Enabling Human Development
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Enabling Human Development Enabling Human Development “We are a nation of young people. The health, education and creative abilities of our children and young people will determine the well-being and strength of our nation.” — Dr. Manmohan Singh Mid Day Meal Enabling Human Development 2 Enabling Human Development primary schools and 11,847 upper primary 2.1 Education schools were opened, 35,427 teachers appointed, 9708 additional classrooms constructed, 26.62 2.1.1 Right of children to free and compulsory lakh teachers provided in-service training and 9.54 education crore children provided textbooks. Enrolment The Right of Children to Free and targets for the primary classes have been largely Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009 was achieved in most parts of the country. Attention enacted in August 2009. Notifications have been is now being given to regular attendance and issued for the enforcement of the Constitution completion of the elementary cycle of eight years (86th Amendment) Act and the RTE Act with of formal schooling. effect from 1st April 2010. Mid-day meals in schools The RTE Act secures the right of Under the National Programme of children to free and compulsory education in a Mid-Day Meals in schools, the cooking cost has neighbourhood school till completion of been enhanced. Further, cooks-cum-helpers are elementary education. It specifies the duties and now being paid Rs 1000/- per month for their responsibilities of appropriate governments, local part-time services. The cost of construction of authorities and parents in providing free and kitchen-cum-store has also been rationalized by compulsory education and sharing of financial linking it to the States’ schedule of rates. During and other responsibilities. The Act also lays down 2009-10, about 11 crore children were benefited the norms and standards relating to pupil - teacher by the scheme. ratios, buildings and infrastructure, school working days and teacher working hours. 2.1.2 Strengthening secondary education The Act provides for the development The Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha of curriculum, which would ensure the all-round Abhiyan was launched in March 2009 with the development of the child, building on the child’s objective of improving access to secondary knowledge, potential and talent and making the education, while enhancing quality. During 2009- child free of fear, trauma and anxiety through a 10, proposals from 31 States and UTs were system of child-friendly and child-centred considered and clearance was given to setting up learning. It also provides for protection and 2478 new schools and improving 6998 existing monitoring of the child’s right to free and schools. compulsory education and redressal of grievances The UPA government has decided to set by the National and State Commissions for the up 6000 high quality model schools at the rate of Protection of Child Rights, which shall have the one school per block. During 2009-10, financial powers of a civil court. assistance has been provided to set up 327 such Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) schools in 11 states. The process of aligning the Sarva A scheme for the establishment and Shiksha Abhiyan strategies and norms with the management of girls’ hostels for students of RTE mandate was initiated during the year. In secondary and higher secondary schools in the 2009-10, till 31st December 2009, 7400 new educationally backward blocks has also been 1 Enabling Human Development Celebrating the Right to Education launched. During 2009-10, approval has been offered by CBSE from 2011 onwards. It has given to set up 379 such hostels in 11 states. been decided to replace the present system of awarding marks by grades in all subjects in the 2.1.3 Quality learning and reform of school Class X Board examination conducted by CBSE education in 2010. Such grading would be continued for The examination system is being on-demand proficiency test of 2011 and beyond reformed. From 2011, it has been decided to do and also for CCE. away with Class X board examinations in CBSE 2.1.4 Thrust for female literacy - Saakshar schools, affiliated up to senior secondary level, Bharat for such students who are not moving out of the CBSE system. Further, students of class IX and The National Literacy Mission has been X will be assessed on the basis of Continuous recast as Saakshar Bharat. At least seven crore and Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE) to be non-literates will be made literate to achieve 80% implemented at the school level. CCE will be literacy. To reduce gender disparity in literacy applicable to class IX students from the session from 21% to 10%, six crore beneficiaries, out of 2009-10. Students, however will continue to have the total target of seven crore, will be women. the choice of on-demand proficiency test, if they To minimize social disparities, within the overall wish to get themselves assessed, which will be target, 1.4 crore Scheduled Castes (1 crore women 2 Enabling Human Development 2.1.5 Strengthening and reform of the higher education system Improvement of access, along with equity and excellence, enhancing the relevance of higher education through curriculum reforms, vocationalisation, networking and information technology and distance education, along with reforms in the governance structure, are some of the main policy objectives in higher education. National Commission for Higher Education & Research (NCHER) A draft bill, the National Commission for Higher Education and Research Bill, has been placed in the public domain for wider consultation and obtaining feedback from stakeholders. Accreditation The National Authority for Regulation and Accreditation of Higher Educational Saakshar Bharat, Making India Literate Institutions Bill for mandatory accreditation of and 40 lakh men), 80 lakh Scheduled Tribes (60 all higher educational institutions has been lakh women and 20 lakh men) and 1.2 crore introduced in Parliament. beneficiaries belonging to the minorities (1 crore Prohibition of unfair practices in educational women and 20 lakh men) will be covered. institutions 365 districts in the country, with adult A bill to prohibit and punish malpractices female literacy rate of 50% or less, have been and adoption of unfair practices in technical and identified for implementation of Saakshar Bharat. medical educational institutions and in the During 2009-10, the programme has been rolled university system, to protect the interest of out in 167 districts in 19 States to cover 3.83 crore students and applicants seeking admission, has non-literates in over 80,000 gram panchayats been introduced in Parliament. under basic literacy programme and to establish about 81,000 adult education centres, one each Educational tribunals in a gram panchayat, under the continuing A bill to establish a two-tier structure of education component. Educational Tribunals at the State and National Grants-in-aid of Rs.325.98 crore have levels to adjudicate on the entire gamut of disputes been released to 19 States as the first instalment arising in higher education has been introduced of the Central share. in Parliament. 3 Enabling Human Development Foreign educational service providers at Rohtak, Raipur, Ranchi, Tiruchirapalli, A bill for regulating the entry and Kashipur and Udaipur. operation of foreign educational institutions in Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) India has been introduced in Parliament. Two new IITs at Indore and Mandi New Central universities started functioning from the academic year 2009-10. National Institutes of Technology (NITs) With the aim of providing at least one NIT in each of the larger States/UTs, the UPA government decided to set up 10 new NITs. These new NITs are to be located in Goa, Puducherry, Delhi, Uttarakhand, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Manipur, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim. Polytechnics New Central University in Orissa a) Setting up of new polytechnics To increase access, improve quality and A grant of Rs.2.00 crore each was provided as to remove regional imbalances in higher the first instalment to set up 178 new education, sixteen Central universities were polytechnics. Besides, a grant of Rs.5.00 crore established, including conversion of three State was given as the second instalment to 19 universities in the states of Chhattisgarh, Madhya polytechnics. Pradesh and Uttarakhand into Central b) Strengthening of existing polytechnics universities, under the Central Universities Act, 2009. All universities, except in Jammu and In order to strengthen existing polytechnics, 235 Himachal Pradesh, have commenced functioning polytechnics have been provided the first in 2009-10 from temporary premises. instalment of Rs.10.00 lakh each during 2009-10. Colleges c) Construction of women’s hostels in polytechnics A new scheme has been approved by the UPA government to provide central assistance for 343 polytechnics have been provided the first setting up of a model degree college in each of instalment of Rs.20.00 lakh each during 2009- the identified 374 educationally backward districts 10 for the construction of women’s hostels. where Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) for higher d) Community development through education is less than the national GER. polytechnics Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) During 2009-10, 479 polytechnics were given The UPA government has approved the Rs.49.09 crore for running community setting up of six Indian Institutes of Management development programmes. 4 Enabling Human Development Interest subsidy on educational loans standards, has been placed in the public domain for wider consultation. The UPA government has decided to provide full interest subsidy to poor students, National Knowledge Network whose parental income is limited to Rs.4.5 lakh A National Knowledge Network will per annum, on education loans taken by them to interconnect all universities, libraries, laboratories, pursue technical and professional courses. hospitals and agricultural institutions for sharing National Mission for Information & data and computing resources across the country Communication Technology (ICT) in over a high-speed information network having education gigabit capabilities.