SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS
overview 1. The concept of participatory educational order should go beyond involvement of educational institutions and should extend to the community itself. (Para. 2.2)
2. While very little of policy requires reformulation the POA needs to be revised considerably. (Para. 2.3)
Education and Women's Equality 3. While the NPERC had rightly reiterated the importance of women's education the NPE policy frame is adequate and the POA should be revised to take into account the recommendations of the NPERC. (Para. 3.5)
Education of the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other
Educationally Backward Sections 4. A single focal agency should be identified in each State for the purpose of monitoring the programmes and reporting to the Central Government. (Para. 4.4)
5. A standing CABE Committee on education of SCs, STs and other educationally backward sections should be constituted; educationists from these groups should have representation in that Committee. (Para. 4.4)
6. While instruction should be child-centred and cater to individual differences, it is not advisable to differentiate students in the matter of syllabus and curriculum. (Para. 4.5)
7. Monitoring of the implementation of the guidelines for recognition of minority-managed educational institutions is better left to the State Governments, as they are deeply conscious of the need for proper monitoring and many organisations like the Minority commission already exist for the purpose of monitoring. (Para. 4.6)
8. No policy reformulation is necessary; all recommendations of the NPERC on education of the SCs, STs and other educationally backward sections, except R.Nos. 69 and 80, should be taken into account while revising the POA. (Para. 4.8)
Education of the Handicapped 9. No policy reformulation is necessary; the recommendations of the NPERC on education of the handicapped should be built into the revised 3 3 POA. (Para. 5.3)
Common School System 10. Effective measures need to be taken to implement the
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provision of NPE 68 and NPE in regard to Common School System. To this end, disparities between schools should be ended as early as possible by upgrading the quality of ordinary schools and providing amenities for achieving minimum levels of learning. Both the Centre and the State should take determined action in this regard. The privileged schools should accept social accountability by sharing their facilities and resources with other institutions, taking up community activities, and facilitating access to children of the disadvantaged groups. (Para. 6.6)
Navodaya Vidyalavas 11. The scheme should continue and a NV should be set up in each district as originally envisaged. Further, the following measures are suggested:
i) constant review to keep the scheme as cost effective as possible,
ii) ensuring the continued validity and reliability of the admission tests by periodic evaluation and appropriate modification of admission procedure, and
iii) more particular attention to the pace-setting role of these institutions. (Para. 7.5)
12. It is also necessary to begin thinking about the future course of the scheme after NVs have been established in all districts with the requisite facilities and investment. A choice has to be made between establishment of new institutions and expansion of facilities in the existing institutions. Planning has also to begin for catering to the higher educational needs of students who pass out of NVs. A scheme needs to be formulated for central financial support to residential schools. In this scheme priority should be given to ST areas and areas predominantly inhabited by SCs. (Para. 7.9)
Early Childhood Care and Education 13. The scope of Article 45 of the Constitution need not be enlarged. (Para. 8.8)
14. ICDS and other CSS relating to ECCE should continue as Centrally Sponsored Schemes during the Eighth Five Year Plan. The Anganwadi workers should play an expanded role and should be the focal point for a number of activities and support services for women and children, 3T3 such as child care, family welfare, nutrition and health. The recruitment and training of Anganwadi workers should be so organised as to ensure that they have the necessary skills and motivation to discharge the expanded role. (Para. 8.8)
15. The other recommendations of the NPERC which broadly relate to implementation modalities should be taken in to account for
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reviewing POA. (Para. 8.8)
Universalisation of Elementary Education 16. What is needed is not so much a Constitutional amendment as suggested by the NPERC as the manifestation of a national will to achieve UEE. the Central and State Governments should bestow overriding priority to adult literacy and UEE and provide programmes in these two areas total support -- financial, administrative and political -- a support which is commensurate with the priority. (Para 9.2)
17. No further refinement of the policy relating to access and enrolment is required; what needs to be done is large scale operationalisation of important components of the strategy outlined by NPE/POA such as community mobilisation, school mapping and micro- planning.. (Para. 9.5)
18. MLL should be a thrust area. (Para. 9.6)
19. The NPE approach to non-formal education is more practical and realistic than that of the NPERC. (Para. 9.13)
20. Expeditious and effective action is required to tone up the management system and the learning environment of NFE so as to ensure that the quality of NFE is comparable with that of formal system in all respects. The Centre and the States in concert should closely and continuously monitor NFE programmes in order that the programmes are effective. (Para. 9.13)
21. Operation Blackboard, being one of the priority strategies for UEE, should continue during the Eighth Plan, in an expanded and extended form. (Para. 9.15)
22. Till operational models of an educational complex are developed, tested and tried out, it is not feasible to link the Scheme of Operation Blackboard with the educational complex; nor is it feasible to entrust the planning and monitoring of UEE to the educational complex, as suggested in R.Nos. 169, 171, 173 and 175 by the NPERC. (Para. 9.15)
23. Para 5.12 of NPE, which laid the targets for UPE and UEE, needs 33 to be revised. Every effort should be made to ensure that the Consitutional obligation of providing free and compulsory education upto the age of 14 years becomes a reality before we enter the twenty- first century. (Paras. 2.6 and 9.17)
24. The following points deserve priority during the Eighth Five Year Plan in the area of UEE:
i) Universal enrolment of all children, including girls and persons belonging to SC/ST;
ii) Provision of primary school for all children within one kilometre of walking distance and of facility of non-
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formal education for school drop-outs, working children and girls who cannot attend schools;
iii) Improvement of ratio of primary school to upper primary schools from the existing 1:4 to 1:2, this being a pre- condition for larger opportunity for widening girls, participation at upper primary stage;
iv) Reduction of drop out rates between Classes I to V and I to VIII from the existing 45 per cent and 60 per cent to 20 per cent and 40 per cent respectivley;
v) Improvement of school facilities by revamped Operation Blackboard, to be extended to upper primary level also;
vi) Achievement of minimum levels of learning by approximately all children at the primary level, and introduction of this concept at the upper primary stage on a large scale;
vii) Local level committee, with due representation to women and teachers, to assist in the working of primary education and to oversee its functioning;
viii) Improvement of the monitoring system for universalisation of elementary education to see to the achievement of above mentioned goals.
NPE and POA may be revised accordingly. (Para. 9.18)
Adult and Continuing Education 25. The "dual-track approach" of promoting simultaneously UEE and adult literacy should continue to inform educational planning; the special needs of women and of disadvantaged groups like SCs and STs should be specially attended to. (Para. 10.1) 33 26. The NPERC's perception of Mahila Samakhya (MS) as an alternative model is not valid. (Para. 10.4)
27. Events since December, 1990, when the NPERC submitted its report have established that NPERC had underestimated the significance of the "Ernakulam experiment." The TLC approach is a potent and viable model which could help achieve a significant breakthrough in the literacy scene in the Eighth Five Year Plan. (Para. 10.6)
28. Programmes of post-literacy and continuing education should be planned for neo-literates and youth passing out of primary education system (through the school system or non-formal education programme) and these programmes should be planned simultaneously with literacy campaigns and be made effective as soon as large numbers of persons complete literacy courses. (Para. 10.9)
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Secondary Education 29. The policy should be reformulated to bring about the new initiatives that are required in secondary education. (Para. 2.7)
30. It would be necessary to bring about a planned expansion of secondary education facilities all over the country in order to cope with new demands for secondary education. (Para. 11.3)
31. Efforts should be made to bring about uniformity in the management structure for secondary education in all the States. (Para. 11.4)
32. It is necessary to reorganise the Boards of Secondary Education and vest them with autonomy so that their ability to provide academic inputs to secondary education is enhanced. (Para. 11.5)
33. Time-bound measures should be taken by the Central and State Governments to implement the directions contained in para 10.7 of NPE and to empower the Headmasters with administrative, academic and financial powers. Training of the heads of institutions requires particular attention. (Paras. 11.6 and 17.15)
34. Teacher training in secondary education requires no less importance than in primary education. (Para. 11.8)
35. The ongoing programme of CLASS needs to be revamped. (Para. 11.9)
36. Open learning should be given utmost encouragement and that the National Open School should play the same lead role within the open school system as IGNOU with open universities. (Para.11.11)
Vocationalisation of Education 37. The existing vocational stream at the +2 level may be suitably strengthened and, wherever possible, the vocational courses may be 33 started from class IX also. (Para. 12.12)
38. The idea of a core vocational course, mooted by the NPERC, is attrative. Generic vocational courses may be introduced on a selective basis; to begin with generic vocational courses may be tried out in about ten per cent of the schools. (Paras. 2.5 and 12.12)
39. The Work Experience programme may be systematically implemented by allocating 12.5 per cent to 20 per cent of the school time for these activities; the activities should have a practical orientation in relation to various subjects under this programme. The vocational "core" would find place at the, secondary and higher secondary stages; Work Experience/ SUPW
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would relate to elementary education. (Para. 12.12)
40. The other recommendations of the NPERC relating to implementation of the scheme of vocationalisation of education may be taken note of while revising POA. (Para. 12.12)
41. Greater rigour should be brought to bear on the planning and implementation of the scheme. (Para. 12.12)
Higher Education 42. It is not advisable to set up a national level statutory mechanism to regulate the opening of non-standard and substandard universities and colleges. The proliferation of colleges without adequate facilities can be curbed to a large extent if the universities exercise rigorous control and insist on creation of necessary infrastructure and educational facilities before granting affiliation and if the State Governments respect the decision of the universities in these matters. The establishment and operationalisation of State Councils of Higher Education will go a long way in the planned development of higher education. (Para. 13.3)
43. Efforts should be made to secure involvement of teachers and students in extension work such as literacy. Adequate facilities should be provided to ensure that all students participate in one or the other existing schemes, particularly National Services Scheme (NSS), and National Cadet Corps (NCC). specific schemes should be formulated to encourage out of school youth to participate in national service and development. The feasibility and financial implications of a two-year composite programme for students who complete the +2 stage, comprising paramilitary service, development of vocational and professional skills, and extension work in rural areas be studied. An important feature of the programme would be that the students would be required to participate in these programmes outside their home state with a view to promoting national integration. (Para. 13.4)
44. NTS should undertake the conduct of tests so that it acquires the required expertise and develops into a competent resource centre. 303 (Para. 13.5)
45. A Central Council of Rural Institutes is necessary to provide the much needed fillip to rural education on Gandhian lines; it should be set up immediately. (Para. 13.6)
46. The recommendation of the NPERC (R.No. 219) on NCHE is sound and Para 5.34 of NPE should be reformulated. (Paras. 2.5 and 13.7)
47. There is no need for appointment of full-time Members in the UGC. (Para. 13.10)
48. Regional offices of the UGC should be set up at the earliest, with adequate authority and functions. (Para. 13.11)
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49. Since most of the universities are affiliating universities, R.No.201 of the NPERC can be implemented only when most of the colleges become autonomous or when a system of internal evaluation gradually replaces a terminal examination, or when an independent State level examining body is set up to conduct common examinations for all undergraduate courses. (Para. 13.12)
50. The UGC may consider augmenting research facilities in selected colleges within the available resources. (Para. 13.13)
51. The Scheme of Curriculum Development Centres should be continued; however, to allay any misgivings the UGC may reiterate that the universities have full freedom to adapt model curricula. The UGC should also consider specific requests from the universities for curriculum development. (Para. 13.15)
52. The UGC may closely monitor the implementation of the Scheme of Academic Staff Colleges. (Para. 13.16)
Technical and Management Education 53. It is not advisable to regulate through a statute the emigration of graduates of IITs and RECs. All efforts should be made to ensure that environment for science and technology in the country is attractive enough for talented persons. (Para. 14.2)
54. A detailed evaluation of the thrust area schemes should be taken up in 1994-95, the third year of the Eighth Plan (1992-97).(Para.14.3)
55. The Department of Education, GOI, should take early decisions on the report of the Kalbagh Committee on Community Polytechnics. (Para. 14.4)
56. The Department of Education, GOI, should take early decisions on the report of the IIT Review Committee. (Para.14.5) 3g3 57. The AICTE Act should be amended and Para 6.19 of NPE should be reformulated. The Regional Committees of the AICTE should be adequately staffed and that the Chairman of the Regional Committee should be an Education Minister of a State from the region, by rotation. The Regional. Committee should have the power to make recommendations on the opening of new institutions, starting of new courses and enhancing the intake within the framework of the guidelines laid down by the AICTE. The State Governments and the universities should issue the necessary approvals based on the recommendations of the Regional Committees only. (Para. 14.6)
58. The recommendations of NPERC relating to improvement of quality and standard, upgradation of infrastructure facilities,
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industry-institution linkages, technology watch and manpower planning, promotion of R&D, special programme for the disadvantaged, entrepreneurship development and continuing education and retraining programmes should be given due consideration in the revision of POA. (Para. 14.7)
Languages in Education 59. All the recommendations of the NPERC in the area, except R.Nos.239 and 246, are useful and should be taken into account in the revision of POA. (Para.15.3)
60. The merger of KHS, CHD and CSTT is not desirable. (Para. 15.4)
61. A fresh linguistic survey is not desirable. (Para. 15.5)
Content and Process of Education 62. The recommendations of the NPERC on value education should be taken into account while revising the POA. (Para. 16.3)
63. The recommendation of the NPERC on educational technology should be followed up by the Central and State Governments and it be taken into account while revising the POA. (Para. 16.4)
64. There is need to progressively expand facilities for computer education in schools, particularly at the secondary stage. (Para. 16.5)
65. The suggestions on Youth and Sports may be taken into account, while revising the POA. Students should be required to participate in one or the other existing schemes, such as NSS and NCC, as envisaged in para 8.22 of NPE. (Para. 16.7)