SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS
 

6.1 The Higher Secondary stage should comprise a General Education Spectrum and a Vocationalised Spectrum (Paras 2.4.1 to 2.4.3).

6.2 The course pattern for the General Education, Spectrum would comprise : (Chapter III).

6.2.1 Language, with 15 per cent of time allocation involving study of one language (Para 3.2).

6.2.2. Socially useful productive work with 15 per cent time allocation, compulsory for all General Education students (Para 3.3), with defined objectives (Para 3.3.1), planning (para 3.3.2 to 3.3.5), involving general type of productive service programmes (Para 3.3.6) and programmes related to the subject being studied (Para 3.3.7). This programme should be coordinated at various levels (Para 3.3.9) and for its evaluation, a format is set' forth (Para 3.3.10).

6.2.3 Electives-with a 70 per cent time allocation, an illustrative list of 16 electives is proposed for the general Education course with flexibility to suit local conditions (Paras 3.4 to 3.4.2).

6.3 The course pattern for the Vocational Spectrum comprises : (Chapter IV).

6.3.1 Language with 15 per cent of time allocation which will involve study of one language (Para 4.2).

6.3.2 General foundation courses-all students taking vocationalised courses having to spend 15 per cent of time on General foundation courses (Para 4.3) in accordance with the objectives set forth (Para 4.3.2) and comprising Part 'A' for all students and one unit of Part 'B' (Para 4.3.31).

6.3.3 Vocational Electives on which 70 per cent of the time is spent : Agricultural Electives will cover inter alia, inland fisheries, agriculture, farm mechanics and engineering, soil and water conservation, repairing and maintenance of farm machines, post-harvest technology, agri and agro industries, agricultural chemicals, animal husbandry, horticulture based courses, soil, water testing and management, co-operative marketing/agricultural produce marketing, small farm management, and rural construction technology, apiculture, sericulture, fuel and energy (Para 4.5.1) and non-agricultural vocational courses will comprise business and office management (Para 4.6.2), paramedical (Para 4.6.3), educational services (Para 4.6.4), local body and other service (Para 4.6.5), journalism (Para 4.6.6), home science related vocations (Para 4.6.7) and other general services (Para 4.6.8), (manufacturing industrial and engineering occupational skills are being more than adequately met by existing ITIs, Polytechnics and so are not included in this report).

6.4 Higher Secondary School authorities should pause and review their programmes in light of the guidelines'set forth in this report (Para 5.1).

6.5 There should be no rigid streaming of courses into General Education Spectrum and Vocationalised Education Spectrum and there should be many cross-over points between the two (Paras 5.2.1 and 5.2.2).

6.6 There are three models in the offering of electives-

(i) Those schools which offer only General Education Spectrum ;

(ii) Those schools which offer only Vocationalised Education Spectrum ; and

(iii) Those which offer both.

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For the Sixth Plan, the generality should be the third model (Para 5.3.1).

6.7 Vocational surveys of areas should be undertaken before finalising the vocational courses even where they have been launched, and for the location of schools with vocational courses (paras 5.4.1 and 5.4.2).

6.8 The spare capacity of all existing vocational/technical schools should be used by running double shifts and adding further courses to the ITIs, polytechnics, industrial high schools etc., in accordance with demands for them (Paras 5.5.1 and 5.5.2).

6.9 As little or no vocatinal education facilities exist in rural areas, all new schools should be constructed in rural areas and should be adequately equipped (Para 5.5.3).

6.10 Counselling and Placement Officers should be appointed to clusters of 3 or 4 schools (Para 5.6.1).

6.11 Pre-service education for teachers for the plus 2 stage should be carefully planned by universities : massive in-service training programmes for teachers, particularly in vocational agriculture should also be organised : to start with, practical vocational experience rather than post-graduate qualifications is recommended for vocational teachers (para 5.7.1).

6.12 On curriculum and text-books, a special effort will have to be made by using expertise of practical working people as well as academics. On agriculture and related subjects, textbooks must be written within the country (Paras 5.8.1 and 5.8.2).

6.13 The apprenticeship programme should be open to those who complete vocationalised higher secondary education level and the recruitment policy of the government should emphasise vocational qualification rather than general university degrees (Paras 5.9.1 and 5.9.2).

6.14 The vertical mobility of students at this stage should be assured through changes in the admission policies and requirements of formal and non-formal systems of education and through Government policies (Paras 5.10.1 and 5.10.2).

6.15 The Semester Pattern, and the Credit System might be followed in States where the universities have adopted it, with the other States following after some time (Para 5.11).

6.16 To ensure co-ordination, co-operation and evaluation, the National Council of Vocational Education, State Councils of Vocational Education and local bodies are recommended (Paras 5.12.1 to 5.12.4).

617 For the Sixth Plan, finance needed for higher secondary education level are not much because of the concentration on agriculture and related vocations. However, some additional money would be needed and this should be regarded as a national investment and investment in the future (Para, 5.13.1).