CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
10.1 In the preceding chapters several recommendations have been made by the Committee for implementation. To facilitate several departments/agencies concerned to draw up a perspective plan of action programme, it has been considered necessary to group the more important recommendations into two separate categories (a) those recommendations that require immediate follow up action and (b) those which are of long term nature. Other recommendations made in the relevant chapters are none the less important in the overall context of improvement of Educational Statistical System and it is hoped that concerned departments would take up these for implementation in normal course.
Accordingly, the list of recommendations are classified below:-
Category (a): Recommendations for immediate follow-up action.
Measures to reduce Time-lag 10.2. There has been some improvement in the reduction of time- lag in the collection of educational statistics. However, there is need for further reducing the time-lag without sacrificing information. The Committee recommends that the Ministry may bring out an annual review
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of the progress of collection and dissemination of statistics Statewise which may be discussed at the Annual Conference of the Education Ministers.
(Para 2.22)
Modification in the Format 10.3 Instead of the existing series of ES forms being used currently for collecting data on schools and colleges, two separate sets of forms be used, one for schools and another for higher educational institutions.
The collection of data in respect of the items under the existing system may continue subject to certain changes as indicated in Annexure-VII.
(Para 3.4)
10.4 The data on income and expenditure on schools should continue to be collected annually except for private schools, the financial data should be collected directly from the concerned educational authorities, who prepare the budget and maintain the record of accounts.
(Paras 3.6 & 5.13)
Sample checking for quality of data collected 10.5 The Committee recommends sample studies being undertaken to test the quality and reliability of educational data collected by the States. Such studies should be taken Up both by the State and Central agencies engaged in statistical activities.
(Para 2.34)
10.6 There should be a system for checking 5 to 10 per cent school returns on a regular basis in order to
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ensure that the schools supply correct information. Further, the system of sample checking should be introduced at all stages of data collection and compilation, and particularly for the data collected from educational institutions at school level.
(Para 5.19)
Agencies for Data Collection 10.7 The Ministry of Education should be the main agency for the compilation and dissemination of educational data. The Ministry of Education apart from collecting data in respect of schools, may also collect data in respect of non-affiliated institutions and also about the school/classes attached to the institutions of higher education.
(Paras 2.13 & 5.22)
10.8 The next All India Educational Survey may be taken up in 1983 and planning for this should start immediately. The data so collected should be available within a year thereafter so that the data can be helpful for the preparation of the Seventh Five Year Plan. It would also be desirable to have the educational survey data in future made available well in time for the formulation of the Five Year Plans. It is also necessary to have periodical commprehensive educational surveys in regard to higher and professional education by appropriate agencies and the survey data should be available for the formulation of Five Year Plans well in time.
(Para 2.25)
Additional Data-Wastage 10.9 Considering the dimensions of the problem, studies on wastage and stagnation should be taken up in
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depth, preferably district-wise, separately for Scheduled Castes and girls.
(Para 3.10)
Review & Monitoring of Data Collection 10.10 For ensuring timely collection, compilation and publication of educational statistics, periodic review and monitoring of collections/ dissemination of educational statistics be undertaken at the highest level with State Education Secretary as its Chairman. The Committees may review periodically the progress in regard to transmission to the Government of India of educational statistics in the States.
(Para 4.22)
Interaction with User Agencies 10.11 To establish this link with other agencies involved and to provide a regular interaction of the user organisations, the Committee recommends the need for larger participation of these organisations, in the Standing Committees on Educational Statistics at the Central & State level.
(Paras 3.22 & 4.7)
Schemes for strengthening Educational Statistical Machinery 10.12 The State should prepare proposals for strengthening and expansion of the statistical and monitoring units of the Department of Education and the proposals should be included in the State Plan proposals.
(Para 4.6)
Category (b): Long-Term Recommendations
Concepts & Definitions 10.13 Various concepts and definitions, used in educational statistics should be further standardised wherever
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necessary and adopted uniformly by various agencies concerned with educational statistics at the national and State levels. It would be desirable to incorporate these concepts in the syllabus for teachers training courses. It would also be necessary to bring out a hand book explaining the concepts and definitions in educational statistics for the use of educational administrators.
(Para 2.29)
Additional Data Collection recommended 10.14 For making enrolment projections and for assessing the enrolment ratio at the elementary stage, it is necessary to collect data on age of students by sex and grade. Such data by single year of age should be collected, once in five years at least on a sample basis for grades I to X.
(Para 3.5)
10.15 Data on the results of public examinations below the secondary levels should be collected on periodical basis from the concerned examining bodies and compiled at the State level. For the examination results of the secondary, higher secondary and university examinations, the relevant data should continue to be collected from the `Concerned examining bodies and compiled at national level.' the data should show results by sex, Scheduled, Castes & Scheduled Tribes, private/regular candidates and passing division (where possible) for different examinations.
(Para 3.7)
Rationalisation of data collection at the Centre 10.16 The work relating to the collection of educational statistics in respect of universities and affiliated colleges
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may be done by the UGC. The UGC may furnish the relevant statistics to the Ministry of Education, Government of India and the State Governments in a suitable manner. The State Governments may in addition collect and compile such data as they need from the colleges and universities directly. Till the new system of collection of statistics by the UGC becomes fully operational, the Ministry of Education may continue to collect data in regard to institutions of higher education (say for a period of 2 years) for maintaining continuity of the statistical series.
(Paras 2.27, 5.22 & 5.23)
10.17 A comprehensive All India Educational Survey should be conducted once in five years and NCERT should be responsible for planning and conducting such a survey. The survey should aim at providing benchmark data at the district/block level for the use of the State Governments for educational planning. The collection of data in regard to items included in the present form ES. VI of the, Ministry of Education may also be covered in this survey. It is desirable that the reference data and the concepts and definitions of the terms used in the survey are such as to maintain continuity with the annual statistics collected and compiled by the Ministry.
(Paras 2.24 & 2.25)
10.18 The basic data of adult education collected through the Directorate of Adult Education should be incorporated by the Ministry as a part of its annual collection. The DAE may continue their system of the quarterly reports.
(Para 2.28)
Identification of Nodal Agencies at the State level 10.19 The Committee recommends assigning the responsibility for furnishing statistical data to the Ministry-
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and other agencies, to one unit namely, the Statistical. Unit in the State Education Department. For such other material not available in the process of normal collection by the State Educational Statistical Unit, the Department/ Unit concerned may be required to consult this Unit before taking up collection on their own.
(Para 2.17)
10.20 In order to avoid duplication of data collection in respect of Technical Education by the State Governments, the Committee recommends that main responsibility of collecting data from technical institutions should. be that of State Technical Education Departments.
(Para 5.27)
Data Collection relating to Non-formal Sector of Education 10.21 Relevant educational data should be collected in respect of the recognised institutions in regard to both formal and non-formal courses of education by the Ministry of Education or other Departments and Organisations as identified in this regard.
(Para 2.35 (a))
Data Gap-Attrition Rate of Teachers 10.22 The data on attrition rate of teachers should be collected by NCERT once in 5 years in their All India Survey.
(Paras 3.11 & 3.12)
Data Gap-School Attendance 10.23 It is recommended that collection of data on school attendance should be done on a sample basis.
(Para 3.14)
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Management Information System 10.24 Suitable Management information System for education should be developed by each State to meet the requirement, of decentralised planning & administration, following the guidelines given in Annexure -(VI).
(Para 3.21)
School Registers 10.25. All the schools should maintain at least four types of registers, (1) Admission Register, in which information about students date of birth, sex, religion, mother tongue, parents' occupation and address; S.C. or S. T., date of admission, distance from home, record of previous schooling, etc., is maintained; and also information about those who leave the school is recorded, (2) School Information Register, in which information for facilities and equipment (building, covered area, furniture and other equipment), participation of students in extra curricular activities, games and sports, etc., is recorded, and (3) Attendance Register, which is separate for each class and contains information on sex and date of birth of the student, whether the student is a new entrant, repeater or promotee, and of course, day-to-day attendance in the school, and (4) Teachers Register, which contains full data on age, qualification, residence, salary, etc. of the income from different sources and expenditure incurred on different items each year.
(Para 5.9)
Statistics to be maintained at various level 10.26 District-wise and block-wise basic educational Statistics should be maintained in appropriate form at
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State/District level facilitating easy retrieval of information.
(Para 5.12)
Sample Survey 10.27 Sample sureys should be used more frequently for collecting data on the items which are required for specific purposes and on which it is very expensive and time consuming to collect data on a census basis. For undertaking these surveys, there should be proper infrastructure.
(Paras 5.15 & 5.18)
Strengthening of the Machinery at the Centre 10.28 "The present Statistical Unit needs to be entrusted with the task of planning, research, evaluation and monitoring pertaining to maintenence of all-India Educational Statistics and for this purpose it should be suitably strengthened. It should be headed by a competent and experienced professional statistician, who should serve as Statistical Adviser to the Ministry of Education. This is also in accordance with the recommendation of the Committee to Review the National Statistical System in India (Recommendation No. 10.1 of the Report published in June 1980.)
(Para 4.10)
Strengthening of Statistical Machinery in States 10.29 The Planning, Statistics and Monitoring Unit in States should be under the overall charge of a Senior Officer, preferably not below the rank of Deputy Director.
(Para 4.16`a')
Computerisation of Data 10.30 To take up computerisation, it would be necessary that suitable computer personnel are available in Ministry
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of Education, NCERT and UGC. It is, therefore, recommended that posts of System Analyst/Programmers etc. may be created in these organisations.
(Para 7.4)
Printing and distribution of Forms 10.31 The Committee recommends that all types of Forms should be got printed and distributed, preferably at the State level but, if necessary at District level.
(Para 4.18)
Data Bank 10.32 It is essential that a data bank at the national level is set up in the Ministry.
Similarly there is the need for maintaining at the field levels a mini `Data Bank' to meet demand for policy, planning and administration at these levels.
(Para 7.3 `ii')
Training 10.33 To enhance their competence and up-date their knowledge, the officers working in the Statistical Unit at the Central Agencies may be deputed for short term and long term training courses in institutions. Besides, national organisations like CSO and ISI may also be requested to develop the expertise in organising such type of training courses in future.
(Para 6.8)
10.34 Training courses may be organised by the State Education Departments at district level for the benefit of statistical personnel working at district level annually on regular basis. The Central agencies should depute their personnel as resource persons for such courses.
(Para 6.12)
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10.35 All the Block Education Officers and the Project Officers (Adult Education) should be trained on regular basis about the various concepts and definitions used in the educational statistics at the block level. Such type of training courses should be organised by the State Education Department and the State Resource Centre for Adult Education respectively on annual basis.
(Para 6.13)
10.36 In the training programmes for educational, planners and administrators, there should be provision for a component for orienting officers in concepts and methodology of educational statistics and their use in planning and administration.