APPENDIX C(d)- REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON PRODUCTION OF SOCIAL EDUCATION LITERATURE.
At its meetting held at Trivandrum in January, 1951 the Central Advisory Board of Education had passed the following resolution :
"Item XI-The Beard considered the question raised in regard to the supply of text books and other suitable literature for Basic and Social Education and resolved that a Committee may be appointed by the Chairman to examine the whole question of literature on Social Education."
Accordingly, the following committee was appointed to consider the question:
(1) Shri A. R. Deshpance, D. D. P. I. (Social Education) Madhya Pradesh.
(2) Shri A. Kazmi, R P. 1. Jammu & Kashmir.
(3) Shri Madiah Gowda, President, Adult Education Council Mysore.
(4) Dr. B. B. Samant, Education Officer, Bombay Govt.
(5) A representative of Government of West Bengal (Miss Karunakana Gupta)
(6) Shri D. D. Shastri, D. D. P. I. (Social Education), Bihar.
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(7) A representative of Govt. of Orissa (Shri D. Panigrahi).
(8) A representative of Government of Madras (Shri Bullayya).
(9) Shri Hamid Ali Khan, Managing Director, Maktaba Jamia, Delhi.
(10) Shri S. R, Ranganathan, Professor of Library Science, Delhi University.
The committee, together with two co-opted members from Delhi, S. Jagdish Singh, Social Education Officer, Delhi State and Mr, M. C. Nanavaty, Director of Social. Education, Delhi Municipality met in Delhi on 7th and 8th January, 1952. The proceedings (Annexure I) of the meeting together with the memoranda (Annexure II) supplied to members for consideration are attached herewith.
ANNEXURE I
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON SOCIAL EDUCATION LITERATURE A meeting of the Committee on the production of Social Education Literature, appointed by the Government of India, in pursuance of the decision of the Central Advisory Board of Education at their 18th meeting held at Trivandrum in January, 1951, took place on Monday, the 7th & Tuesday the 8th January, 1952, at 10-30 A. M. in room No. 61, North Block (Central Secretariat) New Delhi. The following were present.--
1. Prof. Humayun Kabir, Secretary to the Government of India, Ministry of Education, New Delhi.-(Chairman) on 7-12-52.
2. Mr. K. G. Saiyidain, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Education.-(Chairman) on 8-1-52.
3. Shri L. Bullayya, Special Officer for Libraries, Government of Madras Madras.
4. Shri A. R. Deshpande, Deputy Director of Public Instruction (Social Education), Madhya Pradesh, Nagpur.
5. Miss Karunakana Gupta, Professor of History, Bethune College, Calcutta.
6. Mr. Hamid Ali Khan, Maktaba Jamia Ltd., P.O. Jamia Nagar, Delhi.
7. S. Jagdish Singh, Social Education Officer, Delhi State, Delhi.
8. Mr. M. C. Nanavaty, Social Education Officer, Delhi Municipal Committee, Delhi.
9. Shri D. Panigrahi, Adult (Social) Education Officer, Orissa Government Cuttack.
10. Dr. S. R. Ranganathan, Delhi University Library, University Buildings, Delhi.
11. Dr. B. B. Samant, Under Secretary to the Govt. of Bombay, Education Department, Bombay.
12. Dr. D. B. Shastri, Deputy Director of Education (Social Education), Bihar, Patina.
13. Shri K. L. Joshi, Assistant Educational Adviser, Ministry of Education Govt. of India, New- Delhi.
14. Shri Sohan Singh Education Officer, Ministry of Education Govt. of India, New DAM.
2. Prof. Kabir in welcoming the members of the meeting regretted that Mr. Saiyidain, who was to preside at the meeting had been prevented from doing so, owing to indisposition. He said the time when they were meeting was opportune,
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since the Planning Commission had now placed certain funds at-the disposal of the Ministry of Education for their schemes of Social and Basic Education. The situation was, therefore, now clearer than it was in April, 1951, when a conference was called to discuss this very subject of Social Education Literature, and hence they could think out plans which had a much totter chance now of being put into effect.
3. At this stage Mr. Joshi read cut a letter from Mr. Saiyidain regretting his inability to come to the meeting owing to his indisposition. Mr. Saiyidain in his letter said-"I attach great importance to the work on which this committee will be engaged. The work of Social Education is greatly handicapped-both at the literacy stage and in its wider sense-by the paucity of suitable reading materials, graded to appeal to the interests as well as the reading capacity of adults. There is urgent need for producing large numbers of booklets, folders, charts, journals, newspapers, wall papers illustrated materials which will capture the adults' interest and imagination by their vivid presentation and the careful selection of materials. In this field, there, is not only room for very considerable improvement in the kind of things that are being produced to-day but also, for inter-state co-operation in order to avoid overlapping and pool available resources in talent and finance."
4. Prof. Kabir mentioned that a tentative Agenda for the meeting had been drawn up and he would welcome suggestions from members for supplementing it. The meeting, then finalized the items of agenda as follows :-
1. General discussion and survey of the problem, including present plans and programmes of production of literature at the Centre and in the Provinces.
2. Priorities in production-fields as Well as subjects.
3. How to contact and secure suitable authors.
4. Preparation of a Directive for authors.
5. Co-operation of training and other institutions.
6. Central and Inter-State Co-operation- translation and adaptation and exchange of materials in other languages and regions.
7. Measures to economise cost.
8. Plans for the production of Literature in 1952-53.
5. Opening the discussion on item. 1, Prof. Kabir gave a factual report of the work done by the Central Ministry of Education in the field. He said about 90 pamphlets on topics of interest to adults had been brought, out by the Idara Talim-o Taraqqi, the Adult Education Department of Jamia Millia, Delhi, as a result of financial help from the Government of India. The Ministry were planning to bring out a People's Encyclopedia which will contain matter's on various topics useful to the average adult. It is also proposed to give prizes for the best books in Hindi and other languages-either best books in the languages concerned or in particular subjects. These prizes will, of course, not be confined to books for the neo-literates or semi- literates only. Government of India may also publish special books within the field of Social Education.
6. A general discussion, then, ensued. The concensus of opinion was that there was need for publishing an encyclopedia giving information and attractive reading material on subjects of general interest, and of a book or books, which will offer guidance to social education workers in the methods and mechanisms of Social Education.
7. Item 2.--The meeting was of the Opinion that two factors arise in fixing priorities of the fields :-
(1) The agencies responsible for the production of Social Education literature, and
(2) The fields to be coverd by the agency.
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The fixing of priority becomes easy if each agency-the Central Government, the State Government and the Book Trade-is considered separately.
The priorities in subjects will have to be fixed according to national needs Some members felt that such priorities have to be fixed from time to time in view of the changing needs and interests of readers While others felt that it was necessary to work out a complete plan of Social Education literature and pick out priorities within this plan.
From the point of view of the agencies concerned, the meeting recommended the following priorities:
(a) For the Central Government the priorities shall be in the following order
(1) Production of a Teachers' Handbook-and Guide books for teachers.
(2) Continuation of their present publication programme.
(3) A bibliography of Social Education books in the various Indian languages.
Prof. Kabir had to leave the meeting at this stage and Mr. K. L. Joshi conducted the proceedings.
(b) For the States, priority should be given to the production and promotion of supplementary and advanced reading material. The priorities within the subject field were to be determined by regional and national needs.
(c) With regard to production of primers the State Government should confine itself to laying down the specifications and standards, leaving the actual publication of primers to the trade. Where , however, it was premature to leave such work to private publishers, the State itself could undertake it. The same held good for alphabetic charts, posters etc. The meeting was 0 the opinion that the publication of Social Education periodicals should be left to the trade.
On the subject of the supplementary and advanced reading material the meeting made the following further recommendations
(a) A list of classics in each language may be made out and the classics reedited from the point of view of neo-literates and brought out in a uniform series at low prices. It was considered that this would appreciably solve the problem of advanced reading material at the general. cultural level.
(b) Folk-songs and folk literature (including folk drama) should find a prominent place in supplementary and advanced reading material.
(c) The problem would then mainly be of producing material bearing in modern problems and needs, such as health, economic problems, promotion of a national outlook, community problems, fighting of social evils etc. The meeting recommended that an attempt be made out at the regional level to determine subjects on which there was need for adult reading material, and the need material may then be got prepared. In doing so this the meeting observed that drama as a form should be utilized as much as possible and, further, if suitable books could be written out the craft-centred approach should be attempted, which will attempt to link up with certain important selected crafts, pursued by groups of persons, the various items of knowledge-technical, social, cultural-which are to be taught at the level of adults who have or are about to complete the first stage of literacy.
(d) Small folders should be brought out on different topics.
8. Item 4 (a).-The meeting recommended the following steps to encourage writers to enter the fields of Social Education:-
(1) Social Education authorities should watch writers in the market and encourage good ones.
(2) Education authorities should invite writers to write books etc. through competitions.
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(3) Education authorities should give prizes for the bed books published in a year.
(4) Educational authorities should ask officers in service or teachers in Universities and Schools to compile, write or translate books on suitable subjects.
(5) Education authorities should purchase a number of copies of books published by private firms etc.
9. Item 3 (b).-The meeting felt that the preparation of Directives to authors required time and prolonged work. It therefore decided on the following time. table :
Each member of the Committee should. send a draft of such Directives to the Ministry of Education by Ist February, 1952.
A Sub-Committee of the present Social Education Literature Committee consisting of local members and with Mr. K. G. Saiyidain as Convenor, should prepare a consolidated draft by 1st March, 1952.
The consolidated draft should be circulated to mofussil members and their comments and suggestions invited by March 31, 1952.
The local committee should consider the comments and suggestions, and finalise the Directives by April 30, 1952.
The Ministry of Education will publish the Directives in May, 1952.
10. Item 4.-The meeting suggested the enlistment of cooperation of educational institutions in the following ways :-
(a) The State Library Associations wherever they exist, should be requested to draw up bibliographies of the existing social education literature. In this connection State Governments may be requested to afford facilities to State Library Associations for preparing bibliographies by an actual examination of copies of published books by a person or persons authorised by the State Library Associations.
(b) Social Service workers, e. g., workers of the Kasturba Memorial Fund, Servant of India Society, the Y. M. C. A., the Social work Schools can be tapped for suggestions on subjects on which Social Education literature was needed.
(c) Government officers and teachers in colleges can be asked to write books in the field of Social Education. in this connection the committee observed that some Training Colleges were doing useful work in the teaching of adults and they should be asked to-publish important results achieved by them. Similarly, adult education workers in general should be requested to publish their worthwhile experiences about the methods and organisation of social education.
11. Item 5.-The meeting suggested the following as some of the ways in which State and Central Governments can co-operate in the field of Social Education
1. State Governments can give social education literature published by them selves at cost price to other interested State Governments.
2. State Governments may allow other State Governments or publishers in other states who have been sponsored for the purpose by the State Governments concerned, to allow free translations or adaptations of Social Education material published by them.
3. State Governments should send to the Government of India a gist of any book in the field of Social Education, published in the State which in their opinion deserves to be translated in other Indian languages. They should state the reasons for their recommendations.
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4. Publication Division of Government of India may be requested to publish some of these books and pamphlets on a level of language suitable to adults with low literacy skills. A similar request may be made to State Publicity Departments.
5. State Governments should supply to Government of India quarterly, an annotated list of social education material published in the State.
12. Item 6.-The meeting was of the opinion that the following methods may be tried out to economise costs:
1. Utilizing text and/or blocks of a book published in one language for bringing it (or its adpated version) out in another language.
2. Availing, if otherwise suitable, of any help from commercial firms by way of providing useful illustrated material.
3. Ensuring sale of larger editions. .
4. Tapping foreign sources for blocks-etc.
13. Item 7.-The committee recommended that the Central and the State Governments may be asked to draw up their own plans for bringing out Social Education Literature during 1952-53, in the light of the above recommendations and that the members from the various States should use their individual influence to expedite and reinforce this recommendation.
14. In the end the Chairman (Mr. K. G. Saiyidain) thanked the members for attending the meeting and making their contribution to the discussions. He hoped that an early attempt would be made by State Governments to implement the recommendations of this meeting.
ANNEXURE II
PROCEEDINGS OF THE CONFERENCE OF EDUCATORS AND SOCIAL WORKERS IN
DELHI TO CONSIDER THE PRODUCTION OF READING MATERIAL FOR NEO-LITERATES
A conference on the production of reading material for neo-
literates was held in the Ministry of Education, Room, No. 58, North
Block, Central Secretariat on 14th April, 1951. The following were
present:-
1. Mr. Humayun Kabir Joint Secretary, Ministry
of Education Chairman.
2. Miss Eilla Criffin Unesco-consultant.
3. Dr. M. J. Bhatt. O.S.D., D. G. H. S., New Delhi,
4. Dr. Mrs. Bhat. Delhi School of Social Work.
5. Mr. Bir Bhadur Central Institute of Education.
6. Dr. S.M.S. Chari. Education Officer, Ministry
of Education.
7. Miss Alice Foreman. College of Nursing, New Delhi.
8. Mr. Core., Delhi School of Social Work.
9. Mr. Hamid Ali Khan. Managing Director, Jamia Millia,
Delhi.
10. Mrs. Emily Hatch. Unesco consultant to Government of
India in Rural Adult Education.
11. Mr. Jagdish Singh. Social Education Officer, Delhi
State.