SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS
CHAPTER IV-NEW ORGANISATIONAL PATTERN OF
SECONDARY EDUCATION
New Organisational Pattern 1. Under the new organisational structure, education should commence after a four of five years' period of Primary or Junior Basic education and should include (a) the Middle or Senior Basic or Junior Secondary stage of 3 years, and (b) the Higher Secondary stage of 4 years.
2. During the transitional stage, the existing High schools and the Higher Secondary schools should function on the lines laid down.
3. The present Intermediate stage should be replaced by the Higher Secondary stage which should be of four years' duration, one year of the present Intermediate being included in it.
4. As a consequence of the preceding recommendations the first degree course in the university should be of three years' duration.
5. For those who pass out of the High school there should be provision for a pre-university course of one year, during which period the scheme of studies should be planned with due regard to the needs of the degree or the professional course to be taken by the students and special emphasis should be placed on the quickening of intellectual interests, training in method of study at college and the study of English so long as it continues to be the medium of instruction at the university.
6. Admission to professional colleges should be open to those who have completed the Higher Secondary course, or have taken the one year's preuniversity course.
7. In the professional colleges, a pre-professional course -of one year should be provided for the students, preferably in the professional colleges themselves, but, as a transitory measure, they may be given in the degree colleges where facilities exist, till professional colleges are able to provide for such courses.
8. Multi-purpose schools should be established wherever possible to provide varied courses of interest to students with diverse aims, aptitudes and abilities.
9. Those who have successfully completed such courses should be given opportunities to take up higher specialised courses in polytechnics or technological institutions.
10. All States should provide special facilities for agricultural education in rural schools and such courses should include Horticulture Animal Husbandry and Cottage Industry.
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SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATION 225
Technical Education 11. Technical schools should be started in large numbers either separately or as part of Multi-purpose schools.
12. Central Technical Institutes should be established in larger cities which may cater for the needs of several local schools.
13. Wherever possible Technical schools should be located in close proximity to appropriate industries and they should function in close cooperation with the industry concerned.
14. Apprenticeship training being an important part of the training needed, suitable legislation should be passed making it obligatory for the industry to afford., facilities, to students for practical training.
15. In the- planning of Technical and Technological education at all levels, representatives of Commerce and Industry should be closely associated with the educationists so, that in the planning and direction of such; education and in the maintenance of standards their view may be given effective weight.
16. A small cess to be called the "Industrial Education Cess' should be levied on industries and the proceeds of this Cess should be used for the furtherance of Technical education.
17. In the interests of evolving a suitable pattern of technical courses at the Secondary stage, the All-India Council for Technical Education and the bodies functioning under it should be utilised for working out details of the courses.
Other Types of Schools 18. Public schools should continue to exist for the present and the pattern of education given in them should be brought into reason- able conformity, with the general pattern of national edcation. Such schools should gradually become self-supporting, but during the transitional period of the next five years, State or Central assistance should be given to them on a gradually diminishing scale.
19. The States or the Centre should provide for certain free studentships in them to be given on the basis of merit to selected students.
20. A number of residential schools should be established, more particularly in certain rural areas, to provide proper opportunities for the education of children and particularly to meet the needs of children whose education suffers at present owing to the exigencies of service of their parents.
21. "Residential Day Schools" should be established in suitable centres to provide greater opportunities for teacher-pupil contact and for developing recreational and extra-curricular activities.
22. A larger number of schools should be established to meet the needs of handicapped children.
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Co-education 23. While no distinction need be made between education imparted to boys and girls special facilities for the study of home science should be made available in all girls' schools and co-education or mixed schools.
24. Efforts should be made by State Governments to open separate schools for girls wherever there is demand for them.
25. Definite conditions should be laid down in regard to co-edu- cational or mixed schools to satisfy the special needs of girl students and women members of the teaching staff.
CHAPTER V-STUDY OF LANGUAGES 1. The mother-tongue or the regional language should generally be the medium of instruction throughout the Secondary school stage, subject to the provision that for linguistic minorities special facilities should be made available on the lines suggested by the Central Adsory Board of Education.
2. During the Middle school stage, every child should be taught at least two languages. English and Hindi should be introduced at the end of the Junior Basic stage, subject to the principle that no two languages should be introduced in the same year.
3. At the High and Higher Secondary stage, at least two langu- ages should be studied, one of which being the mother-tongue or the regional language.
CHAPTER VI-CURRICULUM IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS
Curriculum 1. At the Middle school stage, the curriculum should include (i) Languages; (ii) Social Studies; (iii) General Science; (iv) Mathematics; (v) Art and Music; (vi) Craft; and (vii) Physical education.
2. At the High school or Higher Secondary stage, diversified courses of instruction should be provided for the pupils.
3. A certain number of core subjects should be common to all students whatever the diversified courses of study that they may take; these should 'consist of (i) Languages (ii) General Science (iii) Social Studies, and (iv) a Craft.
4. Diversified courses of study should include the following seven groups; (i) Humanities (ii) Sciences (iii) Technical subjects (iv) Commercial subjects (v) Agricultural subjects (vi) Fine Arts, and (vii) Home Sciences as and when necessary additional diversified courses may be added.
5. The diversified curriculum should begin in the second year of the High school or Higher Secondary school stage.
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Textbooks 6. With a view to improving the quality of textbooks prescribed a high power Textbook Committee should be constituted which should consist of a high dignitary of the judiciary of the State, preferably a Judge of the High Court, a Member of the Public Service Commission of the region concerned, a Vice-Chancellor of the region, a headmaster or headmistress in the State,' two distinguished educationists and the Director of Education; this Committee should function as an independ- ent body.
7. A fund should be maintained from the amount realised from the sale of publications which may be utilised for awarding scholar- ships, and providing books and certain other amenitities for school children.
8. The Textbook Committee should lay down clear criteria for the type of paper, illustration, printing and format of the book.
9. The central government should set up a new institution, or help some existing Art schools, to develop training in the technique of book illustration.
10. The Central and State Governments should maintain libraries of blocks of good illustrations which could be loaned to Textbook Committees and publishers in order to improve the standard of book illustration.
11. Single textbooks should not be prescribed for every subject of study, but a reasonable number of books which satisfy the standards laid down should be recommended leaving the choice to the schools concerned.
12. In the case of languages, however, definite textbooks should be prescribed for each class to ensure proper gradation.
13. No book prescribed as a textbook or as a book for general study should contain any passage or statement which might offend the religious or social susceptibilities of any section of the community or might indoctrinate the minds of the young students with particular political or religious ideologies.
14. Frequent changes in textbooks and books prescribed for study should be discouraged.
CHAPTER VII-DYNAMIC METHODS OF TEACHING 1. The methods of teaching in schools should aim not merely at the imparting of knowledge in an efficient manner, but also at inculcating desirable values and proper attitudes and habits of work in the students.
2. They should, in particular, endeavour to create in the students a genuine attachment to work and it desire to do it as efficiently. honestly and throughly as possible.
228 SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS
3. The emphasis in teaching should shift from verbalism and memorization to learning through purposeful, concrete and realistic situations and, for this purpose. the principles of "Activity Method" and "Project Method", should be assimilated in school practice.
4. Teaching methods should provide opportunities for students to learn actively and to apply practically the knowledge that they have acquired in the class-room. "Expression Work" of different kinds must, therefore, form part of the Programme in every school subject.
5. In the teaching of all subjects special stress should be placed on clear thinking and clear expression both in speech and writing.
6. Teaching methods should aim less at. imparting the maximum quantum of knowledge possible and more on training students in the techniques of study and methods of acquiring knowledge through per- sonal effort and initiative.
7. A well thought-out attempt should be made to adopt methods of instruction to the needs of individual students as much as possible so that dull, average and bright students may all have a chance to progress at their own pace.
8. Students should be given adequate opportunity to work in groups and to carry out group projects and activities so as to develop in them the qualities necessary for group life and cooperative work.
9. As the proper use of a well-equipped school library is absolutely essential for the efficient working of every educational institution and for encouraging literacy and cultural interests in students, every Secondary school should have such a library; class libraries and subject libraries should also be utilised for this purpose.
10. Trained librarians, who have a love for books and an under- standing of students' interests, should be provided in all Secondary schools and all teachers should be given some training in the basic principles of library;work. in the training colleges as well as through refresher courses.
11. Where there are no separate Public Libraries the school libraries should, so far as possible, make their facilities available to the local public and all Public Libraries should have a special section for children and adolescents.
12. In order to improve general standards of work in school, necessary steps should be taken to produce textbooks as well as books of general reading which are of distinctly superior quality to the books at present available.
13. Suitable literature for the guidance and inspiration of teachers should be produced by the Education Departments of all States and either the Office of the Director of Education or one of the training colleges should be adequately equipped for the purpose.
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14. In order to popularize progressive teaching methods and facilitate their introduction, "Experimental" and "Demonstration" schools should be established and given special encouragement where they exists, so that that may try out new methods freely without being fettered by too many departmental restrictions.
CHAPTER VIII-THE EDUCATION OF CHARACTER
Discipline 1. The education of character should be envisaged as the responsibility of all teaches and should be provided through every single aspect of school programme.
2. In order to promote discipline, personal contact between teacher and the pupils should be strengthened; self-government in the form of house system with prefects or monitors and student-councils, whose responsibility will be to draw up a Code of Conduct and enforce its observance, should be introduced in all schools.
3. Special importance should be given to group games and other co-curricular activities and their educational possibilities should be fully explored.
4. Suitable legislation should be passed making it an election offence to utilise students below the age of 17 for the purposes of political propaganda or election campaigns.
Religious and Moral Instruction 5. Religious instruction may be given in schools only on a voluntary basis and outside the regular school hours, such instruction being confined to the children of the particular faith concerned and given with the consent of the parents and the managements.
Extra-Curricular Activities 6. Extra-curricular activities should form an integral part of education imparted in the school and all teachers should devote a definite time to such activities.
7. The State should give adequate financial assistance to the Scout Movement and should help, to secure suitable sites for Scout Camps; schools should, as far as possible, afford an apportunity for groups of their students to spend a few days every year at such camps.
8. The N. C. C. should be brought under the central government which should take the responsibility for its proper maintenance, im- provement and expansion.
9. Training in First Aid, St. John's Ambulance and Junior Red Cross work should be encouraged in all schools.
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CHAPTER IX-GUIDANCE AND COUNSELLING IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS 1. Educational guidance should receive much greater attention on the part of the educational authorities.
2. In order to broaden the pupils' understanding of the scope, nature and significance of various occupations of industries, films should be prepared to show the nature of the work in various industries and this should be supplemented by actual visits.
3. The services of trained Guidance Officers and Career Masters should be made available gradually and in an increasing measure to all educational institutions.
4. The Centre should take up the responsibility of opening in different regions centres of training for Guidance Officers and Career Masters to which each State may send a number of teachers or other suitable persons for training.
CHAPTER X-THE PHYSICAL WELFARE OF STUDENTS
Health Education 1. A properly organized school medical services should be built up in all States.
2. A thorough medical examination of all pupils and necessary follow-up treatment where necessary should be carried out in all schools.
3. Some of the teachers should be trained in first aid and general principles of health so that they may cooperate intelligently with the medical staff.
4. Proper nutritional standards should be maintained in hostels and residential schools.
5. The school should assist, where possible, in the maintenance of the sanitation of the area and the school children should thus be trained to appreciate the dignity of manual labour.
Physical Education 6. Physical activities should be made to suit the individual and his capacity for physical endurance.
7. All teachers below the age of 40 should actively participate in many of the physical activities of students and thus make them a lively part of the school programme.
8. Full records of physical activities of the students must be maintained.
9. The training in physical education should be comprehensive enough to include all aspects of health education.
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10. The teachers of Physical education should be associated with the teaching of subjects like Physiology and Hygiene and given the same status as other teachers of similar qualifications.
11. The existing facilities for training of teachers of physical education should be expanded by increasing the seats in the existing colleges, by opening new colleges, where necessary, and by reorganizing some of the institutions as All-India Training Centres to which aid may be given both by the Centre and the States.