 2. COPY OF QUESTIONNAIRE

NOTE:- The questionnaire covers a wide field of inquiry and it is not intended that all those who are pleased to send replies should necessarily answer every question. Correspondents are requested to favour the Commission with their views and suggestions on matters in which they are particularly interested or of which they have special knowledge.

The questionnaire consists of eight sections. The number of the section and the question to which the answer or memorandum relates may please be clearly indicated in each case.

Replies written on the blank pages opposite to the questions, may please be sent to the Secretary, Secondary Education Commission, Central Institute of Education, Delhi 9, by the 30th of September, 1952.

APPENDICES 241

I. AIMS & OBJECTIVES

1. (a) How would you define the aims and objectives of Secondary education ?

(b) How would you distinguish them from the aims of Primary education on the one hand and of University education on the other?

2. (a) How far do you consider the present system of Secondary education to be satisfactory ? What, in your opinion, are its main defects and short-comings ?

(b) In what ways would you suggest a reorientation of the present system so as to realise the aims and objectives stated above ?Please suggest concrete steps for the purpose.

II. ORGANIZATION

1. (a) What is the present duration of the Secondary course in your State ?

(b) What, in your opinion should be the length of the entire school course and the Secondary course ?

2. (a) How would you divide it into stages ? Should the stages be completely separated ?

(b) At what age should the Secondary stage begin ?

(c) Should there be any fixed age for admission to the Primary school the Secondary school, to the University ? It so, what should be these ages ?

3. (a) At what age does a student usually sit for the Secondary School. Leaving Examination ?

(b) What period of schooling would you consider essential for Secondary School Leaving Examination and what age-limit, if any, would you suggest for candidates appearing in that examination ?

4. (a) What should be the relationship between the different stages of education ?

(b) Does the present system of Secondary education logically follow in sequence the system of Primary education ? At what stage of the Secondary school course do pupils normally join the institution ?

(c) How would you integrate the Secondary stage with the Primary (Basic) stage on the one hand and the University stage on the other ?

5. What should be the relationship between Post-Basic schools and Secondary schools ? Should they have a parity of status for all purposes ?

6. (a) What should be the relationship between Secondary education and Technical and Vocational education at the pre- University level ?

(b) Can provision be made in Secondary schools for Vocational training ?

7. Should the Secondary stage be further divided into junior and senior stages ?

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8. Assuming that at the Secondary stage we shall have to cater for different types of children with different abilities and aptitudes, how would you like to organize the Secondary school system from this point of view ?

(a) by providing different types of schools ? or

(b) by providing omnibus or multi-lateral schools with a system of electives ?

9. What are the advantages of system you advocate ?

10. At what stage should such electives be taken ?

11. How would you divide and group the electives ?

(a) Academic;

(b) Practical

(d) According to some other classification ?

12. What subjects or courses, would you include under each heading ?

13. (a) If you favour multi-lateral schools, do you think that every school should have a technical-cum-vocational department ?

(b) Is it possible to relate technical courses with local industries ? If so. how could this be dine ? Give definite suggestions.

14. What principles in your opinion should be followed in starting technical, vocational and trade schools ?

15. (a) What, in your opinion, is the place of (i) Public schools, and (ii) Residential schools in the system of Secondary education ?

(b) How can these two types of schools be fitted into the general system of education ?

16. (a) How far can the special features of the Public schools be introduced into the Day schools ?

(b) Are you in favour of Day Boarding Schools ?

17. Are you in favour of co-education in Secondary schools ? If so, how far and under what conditions can co- education be permitted in these schools ?

18. (a) What is strength allowed for each class in a Secondary school in your area ?

(b) What is the maximum number permitted in a school and what are the maximum number of divisions that are permitted in a class ?

19. Is there a shift system in your area; and if so, how does it work ?

20. Do you favour the shift system ?

21. What do you think should be the size of a class, the number of pupils in each class, the number of sections that may be allowed for any class; the minimum, optimum, and the maximum strength of Secondary schools ?

APP. II] APPENDICES 243

22. Should there be any selection in matter of admission to Secondary schools and if so, what should be the basis of such selection ?

23. (a) What are the terms in the academic year ? (Mention the months which comprise each term and what period of summer vacation is allowed.)

(b) Is there a minimum number of working days prescribed ?

(c) What are the usual hours of work and how are the periods divided and how many days in a week do the classes normally work ?

(d) Would you suggest any change in the hours of work or in number of working days in week ?

(e) What should be the minimum number of working days in a year that must be enforced ?

(f) Would you suggest any change in the system of giving holidays and vacations ? Should they be the same for rural and urban areas ?

(g) Do you approve of the system of holidays now provided for all religious festivals ?

(h) Do you approve of system of giving one long vacation in the year? If not, what would you like to have in its place ? What system of breaks between working periods would you suggest ?

24. What provision is there for medical care of school children ? What should be the nature, extent and scope of such provision ?

25. (a) Are there hostels or dormitories attached to institutions ?

(b) What is the percentage of students, from outside the town or village in which the secondary school is situated, needing hostel accommodation ?

26. (a) Have you any suggestions regarding the location of schools ?

(b) Would you like to impose any restrictions in the matter of locating schools? If so, give details.

III. ADMINISTRATION AND SUPERVISION

1. What are the types of management in your State in charge of Secondary schools ?

2. What is the relationship of the management with the Department of Education and the government ?

3. Should all Secondary schools be private or State, or should there be both types ? (i.e. Are private schools to be encouraged ? Or should there be only State/Government schools ?)

4. (a) What should be the policy of the government towards private unrecognised schools, tutorial institutions, etc. ? Should they be encouraged ?

(b) What are the present requirements for recognition of the Secondary schools and what should be the minimum requirements for this purpose ?

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5. (a) Is there a grant-in-aid code in your State ? If so what are the general principles thereof ?

(b) If private schools are to be aided, what should be the system of aid to be followed ? (i) block grant, (ii) teachers' salary grant, (iii) per capita grant or (iv) any other system ?

6. Should Secondary education be the responsibility of

(i) State Governments, and/or

(ii) Local bodies ? and/or

(iii) Private bodies ?

Please give reasons for your answers.

7. Which is the body responsible for the control of Secondary education :

(i) to determine standards,

(ii) to prescribe text-books and syllabuses,

(iii) for the appointment of paper-setters and examiners,

(iv) for conduct of examination,

(v) for publication of results,

(vi) for discipline and welfare of students, and

(vii) for inspection of institutions preparing candidates for Secondary School Leaving Certificate Examination and to see that the conditions laid down are observed ?

8. What is the relationship of the body responsible for Secondary education and the Department of Education of the States ?

9. What is the relationship of the body responsible for Secondary education and the University ?

10. Inspectorate :

(a) What should be the essential qualifications for the Inspectorate

(i) Teaching experience? and/or

(ii) Degree or diploma in education ? and/or

(iii) Special training for inspectorial work ?

(b) How can inspection of Secondary schools be made more constructive and effective ?

(d) Do you favour periodic interchange between inspecting and teaching staff in schools and Training Colleges ?

IV. CURRICULUM

(Including Co-curricular activities)

1. (a) What subjects should be taught in the Secondary schools?

(b) Should all subjects be taught throughout the entire Secondary course ?. If not, indicate the stages for the introduction and termination of study of particular subjects.

APP. II] APPENDICES 245

(c) Should there be a separate and special course for girls ? If special courses are suggested, what should be such courses ?

(d) Do you consider the present curiculum heavy or light ? Give rea sons for your answer.

2. What is the present medium of instruction in Primary (Basic) schools and in Secondary schools of different types ?

3. (a) What, in your opinion, should be the medium of instruction in Secondary schools of different types ? Specify giving reasons.

(b) What will be the position of the linguistic minorities in this scheme?

4. (a) How many languages are to be taught (either as compulsory or optional) in i) the Junior High school and (ii) the Senior High school ?

(b) What is the place of the mother-tongue, the federal language, English and the classical language in the scheme of studies ?

(ii) At what stage should English be introduced and for how long should it be continued ?

(iii) What should be the position of the regional language in this scheme (specially when it differs from the child's mothertounge) ?

5. Should history, geography, civics and economics be taught as one subject-social studies-both in the Junior and Senior High schools?

6. Should general science be a compulsory subject in the Junior High School stage, to be differentiated later ? Or should it continue till end of the Secondary course ?

7. Would you consider it desirable to test a candidate in general knowledge at the school leaving stage ?

8. (a) What place should handicrafts play in the scheme of Secondary education ?

(b) Would you favour every Secondary school teaching at least one craft ?

9. (a) It has been suggested that as India is predominatly an agricultural country, it is necessary that agriculture should be one of the subjects of study at all stages of education. What are your views on this subject ?

(b) If Agriculture is to be a subject of study at the 9Secondary school, what in your opinion, should be the stage at which it should be introduced and what should be the duration of the course and the subjects of study ?

10. Would you suggest separate Agricultural schools If so, where would you locate them and what would you suggest should be the requirements needed for starting such a school ? What will you suggest as the requirement for the practical training needed ?

246 APPENDICES [APP. II

11. Do you think that those who are trained in such schools, should have facilities for higher study ? If so, what courses of higher study would you recommend for them ?

12. What would you suggest as the qualifications needed for teachers in such Agricultural schools and what emoluments would you suggest for them ?

13. What ancillary subjects of study would you suggest for those who wish to study Agriculture in Secondary schools ?

14. What steps would you suggest for adoption to enable those who qualify in Agriculture to pursue the subject in after life ?

15. (a) Should there be prescribed books or only courses of studies ?

(b) What are (i) the advantages, and (ii) the disadvantages of prescribing books ?

16. It has been suggested that the elements of (i) logic (or the art of thinking) and (ii) psychology should form part of the secondary school courses, what is your opinion on this point ?

17. At what stage should specialization begin and to what extent should it be allowed ?

18. (a) What kinds of co-curricular (extra-curricular) activities do you have in your schools ?

(b) How much time do you give for such activities (in hours) per week?

(d) If so how much more ?

(e) Will there be a difference between the junior and senior stages in this matter ?

(f) What other activities besides those you already have, would you encourage provided you have time and necessary facilities for them?

19. What facilities for art and music should be provided in Secondary schools ? Should such a provision be made both for boys' and girls' schools ?

20. (a) What in your opinion should be the place assigned to moral and/or religious instruction in Secondary schools and how, would you organize such instruction ?

(b) What other alternate ways would you suggest for the promotion of character building and training in leadership ?

(c) How far is discipline maintained in schools in your area ? Is there any growing tendency towards indiscipline ? If so, what do you attribute this to ? What measures would you suggest for ensuring better discipline in schools and in the life of the student ?