RURAL UNIVERSITIES AND INSTITUTES
 

THE PRESENT SITUATION

1. Rural higher education received fillip with intensification of the freedom movement. In addition to several other thinkers, Rabindranath Tagore and Mahatma Gandhi gave particular attention to establishment of comprehensive institutions for the rural people starting at the early childhood level, going upto the highest. In spite of the difficulties faced by it, Gandhian Basic Education has survived in the country and comprises a vital feature of our system. A large number of Rural Institutes were set up under the auspices of voluntary agencies during the Second Five Year Plan. Over the years, however, Gandhian Basic Education, rural institutes and other institutions primarily meant for rural areas did not receive sufficient support and encouragement.

THE POLICY AND IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY

2. The Policy envisages the development of a pattern of education related to the needs of rural communities and strengthening and support of programmes of Gandhian Basic Education. The Policy states that educational institutions and voluntary agencies which take up educational programmes based on the concept of correlation between socially useful productive work, social service and academic study will be encouraged.

3. For the implementation of the Policy directives on rural education a well-planned programme of encouragement will be launched for institutions/organisations which are composite in character - combining programmes from the primary and secondary levels to diploma and degree levels. The 'Rural University' or 'Rural Institute' is not envisaged as a traditional institution which lays down minimum qualifications for admission, well-defined courses of study, and award of diplomas and degrees based on examinations. Rather, a complex of institutions is envisaged which seek to integrate all aspects of education, training with productive and creative activities, horizontally across disciplines of sciences, technology, humanities and social sciences, and vertically across all stages of education - primary to higher education.

ACTION PLAN

4. Several measures will be taken in pursuance of the above objectives which would include:

51

(a) Consolidation of the existing rural universities and reorganisation of the rural institutes established as a part of the scheme of rural higher education launched in the Second Plan;

(b) Encouragement to other existing educational institutions and voluntary agencies to develop in accordance with Gandhian philosophy of education for rural reconstruction;

(c) Development of selected institutions located in rural areas as autonomous colleges for strengthening programmes of education related to the needs of rural development;

(d) Recognition and support to elementary, secondary and post-basic institutions based on the concepts of Nai Talim;

(e) Strengthening of the content of all these institutions with emphasis on science and technology;

(f) Designing a variety of courses at tertiary level around emerging rural occupations;

(g) Strengthening teacher training facilities for Gandhian Basic Education; and

(h) Review of recruitment qualifications to give due recognition and encouragement to field work oriented courses of rural institutes.

CENTRAL COUNCIL OF RURAL-INSTITUTES

5. The Central Government will take the initiative in the imple- mentation of the above programmes by providing resource support both for the development of infrastructure as well as conceptual, methodological and academic inputs in design and structure of programmes, development of teaching and learning materials, evaluation procedures, etc. For this purpose, a Central Council of Rural Institutes will be set up by the Central Government. It will be the responsibility of this Council to formulate and implement a well- coordinated programme as spelt out above. This Council may have a Standing Committee on Basic Education which will identify suitable institutions for further development and to provide assistance to them. The Ministry of Human Resource Development will appoint a Working Group to formulate detailed schemes for the development of rural institutes and Gandhian Basic Education.