SPECIAL FACILITIES AND INCENTIVES FOR THE SCHEDULED CASTES AND SCHEDULED TRIBES
Recognising the disadvantaged status of the scheduled castes and scheduled tribes special facilities and incentive have been provided to them at all levels and for all kinds of education. These aim at motivating the deprived students avail of the existing facilities. While incentives take the form of financial assistance and rewards for reaching particular achievement, facilities are directed at the provision of physical infrastructure. Both are necessary because the problems of scheduled groups is to be tackled on two fronts- motivational and physical. The incentives help to remove motivational barrier, facilities take care of their physical deprivations. This chapter analyses the facilities and incentives that have become available for the scheduled castes and scheduled tribes in the ITIs. We shall particularly consider the following issues :
(i) The extent to which facilities for the scheduled caste scheduled tribes are available in the ITIs and whether these are adequate.
(ii) The nature of different incentives schemes and the manner in which those are operating from the view point of coverage and timely availability.
(iii) Special schemes for the tribal areas and the extent to which those are meeting the needs of tribal people.
(iv) The manner in which those schemes can be modified, if necessary, to make them more meaningful for the scheduled groups.
The above issues are examined first by taking the schemes as they have been devised by the Government. This is followed by a discussion of their actual availability and implementation in the selected institutions. The question of adequacy of the various schemes along with suggestions for necessary modification for improvement has-been studied with the help of data collected from a cross section of students, teachers and principals
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of selected institutions. It is hoped that their suggestions will greatly help the policy makers in modifying the schemes meaningfully. In this context attention will be focussed specially on institutions located in the tribal areas.
Provision of Facilities Facilities for industrial training have been provided by the Ministry of Labour, Government of India in most of the districts of the country. In some places specially in big cities, where demand for the middle level manpower is greater, there are more than one ITI. As a part of effort to develop tribal areas, special ITIs have been started therein.
The trades offered in different ITIs largely depend on the needs of the industry and business of the areas. For example, in the ITI at Ahwa (Gujarat) there was provision for only three trades. In contrast, the ITIs in the big cities had as many as 18 trades. Our survey of the selected institutions revealed that the trades were opened or closed according to the requirements at the particular time.
It was shown in Chapter IV that there was gross under-utilisation of seats in certain trades. As no scientific survey seem to have been undertaken beforehand, most often trades were started or closed on the basis of presumed market demand. This occasionally resulted in wastage of scarce and valuable resources. It is therefore, suggested that the various trades and seats therein are allotted only after conducting proper survey of market demand.
Reservation of Seats and Relaxation of Marks The provision of ITIs in most of the districts, specially in the tribal areas helps the children in each district to utilise this vocational training facility optimally. In order that these facilities are utilised fully by the scheduled castes and the scheduled tribes also, seats have been reserved for them in these institutions. Further, there is relaxation in eligibility conditions. It was shown in Chapter IV that reservation is provided by all the states for scheduled castes and scheduled tribes according to their proportion in the population of the state. In the tribal ITIs most of the seats are reserved for the scheduled tribes and scheduled castes and only a few seats are kept open for general candidates.
It may be added here that the seat reservation in the ITIs is made tradewise. If sufficient number of candidates are not forthcoming among
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the scheduled castes or the scheduled tribes, the unfilled seats are treated as unreserved and allotted to the non-scheduled candidates. Relaxation in marks and in upper age limit have helped very substantially in fulfilling the quota reserved for the scheduled groups.
Reserved quota was fully utilised by the scheduled castes in all the states. There was, however, underutilisation by the scheduled tribes to a varying extent in different states depending upon the location of the ITI.
Tradewise utilisation of seats by the scheduled groups was in accordance with their reservation, quota, and it was quite high in some of the popular trades. Seats were, however alloted to the pupils coming from the scheduled groups without due regard to their aptitude, interest or ability. In large cases the admission was given in a trade for which application was given. It was discovered at places that the reservation quota was filled in letter without looking at its spirit. For example, in some cases scheduled castes and scheduled tribes candidates securing very high marks were enrolled in trades like carpentry not requiring high ability and candidates having very low marks were enrolled in electronic trade in the same institution. It did not concern the principal even to ask the student offering carpentry if he was interested in any engineering trade or to pursuade the one offering engineering trade to go in for carpentry or any other trade requiring lower ability. This focuses on the need of a proper vocational guidance system in the ITIs specially for the scheduled castes and scheduled tribes trainees because they do not get much guidance from home, being the first or, at best second generation learners. The teachers and administrators also need to be sensitised about the problems of the scheduled castes and scheduled tribes.
Provisions of Hostel Facilities Most of the Ins have been located at district headquarters or near industrial establishments. Considering the facts that most of their clientele come from the surrounding areas, provision of hostels becomes an important facility. In technical institutions the importance of hostel living has an added advantage because in factories and the plants where the product of the ITIs are generally employed, team work counts a lot and living in hostels prepares students for the necessary team spirit. For the scheduled castes and scheduled tribes students, hostels have much more relevance since most of them come from rural areas where the home
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environments by no means is condusive to study. Moreover, it may not be practicable to commute daily from home to the ITI and back.
Many ITIs provide hostel seat, for the scheduled castes and scheduled tribes students either in the hostels attached to the institution or in the special hostels for the scheduled castes and scheduled tribes. The survey of the selected institutions revealed that hostel seats were not available at all places and, wherever the facility was available, the number of seats in them were far less than the demand. For example, in Andhra Pradesh while the total students strength of the four selected ITIs in 1981-82 was 1,275 the number of hostel seats was only 304. Out of these 77 were used by the scheduled castes and 76 by the scheduled tribes. In Gujarat, the actual number of students in the hostels was much more than their seating capacity. For example, in the hostel in Palanpur ITI there were 170 students against 100 seats. In addition there were 125 scheduled tribes students who needed hostel facility. In Surendranagar ITI, there were 110 students against 50 seats. The tribal ITT in Ahwa had no hostel attached to it although quite a large number of students in this ITI came from other districts.
Infrastructural facilities in the hostels were nominal and maintenance very poor. In the hostel attached to Hyderabad ITI students lived in sheds where rain water could easily enter. There were no cots, no tables and chairs. Students were doing their own cooking. In the Bastar ITI although the hostel was newly constructed, it had more students than its actual capacity. The hostel had cots for the inmates. However, since 56 students were living together in a room, it did not have the atmosphere for study. The cooking was done by the students in the living room. The fire was made of woods. The toilets were used as store rooms and students went to the open fields for descretion.
Stipend for hostelers was higher than for day scholars but the additional amount was not commensurate with the cost of living in the hostel. All the respondents-principals, teachers and students invariably felt that the maintenance allowance was too little for their maintenance and forced the hostelers, specially belonging to the scheduled groups, to supplement it by undertaking some economic activity. It was suggested by one and all the respondents that minimum stipend for the hostelers should be Rs. 150/- per month.
Incentives for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in the
ITIs While provision of facilities is essential to enable the scheduled castes and the scheduled tribes make use of the available opportunities,
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incentives are provided with a view to motivate them to use the facilities. Incentive become essential for them because of their low socioeconomic status and also because most of them are first generation learners generally lacking in any intrinsic motivation.
The Social Welfare, the Tribal Welfare and Harijan Welfare Departments in different states provide for a number of incentives in the form of stipends and scholarships, books and equipment grants, uniform and sometimes, pocket money as well.
To determine the actual availability of various incentives in the ITIs, the extent of their coverage and adequacy, and the manner in which these were administered in regard to timely disbursal, relevant questions were included in the Institutional Proforma and Proforma designed for the principals, teachers and students.
Data analysis from the selected institutions in various states revealed that the incentives provided by the government stipend and scholarships, uniforms, free books and grant for stationery and equipment-were available to the student in all the institutions. The amount, however, varied from state to state depending on the department administering the incentives. Similarly, there were minor variations regarding the availability of uniforms, books and grants for equipment and stationery. The coverage of the scheduled population differed among the states. As regards the timely disbursal of the incentives there were differences in the states. Perceptions of the three groups regarding the adequacy or otherwise of the incentives also differed from state to state.
This section presents an analysis of statewise availability of the incentives and their coverage, the manner in which they are administered, and, preceptions of the students, teachers and principals about them.
In Andhra Pradesh all the scheduled castes and scheduled tribes students were getting a stipend of Rs. 45 only from the State Government when no other aid was available. Tribal Welfare Department gave a stipend of Rs. 75 to the scheduled tribes students. In the ITI at Upper Sileru the stipend rate for the scheduled castes was Rs. 70 p.m. while scheduled tribes got a stipend of Rs. 75 (with pre-matric qualification) and Rs. 90 (with Post-Matric qualification). Rupees 80 per month were given to all those students who were covered by special employment scheme while Rs. 100 were given to all the scheduled castes and scheduled tribes who were undergoing training under TRYSEM scheme. As this ITI provided for common mess facilities, mess charges of the scheduled castes and scheduled tribes living in the hostel were fully reimbursed.
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Rs. 80 per annum were paid as books grants to scheduled castes/ scheduled tribes students in the ITI in Andhra Pradesh. Special work uniform were supplied to all ITI students. All scheduled castes and scheduled tribes students got drawing sheets, note books, rubber, pencils etc. in the ITIs.
The principal maintained that the stipend money was disbursed regularly every month. The sanction formalities, however, involve complicated procedures and led to delays in the first disbursement of the stipend.
With respect to the adequacy of the incentives the principal, teachers and students, all felt that the minimum stipend should be Rs. 100/- in the ITIs.
In one ITI in Andhra Pradesh the mess bill for the scheduled castes and scheduled tribes was being fully reimbursed by the State Government. This resulted in considerable increase in the amount of mess bill and placed a very heavy burden on the nonscheduled students who were living in the hostel at their own expenses.
In Bihar, scholarship scheme covered all the scheduled castes and scheduled tribes students. The amount of scholarship was Rs. 40 if given by the ITI, that is, Ministry of Labour and Rs. 45 when it was given by the Social Welfare Department. The institutional scholarship ran the risk of withdrawal if a student absented himself continuously for ten days. Therefore, most of the students prefered the scholarship given by the Tribal Welfare Department if available.
There were no complaints regarding administration of stipend. However, the amount was considered meagre by the students. They wanted it to be raised to a minimum of Rs. 100 p.m.
In the four ITIs surveyed in Gujarat, the scheduled castes students were paid a stipend of Rs. 100 p.m. while the scheduled tribes were paid at the rate of Rs. 125 p.m. Economically backward students who secured a minimum of 45 per cent marks in the qualifying examination also got a stipend of Rs. 100. p.m. There was no provision of book grants or pocket allowance in Gujarat. However, some institutes had book banks. All the scheduled castes and scheduled tribes trainees in the ITIs got free uniform and stationery and other things. Certain other equipment was also provided free.
As regards the disbursal of the stipend money, it was disbursed in time in Palanpur ITI but it was rarely so in Surendernagar ITI. This was due to delays in the release of grants by the concerned authorities. In the Ahmedabad ITI the disbursal of stipend was yearly and was paid
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by cheque. Irregularity and delay in its disbursement were pointed out by most respondents.
Amount of stipend has been considered inadequate by all the sections principals, teachers and students. Suggestions for raising the amount ranged from Rs. 120 p.m. to Rs. 200 p.m. in Palanpur, Ahmedabad and Surendernagar Ms. In the Ahwa ITI the suggested amount was Rs. 250/ - per month.
Stipend rates as well as the coverage with regard to scheduled caste students varied in Madhya Pradesh from one institution to the other. In Bastar, ITI all the scheduled tribes and scheduled castes students got a stipend of Rs. 100 p.m. Besides, the scheduled tribes students also got Rs. 50 p.m. as pocket allowance. In Indore ITI all scheduled castes and scheduled tribes students got a stipend of Rs. 100 p.m. In Ujjain ITI the scheduled castes got a stipend of Rs 75 p.m. and the coverage was only 50 per cent.
Free uniform and equipment were provided to all scheduled castes and scheduled tribes in Bastar, Indore and Ujjain ITIs.
Nothing has been said about the timely disbursal of the incentives. However, the stipend amount was considered inadequate by the responents and they suggested that it should be increased to at least Rs. 150 p.m.
Suggestion for Improvement of Facilities and Incentives Reservation of seats, relaxation in minimum marks, relaxation in upper age limit and provision of hostels are important facilities for the scheduled castes and the scheduled tribes in the ITIs. These have helped in increasing their enrolment in the ITIs over the past several years. However, our survey of the principals, teachers and students in the selected Ms brought out many problems faced by the students which need an early solution. This section will bring out those problems and would present some suggestins for better implementation of the various schemes which would benefit all the students in the ITIs, particularly those belonging to the scheduled groups.
Our survey of the ITIs in the five selected states indicated the seats reserved for the scheduled castes and the scheduled tribes were filled to a varying degree except in Maharashtra where the enrolments of the scheduled castes was more than their quota. It was also observed that the candidates were admitted to various trades without any regard to their aptitude.
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With regard to underutilisation of seats by the scheduled castes and scheduled tribes candidates, it was felt that instead of fixing the reservation quota for each ITI on the basis of the proportion of the scheduled castes/scheduled tribes population in the total population in each state, it would be more appropriate to fix the reservation quota according to their respective proportions in the district's population since it is too much to expect that in those districts where the population of scheduled castes or scheduled tribes is low the quota can be filled.
Simple introduction of the reservation quota and relaxation in eligibility criterion can help in bringing the scheduled castes and scheduled tribes in the training institutions but, in order that they are able to benefit optimally from them, there is need to implement the schemes discretely. For this there is need of sensitizing the administrators and teachers about the socio-psychological problems of the scheduled castes and scheduled tribes.
As the seats in the special ITIs in the tribal areas were not fully utilized by the scheduled groups there is need to study the types of trades that would be made available in such ITIs. The seats for different trades should also be distributed according to the requirements of the region.
The survey indicated acute shortage of hostel facilities in the various ITIs. These need to be expanded substantially so that a much larger number of scheduled castes and scheduled tribes students, particularly coming from rural areas and distant places, could live properly during the training. Moreover, to create proper study atmosphere for the children from the disadvantaged groups, the infrastructural facilites in the hostels, like provision of cots, tables, chairs etc., need to be improved very substantially. The survey revealed that the students cooked their own meals which we felt, is not conducive to their studies. There should be institutional messing facilities in all hostels where they do not presently exist. Maintenance allowance should be raised so that it coyers students expenses at the ITIs and makes a reasonable existence possible.