APPENDIX G- NOTE ON THE REHABILITATION OF REFUGEE TEACHERS AND STUDENTS.
An enquiry office has been established in the Ministry of Education to supply information to refugee students from Pakistan. In order to enable the refugee students to resume their studies at the stages at which they were interrupted, Provincial Governments of the Indian Union were addressed to afford facilities to such students especially by relaxing the rules and regulations of the Boards of High Schools Examining Bodies. The Provincial Governments were also advised to permit such students to join educational institutions without insisting on the production of migration or other certificates which students are normally expected to produce or on the payment of capitation fees.
Apart from the financial help which the Govt. of India have promised to give to the East Punjab Government for the establishment of an East Punjab University, the Ministry of Education have undertaken to provide all facilities to the East Punjab Government to enable them to open a camp college in New Delhi which would cater to the needs of a Section of the refugee students. This College was to be opened for boys and girls and arrangements were to be made for the teaching of the major arts subjects upto the B.A. standard. But owing to the recent decision of the East Punjab Govt. not to reopen all educational institutions (other than Medical and Engineering) till the end of February, 1948, further action in respect of this College has been suspended.
The Delhi University have offered their utmost co-operation by admitting as many displaced students as possible in their colleges and by making arrangements to start, on behalf of the East Punjab University, the Honours School and M.Sc. classes will be under the administrative control of the authorities of the Delhi University.
Educational facilities to refugee school children have also been provided by opening two High Schools in Delhi which will impart instruction according to the Punjab curriculum. These Schools (one for boys and the other for girls) have started functioning from 1st November, 1947.
The Provl. Govts., Central Universities and certain technical institutions were addressed by this Ministry for providing facilities for admission to the refugee students in Engineering from the Punjab and Sind. The response on the whole has been quite encouraging.
69 Hindu and Sikh students of the Maclagan Engineering College who had completed a part of that course had to be provided for and facilities for new admissions to the Engineering course had to be arranged for the East Punjab students. It was therefore considered desirable to make an effort so that all the above facilities could be made available at one place. The United Provinces Govt. were very sympathetic and in fact suggested that the possibility of starting a separate East Punjab wing at Roorkee Engineering College may be explored. As a result of a series of conferences held between the East Punjab Government representatives on the one hand and the Ministry of Education, Principal, Roorkee College, and the United Provinces Govt. representatives on the other, arrangements for starting a separate wing at Roorkee have been Made. This will provide for about 150 students in all the classes put together. The East Punjab Government propose to Make use of the Hindu and Sikh staff of the Mclagan Engineering College for purposes of teaching.
For the benefit of the students of the Rasool Technical Institute, Lahore, the Fast Punjab Government proposed and in fact had announced through that arrangements had been completed for starting a similar institute a -pur. Due to certain unforeseen circumstances. however, the Institute
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start functioning on the 2nd November as originally arranged. The East Punjab Government are now considering an alternative site at Rohtak or near about in this connection.
120 degree students and 15 diploma students of the N.E.D. Engineering College, Karachi, have been able to secure admission in the College of Engineering, Poona, so far. The representatives of the Fast Punjab Government have also tentatively agreed to consider the Punjabee students of the N.E.D. College for admission to their new wing.
From the replies received so far it is estimated that it will be possible to resettle 69 Degree students and 93 Diploma students in the different Engineering Colleges in India, in addition to the facilities enumerated above. Certain conditions have, however, been imposed by BMW of the Institutions which will require to be fulfiller before the facilities are availed of. The Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Agriculture undertook to make arrangements for the rehabilitation of refugee Medical and Agriculture students respectively.
The Ministry of Education have under consideration the question of rendering financial assistance to students reading in various institutions whose parents or guardians have either died or been rendered destitute as a result of the disturbances. As soon as a final decision is arrived at in the matter, steps will be taken to implement the decision at an early date.
The Principal, Delhi Polytechnic, has been authorised to advance a Joan of the monthly messing charges and a sum of Rs. 20 per head per month to the hostel students who originally belong to Western Pakistan, for a period of three months. In case the students concerned fail to repay the loan, the amount will be debited to the Ministry of Refugees as expenditure incurred on their behalf
Owing to disturbances in the Punjab, some Indian students in England an U.S.A. have been unable to get their funds from India. With the concurrence of the Ministry of Finance, it has been decided to advance to such students an amount not exceeding (pound)100 in U. K. and $500 in U. S. A., this provision being for two months only, ending October 15, 1947 and in special cases, the High corn missioner and the Ambassador in U.S.A. may advance a larger amount in their discretion if they are satisfied that it is essential, such cases being reported to this Ministry immediately. The High Commissioner and the Ambassador have also been requested to make necessary arrangements for the recovery of the money advanced at the earliest possible time. The question of giving further advances with a view to enabling students who have gone overseas on their own and are now in similar difficulties and refugee students in India, to complete their course of studies is also under the consideration of the Govt. of India.
The question of providing employment to refugee teachers and professors, who were employed in various educational institutions in Pakistan areas and who have suddenly lost their means of livelihood has received full attention of the Ministry of Education. A register of displaced teachers, who desire to be resettled, is being maintained and full particulars regarding their academic qualifications and experience, scale of pay, etc. have been kept. Till the end of November over 800 teachers and professors had registered their names. In Delhi most of the schools are maintained either by Local Bodies or by private managements ; such managements have offered to cooperate in the questions resettling displaced teachers and it has been possible to give employment to 270 refugee teachers. It is hoped to provide some more teachers with employment in Delhi shortly. Particulars of teacher who cannot be provided for in Delhi Province have been sent to Provincial Governments and Indian Universities with a view to their employment by them in suitable vacancies. The Ministry of States have been requested to address the major States in similar term
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On the technical side, about 30 refugee teachers had registered their names till the end of November, 1947. Their full particulars are circulated to the Directors of Public Instruction of Provinces, Universities and technical institutions that are likely to require their services. So far offers have been made to nine of the above teachers. It is not known, however, if these offers have been accepted.
The question of securing for refugee teachers advances out of their Provident Funds to enable them to tide over their immediate financial difficulties is also receiving the consideration of the Government of India,