in Research in various aspects of these Tensions. The Steering Committee of the Co-ordinating Committee met recently to implement the policy decision of the Government of India in this sphere and also examined the proposals of Unesco for giving further assistance in the Project. The Text books Committee is meeting Shortly to examine the Reports on the preliminary scrutiny of History Textbooks for High Schools and Intermediate Classes, and for- mulate principles on which revision of text books should be made, with a view to promoting better international understanding. The Advisory Committee on Popularisation of Science has made recommendation regarding the methods of popularizing science and has suggested that Government should take responsibility for doing so and set up a small operational unit for implementing this programmed in the light of special conditions in the country.
The Commission organises and co-operates with Voluntary Associations in organising symposia and seminars on important topics within the scope of Unesco. The Commission actively co-operated with the Indian Federation of United Nations Associations in organising the South-East Asia Teachers' Seminar on Teaching of U. N., in November, 1951 in New Delhi. This Seminar was attended by delegates and observers from India, Ceylon, Burma, Indonesia, Iran and Pakistan. In Cooperation with the Indian National Commission and the Ministry of Education, a Unesco symposium on the "Concept of Man and the Philosophy of Education in East and West" was held in New Delhi in December, 1951. Leading thinkers from several countries of the East and West participated in this Symposium, which was, inaugurated by the Hon'ble Minister for Education and addressed by the. Hon'ble Prime Minister at the Second Plenary Session. Dr. S. Radhakrishnan presided over the daily sessions of the Symposium. The participants, representing various cultural traditions of East and West unanimously emphasised the underlying unity between the East and West, and repudiated the idea that there was any sharp cleavage of ideas or ideology between them as such.
With the co-operation of States and Voluntary Organisations in the fields of education, science and culture, the Commission has tried, within its resources, to popularise and implement Unesco programmes in the country. Suitable publicity has been given to the programme of Unesco with special reference to what it has. done, for India. The literature which is received from Unesco, is supplied regularly
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to institutions interested in Unesco's work, and in some of the Universities and elsewhere, Unesco Clubs have been established on the advice of the Commission. The Commission has also provided literature, albums, filmstrips, etc., to the States educational and other institutions. The Declaration of Human Rights Day was observed in educational and other institutions in the country and the Commission helped the State Governments and other organisations with their suggestions and made suitable literature and albums available for the purpose.
During the period two important Conferences of National Commissions were held under the auspices of Unesco. The Secretary of Indian National Commission participated in Third Meeting of the Representatives of National Commissions were Paris last year. There was also a Regional Conference of National Commissions at Bangkok in November-December last year and two delegates nominated by the President of the Commission participated in its deliberations. This Conference reviewed the programme of Unesco in the light of the special requirements of the Region and made important recommendations in this behalf.
Annexure
MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
RESOLUTION New Delhi, the 16th October 1951
Establishment of the Indian National Commission for Co-operation with U.N.E.S.C.O.
No. F.134-27/50 -A.5.-The Government of India have been a member of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation, a Specialized Agency of the United Nations Organisation since its establishment in 1946. Article VII of the Final Act of the United Nations Conference, for the establishment of an Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation requires that "each Member State Shall make and such arrangements as suit its particular conditions for the purpose of associating its principal bodies interested in educational, scientific and cultural matters with the work of the Organisation, preferably by the formation of a National Commission broadly representative of the Government and such bodies. National Commissions or national co-operating bodies, where they exit, shall act in an advisory capacity to their respective delegations to the General Conference and to their Governments in matters relating to the Organisation and shall function as agencies of liaison in all matters of interest to it".
The Government of India have been implementing the policies and programme of UNESCO through various measures. But since the implementation of the programme of UNESCO requires active participation of the people, it has been felt that the formation of a National Commission, representative of the Government and various voluntary organisations working in the fields of education, science and culture is indispensable. Accordingly, a Committee was appointed under the chairmanship of the Hon'ble Mr. B. G. Kher, to advise with regard to the formation of an Indian National Commission for Co- operation with UNESCO. The recommendations of this Committee were approved by the Central Advisory Board of Education at its meeting held at Allahabad in January, 1949, and the Government of India accepted these recommendations with some modifications. In accordance with the above recommendations an Interim Indian National Commission for Co-operation with UNESCO was setup by the Government of India Resolution No. F. 84-92/ 48-AI, dated 26th March, 1949.
2. At the first meeting of the Interim Indian National Commission held at New Delhi on April 9-10, 1949, the President of the Commission nominated a Constitution. Committee consisting of the following members for drafting a Constitution for
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the Indian National Commission and to review the question of representation of voluntary organisations:-
1 . Hon'ble Mr. Justice R. P. Mukerjee;
2. K. G. Saiyidain;
3. Dr. Zakir Husain;
4. Dr. S. S. Bhatnagar ;
5. Hon'ble Mr. M. Ananthasayanam Ayyangar ;
6. Hon'ble Mr. K. M. Munshi;
7. Dr. Tara Chand ;
8. Dr. A. L. Mudaliar ;
9. Professor N. K. Sidhanta ;
10. Mrs. Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay ;
11. Dr. B. C. Guha ;
12. Mr. R. P. Masani ;and
13. Nawab Ali Yawar Jang.
3. The Functions and Constitution of the Indian National Commission as recommended by the Constitution Committee and approved by the Executive Board at its meetings on July, 23rd, 1949 and 30th November, 1950 and as accepted by the Ministry of Education Government if India are as follows :-
Functions.-The functions of the Indian National Commission will be :
(a) To promote the understanding of the objects and purpose of Unesco among the people of the Republic of India.
(b) To serve as a liaison agency between Unesco and the institutions concerned with and working for, the progress of education, science and culture ; and
(c) To act in an advisory capacity to the Government of India in matters relating to Unesco.
Constitution-(i) The Hon'ble Minister of Education will be, ex- officio President of the National Commission.
(ii) The Indian National Commission will have three Sub- Commissions one each for Education and Social Sciences, Science, and Culture and Mass Communication.
(iii) The voluntary educational, scientific and cultural organisations of an all-India character will have 61 representatives on the National Commission, which would be distributed as follows :-
Education and Social Sciences Sub-Commission 25.
Science Sub-Commission 15.
Culture and Mass Communication Sub-Commission 21.
The Culture and Mass Communication Sub-Commission will be divided into three Committees on (1) Letters, (2) Visual Arts, (3) Music, Dance and Drama, for more effective Implementation of Unesco's programme in Culture and the Sub-Commission as a whole will examine matters of common interest.
(iv) The Indian National Commission will have 15 distinguished persons, 5 on each Sub-Commission who will be nominated by the Government of India.
(v) The Indian National Commission will have 18 officials representing the Central and State Governments who will be nominated by the Government of India and assigned to different, Sub-Commissions.
(vi) Organizations which are grouped together for purposes of represention will be represented in rotation, according to the procedure laid down by the Ministry of Education.
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(vii) The lists of voluntary organisations represented on the Indian National Commission will be periodically reviewed in order to maintain the representative character of the Commission. A list of Societies which have been given representation on the Indian National Commission is at Annexure I.
(viii) The Indian National Commission will have the power to constitute-additional Sub-Commissions and Committees as and when necessary, and the Sub-Commissions will have the power to appoint Sub- Committees.
(ix) The affairs of the National Commission will be managed by an Executive Board which shall consist of 15 members. 9 members of the Executive Board will be selected by the three Sub-Commissions for Education and Social Sciences, Science, and Culture and Mass Communication (three by each) and 6 from among the other members of the Commission, will be nominated by the Government of India. The Educational Adviser to the Government of India, Ministry of Education, will be the Chairman of the Executive Board, and will preside at its meetings, but when the President of the Commission is present at a meeting of the Executive Board, he shall act as Chairman of the Board.
(x) The Indian National Commission will be attached to the Ministry of Education and the Secretary of the Commission will be an official of the Ministry of Education. nominated by the Hon'ble Minister of Education. It will be the function of the Secretary to prepare the agenda for its meetings and attend to all work relating to the Commission.
(This Resolution is in supersession of the Ministry of Education Resolution No. F. 84-92/48-AI, dated the 26th March 1949, establishing the Interim Indian National Commission for Co-operation with U.N.E.S.C.O.)
ANNEXURE I
LIST OF SOCIETIES WHICH HAVE BEEN GIVEN REPRESENTATION ON THE INDIAN
NATIONAL COMMISSION FOR CO-OPERATION WITH UNESCO.
No. of
Represen-
tatives
Education and Social Science Sub-Commission.
The Central Advisory Board of Education 6
The Inter-University Board of India 2
The Hindustani Talimi Sangh 1
All India Federation of Educational Associations 1
Jamia Millia Islmia 1
Visva-Bharati 1
Indian Adult Education Association
Bombay Presidency Adult Education Association 1
The All India Political Science Association 1
Indian History Congress
Indian Historical Records Commission 1
Indian Philosophical Congress 1
All India economic Conference 1
Oriental Conference 1
Islamic Research Association 1
Royal Asiatic Society, Bengal 1
Royal Asiatic Society, Bombay
Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute
Cama Oriental Institute 2
Gujrat Research Society
Anthropological Survey of India 1
Bombay Anthropological Society
Indian Council of World Affairs 1
Indian Federation of United Nations Associations 1
Total 25
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II. Science Sub-Commission.
No. of Representatives
National Institute of Sciences of
India, Delhi 5
Indian Science Congress Association 4
All India Council for Technical
Education 2
The National Academy of Sciences, India 1
The Indian Academy of Sciences, Bangalore 1
Indian Association for the Cultivation of
Science, Calcutta 1
Association of Scientific Workers of
India, Delhi 1
Total 15
III. Culture and Mass Communication Sub-Commissions Arts.
All India Association of Fine Art
including All India Fine Arts and Crafts Society,
Delhi and other Societies 2
The Indian Institute of Architects 1
Museum, Archaeology and Library
Indian Museum, Calcutta
1
Central Advisory Board of Archaeology
Indian Library Association 1
Music, Dance, Drama and Theatre
Kalakshetra, Madras 1
Music Academy, Allahabad
Tamil Isai Sangam, Madras
3
Academy of Hindustani Music, Lucknow
Academy of Karnataka Music, Madras
(Pending the formation of Academy of Hindustani Music, Lucknow.
and Academy of Karnataka Madras, Bhatkhande Sangeet Vidyapeth, Lucknow
and Central College of Karnataka Music, Madras will replace them
respectively.)
Indian National Theatre
1
Congress Sahitya Sangham, Calcutta
(Representation to the Congress Sahitya Sangham is to be given
after making fuller inquiries about the activities of this
Society).
Letters and Humanities
Hindustani Culture Society, Allahabad 1
Twelve Linguistic Parishads represented as follows:-
Hindi 1
Gujrati, Marathi, Kannada. 1
Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam 1
Assamese, Oriya, Bengali 1
Urudu and Punjabi 1
Ramakrishna Mission, Poona
Bharatya Vidya Bhawan, Bombay 1
Indian Institute for Educational and
Cultural Co-operation, Bombay.
Indian Institute of Culture, Bangalore 1
Mass Communication
Indian Newspapers Editors' Conference 1
All India Radio 1
Film Societies 1
(Motion Pictures Society, Film
Association, Bangalore, Educational
Film Producers.)
Representation will be given after making
fuller enquiries.
Total 21
TARA CHAND.
Secretary