EDUCATION AT MIDDLE STAGE
Education at middle stage The middle stage in India comprises two to four years of schooling after four or five years of primary stage according to the pattern of classes in different States and Union Territories. As per Article 45 of the Constitution of India education for children up to 14 years has to be provided on a universal, free and compulsory basis viz. education up to the middle stage is to be free and compulsory for every child in the country. The progress of education at the middle stage in India has not been satisfactory and we have still to go a long way to achieve the target laid down in the Constitution. At the time of the Second Survey (1965), 30.15 percent of the children in the age-group 11 to 13 were in classes VI to VIII whereas the corresponding percentage for the Third Survey (1973) was 33.15. For boys and girls separately, the percentage, in respect of boys was much higher than that of girls.
Schooling facilities at middle stage Education at the middle stage as pointed out earlier is to be universal, free and compulsory. The ideal method to achieve this objective would be to provide schooling facility for this stage of education in each and every rural habitation of India. But this is not economically viable. Therefore, the priority of making provision for this facility for any habitation will have to be determined on the basis of population of the habitation and the distance at which the facility is available. The First Survey envisaged a seperate middle school for a habitation with a population '1500 and above'. Habitations with a population of less than 1500 were tagged to existing or proposed schools up to a walking distance of three miles (with some exceptions) or else these were grouped in such a manner that the total population of these habitations within an approximate distance of three miles around the proposed schools was at least 1500. A habitation which had this facility up to a distance of three miles was deemed to be served. A distance of three miles was regarded as a convenient walking distance.
The Education Commission (1964-66) recommended that villages with a population 700 or more should have a higher primary school and for villages where the higher primary school could not be opened, the facility for middle stage should be made available to three villages within a walking distance of three miles.
The fixing of the criteria for the location of middle schools rests with the state governments. However, for the purposes of inter- state comparisons in respect of availability of schooling facility for the middle stage, it was assumed that a habitation, irrespective of its population, having a middle section up to a walking distance of three miles was deemed as served both in the First Survey and the Second Survey. For the Third Survey, kilometre was adopted as the unit of distance. Therefore, in the Third Survey, a habitation irrespective of its population, was deemed served for the middle stage if it had a middle section within a walking distance of 5 kilometres.
Findings of the First Survey According to the data of the First Survey (1957), 50.34 percent of the rural habitations in India were served by middle sections including 3.13 percent of the habitations already having middle sections.
Findings of the Second Survey According to the data of the Second All India Educational Survey 72.39 percent of the habitations in India were served by middle sections up to a distance of 3 miles including 7.07 percent of the habitations served by middle sections in them. In terms of popula- tion, 82.18 percent of the rural population was served by middle sections up to a distance of 3 miles including 25.45 percent of the population served in their own habitations.
EDUCATION AT MIDDLE STAGE 33
Findings of the Third Survey Information regarding availability of schooling facility at the middle stage is available in respect of 9,30,665 rural habitations. Data in respect of schooling facilities at the middle stage in Gujarat have not been available.
Out of the 9,30,665 habitations, 80,837 (8.69%) habitations have the middle sections in them. 5,42,226 (58.26%) and 7,29,930 (78.43%) habitations have the middle sections up to a walking distance of 3 km and 5 km respectively including those having middle sections in them. In terms of population, 28.86 percent of the rural population has got the facility in the habitation of residence. 71.97 percent of the population in the rural areas is served up to a distance of 3 km (including the population served in the habitations of residence) and 86.91 percent of the population is served up to a distance of 5 km including the population served in the habitation of residence.
In the population slab '5000 and above' there are 3,593 habitations with a population of 2,62,75,343. Out of these, 3,065 (85.30%) habitations have middle sections in them. 3,439 (95.71%) and 3,527 (98.16%) habitations are served up to a walking distance of 3 km and 5 km respectively. In terms of population 87.18 percent of the population in the slab have middle sections in the habitations of residence. 96.43 percent and 98.49 percent of the population are served by middle sections up to 3 km and 5 km respectively including that served in the habitations of residence. Thus, barely 66 habitations having 1.51 percent of the population in the slab are not served by middle sections up to 5 km.
In the population slab '2000-4999' there are 28,255 habitations with a total population of 7,74,17,377. In this population slab, 17,719 (62.71%) habitations have middle sections in them, 25,095 (88.82%) and 27,033 (95.68%) habitations including 17,719 habitations having middle sections in them are served by middle sections up to a distance of 3 km and 5 km respectively. In terms of population, 89.29 percent of the population in the slab including 64.86 percent served in the habitations of residence is served up to a distance of 3 km and 95.50 percent are served up to a distance of 5 km including the population served in the habitations of residence. 1,222 habitations having 4.50 percent of the population in the slab do not have the middle sections even up to a distance of 5 km.
STATEMENT 22
Habitations and population according to middle schooling facilities
available at varying distances in rural areas
Habitations having Population having
Distances middle sections at middle sections at
varying distances varying distances
Number Percentage Population Percentage
1 2 3 4 5
Within the
habitation 80,837 8.69 12,83,97,779 28.86
0.1 to 1.0 km 1,28,134 13.77 5,47,57,550 12.31
1.1 to 2.0 km 1,67,276 17.97 6,91,50,294 15.54
2.1 to 3.0 km 1,65,979 17.83 6,78,75,774 15.26
Sub-total
(up to 3.0 km) 5,42,226 58.26 32,01,81,397 71.97
3.1 to 4.0 km 1,04,580 11.24 3,75,97,900 8.45
4.1 to 5.0 km 83,124 8.93 2,88,59,288 6.49
Sub-total
(up to 5.0 km) 7,29,930 78.43 38,66,38,585 86.91
More than
5.0 km 2,00,735 21.57 5,82,40,113 13.09
TOTAL 9,30,665 100.00 44,48,78,698 100.00
34 THIRD ALL-INDIA EDUCATIONAL SURVEY
STATEMENT 23
Habitations and population in various population slabs served by middle sections in them or within a
walking distance of 3 km and 5 km in the rural areas
Sl. Item of information Population slabs
No. 5000 and above 2000-4999 1000-1999 500-999 Below 500 TOTAL
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
1. Number of habitations 3,593 28,255 78,180 1,67,889 6,52,748 9,30,6657
2. Habitations served by middle sections
in them 3,065 17,719 26,841 19,167 14,045 80,837
3. Item 2 as % of Item 1 85.30 62.71 34.33 11.42 2.15 8.69
4. Habitations served by middle sections
in them or within 3 km 3,439 25,095 55,966 1,08,213 3,45,513 5,42,226
5. Item 4 as % of Item 1 95.71 88.82 76.70 64.46 52.93 58.26
6. Percentage of population served
by middle sections in their own
habitations or within 3 km 96.43 89.29 77.53 66.32 56.72 71.93
7. Habitations served by middle sections
in them or within 5 km 3,527 27,033 70,514 1,43,941 4,84,915 7,29,930
8. Item 7 as % of Item 1 98.16 95.68 90.19 85.74 74.29 78.43
9. Percentage of population served
by middle sections in their own
habitations or within 5 km 98.49 95.50 90.75 86.75 76.23 86.91
In the population slab '1000-1999' there are 78,180 habitations with a total population of 10,32,78,965. Of these 78,180 habitations, 26,841 (34.33%) habitations have middle sections in them. 59,966 (76.70%) and 70,514 (90.19%) habitations including those 26,841 served in the habitations of residence, are served up to a walking distance of 3 km and 5 km respectively. In terms of population, 77.53 percent of the population in this slab is served by middle sections up to a distance of 3 km, including 35.79 percent of the population served in the habitations of residence. 90.75 percent including the population served in the habitations of residence, are served up to 5 km. 7,666 habitations with 9.25 percent of the population in the slab are not served by middle sections even up to a distance of 5 km.
In the population slab '500-999' there are 1,67,889 habitations with a population of 11,16,75,090. Of 1,67,889 habitations, 19,167 (11.42%) habitations have middle sections in them, 1,08,213 (64.46%) and 1,43,941 (85.74%) habitations including 19,167 habitations having middle sections located in them, are served by middle sections up to a walking distance of 3 km and 5 km respectively. In terms of population, 66.32 percent of the population in this slab is served by middle sections up to a distance of 3 km, including 12.69 percent of the population served in the habitations of residence. 86.75 percent of the population including the population served in the habitations of residence, is served up to a distance of 5 km. 23,948 habitations having 13.25 percent of the population in this slab are not served by middle sections even up to 5 km.
In the population slab 'below 500', there are 6,52,748 habitations with a total population of 12,62,31,923. 14,045 (2.15%) habitations have middle sections in them. 3,45,513 (52.93%) and 4,84,915 (74.29%) habitations are served by middle sections up to a walking distance of 3 km and 5 km respectively. In terms of population, 56.72 percent of the population in the slab is served by middle sections up to a distance of 3 km including 3.28 percent of the population served in the habitations of residence. 76.23 percent of the population including the population served in the habitations of residence, is served up to 5 km. 1,67,833 habitations with 23.77 percent of the population are not served by middle sections up to 5 km.
Habitations not served There are 3,88,439 habitations constituting 41.74
EDUCATION AT MIDDLE STAGE 35
STATEMENT 24
Habitations in the rural areas not served by middle sections in their own habitations or within a walking
distance of 3 km
Col. 3 as % of habitation
Population slab Number of habitations Habitations in the slab In the Not served by middle In the rural
in the slab not served by middle slab sections in them or areas in the
sections in them or within 3 km country
within 3 km
1 2 3 4 5 6
5000 & above 3,593 154 4.29 0.04 0.02
2000-4999 28,255 3,160 11.18 0.81 0.34
1000-1999 78,180 18,214 23.30 4.69 1.91
500-999 1,67,889 59,676 35.54 15.36 6.41
Below 500 6,52,748 3,07,235 47.07 79.10 33.0
TOTAL 9,30,665 3,88,439 41.74 100.00 41.74
percent of the habitations, not served by middle sections up to a walking distance of 3 km.
Of the habitations not served, 154 (4.29%), 3,160 (11.18%), 18,214 (32.30%), 59,676 (35.54%) and 3,07,235 (47.07%) are in the population slabs '5000 & above', '2000-4999', '1000-1999', '500-999' and 'Below 500' respectively. 21,528 habitations each having population of 1000 or more, not served up to 3 km account for 26.02 percent of the population.
There are 2,00,735 (21.57%) habitations, not served by middle sections up to a walking distance of 5 km. Of these 2,00,735 habitations 66 (0.03%) are in the population slab '5000 and above', 1,222 (0.61%) are in the slab '2000-4999', 7,666 (3.82%) are in the slab '1000-1999', 23,948 (11.93%) are in the slab '500 999' and 1,67,833 (83.61%) are in the slab 'Below 500'. Most of the habitations not served belong to the population slab 'Below 500'. Though the habitations not served in the population slab '1000 and above' are 8,954 (4.46%), these account for 23.07 percent of the population not served. Thus by providing middle schools in the habitations with population 1000
STATEMENT 25
Population not served by middle sections in their own habitations or within a walking distance of
3 km in rural areas
Col. 3 as % of Population
Population slab Population of the habi- Population in the slab In the Not served by middle In the rural
tations in the slab not served by middle slab sections in them or areas in the
sections in the habi- within 3 km country
tation or within
3 km
1 2 3 4 5 6
5000 & above 2,62,75,343 9,38,333 3.57 0.75 0.21
2000-4999 7,74,17,377 82,97,134 10.72 6.66 1.87
1000-1999 10,32,78,965 2,32,10,874 22.47 18.61 5.22
500-999 11,16,75,090 3,76,18,655 33.69 30.17 8.49
Below 500 12,62,31,923 5,46,32,305 43.28 43.81 12.28
TOTAL 44,48,78,698 12,46,97,301 28.03 100.00 28.0