PREFACE
 

Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) are the most backward sections of Indian society in terms of educational development. They constitute the statutorily recognised weaker sections of society and form a distinct target group under the existing pattern of planning.

Owing to the affirmative policies followed since independence, India has made significant progress in the educational development of Scheduled Castes and Tribes. The enrolment of Ks and STs has increased considerably at the primary stage, their 'participation in primary education is now more or less in proportion to their share in population. But dropouts are still significantly large. There are glaring gender and regional disparities. The efforts of the government are directed towards bridging these gaps. In all the programmes in education. there is a well conceived edge in favour of SCs and STs.

In this publication, an attempt has been made to present a digest of the various programmes run by the Government for the educational upliftment of SCs and STs at Central level as well as a statistical profile of the educational development of SCs and STs. Suggestions for improvement and corrections are welcome so that subsequent editions can be an improvement over the present publication. It is hoped that this publication will be useful for all those who are interested in studying the educational aspects of the disadvantaged.

I would like to place on record my thanks for the co-operation extended by all Bureaus and organisations attached to the Ministry of Human Resource Development (Department of Education) and Ministries of Welfare. Labour and Health and Family Welfare in supplying relevant information for this publication.

I would also like to place on record my appreciation of the efforts made by the staff of SC/ST Cell in bringing out this publication.

(Dr. R. V. Vaidyanatha Ayyar) JOINT SECRETARY GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Dated: October, 1995. NEW DELHI

        
                                             PROJECT STAFF 0F SC/ST CELL
        
                                Shri Mango Singh                         Deputy Secretary
                                Shri T.C. James                           Under Secretary
                                Shri Chander Kant                        Assistant Director
                                Smt. Uma Garg                             Senior Investigator
                                Shri U.S. Rajput                         Senior Investigator