SECONDARY AND HIGHER SECONDARY EDUCATION
ALTHOUGH the Article 45 of the constitution lays emphasis on providing free and compulsory universal education upto the age of 14 years, the importance of secondary and higher secondary education can- not be under-scored. It is the feeder stage to professional training in many important disciplines such as engineering, medicine, commerce etc. Efforts have been made in recent years to provide more secondary and higher secondary education facilities. Education being a State subject, this has not been made possible so far to have a uniform structure of education throughout the country. Also diversification of courses in various disciplines presents further problems at this stage.
As in previous All-India Educational Surveys, in the Fourth Survey also an assessment of educational facilities at secondary and higher secondary stages has been made. Information has been collected on various aspects such as habitations with/without facilities, schools, teachers, enrolment etc. at these stages.
7.1 Schooling facilities at secondary stage in rural habitations
At the secondary stage of education, the States differ in respect of classes constituting this stage. Of course, in most of the States and Union Territories, classes IX-X constitute secondary stage of education. There are three States (Bihar, Meghalaya and Nagaland) and one Union Territory (Mizoram) in which classes VII-X constitute the secondary stage. Another six States (Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Gujarat, Karnataka, Karala and Maharashtra) and and three Union Territories (Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Goa, Daman & Diu and Lakshadweep) where classes VIII-X constitute the secondary stage. In the State of Madhya Pradesh, there is only higher secondary stage consisting of classes IX-XI, after the middle stage. In Orissa, classes VIII-XI constitute the secondary stage.
The First Survey (1957) showed that there were 3,01,533 (35.9%) habitations which were served by secondary sections within a distance of 8 km (5 miles). These included 4,500 (0.54%) habitations having secondary sections within them. In the Second Survey (1965) it was observed that the habitations served by secondary education facilities within 8 km (5 miles) were 6,01,154 (61.2%). Of these, 16,231 (1.65%) habitations had facilities within them. While in the First and Second Surveys the area served by a secondary school was considered to be the area within a radius of 5 miles (8 km), in the Third Survey (1973) it was reduced to 5 km. This survey revealed that 4,56,165,(54.15%) habitations were served within 5 km covering a rural population of 66.34%. Of these 24,049 (2.85%) habitations covering 13.67% population had the school within them.
In the Fourth Survey facility for secondary stage education available in 29,565 habitations which constitute only 3.06% of the total 9.64,664 habitations in the rural areas of the country. The percentage of rural population served within the habitation by secondary sections/schools is 14.58.
The number of habitations served by a secondary school within 8 km is 6,99,804 (72.54%). The population served within this distance is 41,84,55,278 i.e. 82.18% of the rural population.
7.1.1 Habitation indifferent population slabs In respect of facilities according to population slabs it is observed that in the large habitations, that is,
SECONDARY AND HIGHER SECONDARY EDUCATION 75
STATEMENT 7.1
Habitations and population in rural areas according to secondary
schooling facilities available within different distance slabs.
Habitations having secondary sections Population served by secondary sections
Distance Stab in (km) Number Percentage Population Percentage
1 2 3 4 5
Within the habitations 29,565 3.06 7,42,54,116 14.58
0.1-2.0 1,66,258 17.23 9,36,68,572 18.40
2.1-4.0 2,27,146 23.55 12.23,53,603 24.03
4.1-6.0 1.79,400 18.60 8,64,30,130 16.97
6.1-8.0 97,435 10.10 4,17,48,857 8.20
(Sub-total 8.0) 6,99,804 72.54 41,84,55,278 82.18
More than 8.0 2,64,860 27.46 9,07,08,150 17.82
Total 9.64,664 100.00 50.91,63,428 100.00
those in the population slab '5000 & above'; 3,178 (72.11%) out of 4,407 habitations are served by secondary sections within them and 4,318 (97.98%) habitations are served within 8 km. The percentages of population served by secondary sections within the habitation and within 8 km are 73.94 and 98.17, respectively in this population slab. In the Third Survey only 66.28% habitations were served by secondary sections within them in this slab as against 72.06% in the Fourth Survey.
STATEMENT 7.2
Habitations and population in rural areas in various population slabs
served by secondary sections in them or within a distance of 8 km
Population No. of Habita- Col. 3 as % Habita- Col. 5 as % % of popula- % of popula-
slab habitations tions of Col. 2 tions of tion tion
served by served by Col. 2 served by served by
sec. sec. sec. sec.
sections sections sections sections
in them in them in the in the
or within habitation habitation
8km or within
8 km
1 2 3 4 5 7 8
5000 & above 4,407 3,178 72.11 4,318 97.98 73.94 98.17
2000-4999 35,069 11,030 31.45 38,941 91.08 35.15 91.85
1000-1999 91,99 7,493 8.16 77,197 84.09 9.03 83.96
500-999 1,73,727 4,264 2.45 1,38,082 79.48 2.76 79.66
Below 500 6,59,662 3,600 0.55 4,48,266 67.95 0.86 71.66
Total 9,64,664 29,565 3.06 6,99,804 72.54 14.58 82.18
76 FOURTH ALL-INDIA EDUCATIONAL SURVEY
In the population slab '2000-4999' out of 35,069 habitations 11,030 (31.45%) are served by secondary sections within them while 31,941 (91.08%) habitations are served within 8 km with percentages of population covered being 35.15 and 91.85, respectively.
The habitations served by a secondary section within them are 7,493 (8.16%) out of 91,799 in the population slab '1000-1999' which covers only 9.03% population in this slab. The number of habitations served within 8 km in this population slab is 77,197 (84.09%) which covers 83 96% population.
There are 1,73,727 habitations in the slab '500-999'. Out of these only 4,264 (2.45%) are served by secondary sections within them and 1,38,082 (79.48%) are served within a distance of 8 km. The population covered are 2.76% and 79.66%, respectively in this slab.
Of the total 9,64,664 rural habitations in the country 6,59,662 habitations are very small with less than 500 population. Among these only 3,600 (0.55%) are served by secondary sections within them with a population coverage of only 0.86% in the slab. But the habitations served within 8 km are 4,48,266 (67.95%) with a population coverage of 71.66%.
7.1.2 Habitations not served From the point of view of planning it is also important to know the extent of facilities not provided in the rural areas. It is thought that a habitation having population of 2000 and above must have access to a secondary section either in it or within a walking distance of 8 km. The habitations not served by secondary sections are 2,64,860 (27.45%) covering 17.82% rural population out of the total 9,64,664 habitations. Out of these 2,64,860 habitations, 3,217 (1.21%) are in the slab '2,000 & above'. Therefore, priority should be given to provision of facilities of secondary education in the large habitations, say with population over 2,000 and gradually other habitations should also be provided the facilities within 8 km according to the recommendations of the Education Commission (1966).
STATEMENT 7.3
Habitations in rural areas not served by secondary sections either in them or
within a walking distance of 8 km
Population No. of habitations not Col. 3 as percentage of habitations
slab in the slab served by sec. In the slab Not served by sec. In the rural
sections in them (Col. 3/col 2) sections in them areas
or within 8 km or within 8 km (Col. 3/total
(Col. 3/total under Col. 2)
Col. 3)
1 2 3 4 5 6
5000 & above 4,407 89 2.02 0.03 0.01
2000-4999 35,069 3,128 8.92 1.18 0.32
1000-1999 91,799 14,602 15.91 5.51 1.51
500-999 1,75,727 35,645 20.52 13.46 3.70
Below 500 6,59,662 2,11,396 32.05 79.82 21.92
Total 9,64,664 2,64,860 27.46 100.00 27.46
SECONDARY AND HIGHER SECONDARY EDUCATION 77
STATEMENT 7.4
Population in rural areas not served by secondary sections either in the habitation or within a walking distance of 8
km
Column 3 as percentage of population
Population not In the slab Not served by sec. In the rural
Population slab Population of served by sec. (col. 31 col. 2) sections in the habitation areas (col.3/
habitations in sections in the or within 8 km (cot. 3/ total of col. 2)
the slab habitation or total under col. 3)
within 8 km
1 2 3 4 5 6
5000 & above 3,17.77,150 5,82,084 1.83 0.64 0.11
2000-4999 9,96,24,707 81,19,898 8.15 8.95 1.60
1000-1999 12.45,52,456 1,99,81,198 16.04 22.03 3.92
500-999 12,17,32,455 2,47,67.962 20.34 27.31 4.87
Below 500 13,14,76,660 3,72,57,008 28.34 41.7 7.32
Total 50,91,63,428 9,07,08,150 17.82 100.00 17.82
7.2 Schooling facilities at secondary stage in habitations
predominantly populated by Scheduled Castes The habitations predominantly populated by Scheduled Castes are 69,038 which constitute 7.22% of total habitations. It is worthwhile to examine the schooling facilities at secondary stage available in these habitations in view of the government's policy for providing better facilities to these deprived classes of the society. The discussion here follows is confined to these 69,038 habitations predominantly populated' by Scheduled Castes and their population.
The facility for secondary stage education is available in 728 (1.05%) habitations. The percentage of population served within the habitation, is 4.54. The number of habitations served within a walking distance of 8 km is 53,583 (77.61 %) with population coverage of 82.96%.
7.2.1 Habitations in different population slabs In the population slab '5000 & above' there are 57 habitations out of which 26 (45.61%) are served by secondary sections within the habitation with a population coverage of 48.49% in the slab. The habitations served within 8 km in this slab are 56 (98.25%) with a population coverage of 98.55%.
There are 801 habitations in the slab '2000-4999' and of these 158 (19.73%) have secondary sections in them with 20.50% of population served in the slab. The number of habitations served within 8 km is 742 (92.63%) with 93.00% population served in this slab.
Out of the 3,242 habitations in the slab '1000-1999' only 197 (6.08%) are served by secondary sections in them which covers 6.34% population of the slab. Within a distance of 8 km 2,824 (87.11%) habitations in this slab covering 86.71% population have secondary sections.
In the slab '500-999' there are 9,059 habitations out of which 154 (1.70%) have secondary sections in them serving 1.73% population in the slab. The habitations served within 8 km are 7,606 (83.96%) serving 83.87% population in the slab.
In the population slab 'Below 500' there are 55,879 habitations and only 193 (0.35%) habitations are served within them which covers only 0.43% population in the slab. But a sizable number of habitations i.e. 42,355 (75.80%) is served by secondary sections within 8 km, covering 78.10% population in the slab.
78 FOURTH ALL-INDIA EDUCATIONAL SURVEY
STATEMENT 7.5
Habitations predominantly populated by Scheduled Castes and population in rural areas
according to secondary schooling facilities available within different distance slabs
Distance stab Habitations having secondary schools Population served by secondary sections
(in km) Number Percentage Population Percentage
1 2 3 4 5
within the habitation 728 1.05 10,53,982 8.54
0.1-2.0 14,209 20.58 51,96,597 22.38
2.1-4.0 17,978 26.04 63,16,392 27.20
4.1-6.0 13,565 19.65 45,40,008 19.55
6.1-8.0 7,103 10.29 21,56,575 9.29
Sub-total
(Within 8.0) 53,583 77.61 1,92,63,554 82.96
More than 8.0 15,455 22.39 39,55,892 17.04
Total 69,039 100.00 2,32,19,446 100.00
STATEMENT 7.6 Habitations predominantly populated by Scheduled Castes and population in rural areas in various population slabs served by secondary sections in them or within a distance of 8 km
Population No. of Habitations Col. 3 Habitations Col. 5 % of population % of population stab habitations served by as % of served by as % of served by served by sec. sections Col. 2 sec. sections Col. 2 sec. sections sec. sections in them in them or in the in the within habitation habitation or 8km within 8 km
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
5000 & above 57 26 45.61 56 98.25 48.49 98.55