ANNUAL REPORT 1978-79 NIEPA DC JFWa vn GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND SOCIAL WELFARE (Department of Education and Department of Culture) NEW DELHI PUBLICATION NUMBER 1209 Z i y n ■ y ! > / ' ) / PRINTED BY THE MANAGER, GOVT. OF INDIA PRESS, RING ROAD, M E W D )E L IH I-j-l 100 6 4 1979 CONTENTS P a g e s I. INTRODUCTORY .... ... (i— viii) DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ClAPTER I School Education ........ 1— 26 T Higher Education and Research ..... 27— 80 II Technical Education ....... 81— 98 V S c h o l a r s h i p s ..................................................................................99— 105 ' B ook Prom otion and C o p y r i g h t ...............................................106— 116 V Y outh S e r v i c e s ..................................................................................117— 122 VI Physical Education and S p o r t s .............................................. 123— 137 V II L a n g u a g e s ..............................................................................................138-— 15] I) Indian National Commission for Cooperation with Unesco 152— 154 ' Adult Education ........ 155— 156 X Education in the Union Territories .... 167__202 XI Activities in Common and Clearing House Functions . 203__219 DEPARTMENT OF CULTURE I Cultural A f f a i r s .................................................................................. 223'__239 II A rchaeology ............................................................................. 240—248 III A n t h r o p o l o g y .................................................................................. 249__253 IV A r c h i v e s .............................................................................................. 254— 259 V Museums and Libraries and their Conservation and Deve­ lopm ent .............................................................................................. 260— 283 II IN A N C IA L A L L O C A T I O N S ............................................. 284— 298 HI ADMINISTRATIVE CHARTS DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION INTRODUCTORY Poliy and Approach "he year 1978-79 was marked by efforts to translate into actia the new policies and approaches identified in consultation withthe States during 1977-78 to give a meaningful egalitarian orieration to the educational efforts of the Government. The natiaal objective of universal literacy has now been spelt out in tiie-bound action programmes for universalisation of element­ ary ducation and spread of adult education. The content of eduction is being revised at all stages of education to base it uporthe best in our tradition and make it relevant to local needs and nvironment. The emphasis will be on the development of the Dtal personality of the individual and promotion of social and loral values. Eduction Ministers’ Conference A Conference of Ministers of Education of Stales and Union TerriDries was held in July 1978 to discuss the programmes of actioj drawn up to implement the policies and priorities that emered during 1977-78. Te Conference approved the framework of action for the impleientation of universalisation of elementary education on a time-ound basis based on the recommendations of a working group set up in collaboration with the States and the Planning Comiission. The frame-work of action envisaged a national target of enrolment of 320 lakhs of children in the age group 6— 1> during the next 5 years 1978— 83. This will imply enrol­ ment >f 90 per cent of the children in the age group 6— 14. The Confeence emphasised the need for special efforts for the enrol­ ment ind retention of girls, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribe: through, wherever necessary, a properly designed pro- gramre of incentives. Tb Conference agreed that school education should com­ prise lementary, secondary and higher secondary stages of 12 years’luration; the undergraduate stage of higher education may be o f} years’ duration. However, where a State so desires it can hf/e 2-years’ pass and a 3-years’ honours course. The Con- ferenc welcomed the efforts to recast the content of education at all le stages. C ii) The Conference supported action to be taken for the innplple- mentation of National Adult Education Programme and reesojlvtved to give the highest priority to the programme. Draft National Policy on Education Based on extensive consultations and discussions the Mliniiststry had attempted a draft National Policy on Education whicch wwas placed before the Conference of Education Ministers. Thee (C o n ­ ference while broadly approving the outlines of the policy ' waint itcd time for the communication of the remarks of the State GJowenrn- ments. These remarks have since been received. Thee ■ dnralt Policy has since been revised keeping in view the remarks, oif t the State Governments and other Central Ministries. It is hojpeed 1 to finalise the draft Policy very soon and place it before thie ccoiunintry and Parliament. Universalisation of Elementary Education Elementary education has been accepted as one of tlhe hiaigh priority areas of action by the Government along witlh addult education. Time-bound plans have been drawn up> f for ‘ t the universalisation of elementary education in the country. Im I line with the recommendations made by a working group sett tup 3 in collaboration with the Planning Commission and the Sttattes.s, a provision of Rs. 900 crores—nearly 46 per cent of tlhe taotal provision for education—was made in the draft Five Te;ar PPlafl for Education. This represents a substantial increase frrorm the provisions made in the previous plans which have ranged airoound 30 per cent. It also meant nearly doubling the pr oviisicon i of Rs. 410 crores made for elementary education in the Filfthi FFive Year Plan. The States were requested to draw up pllams for universal elementary education in their jurisdiction andl tlhe pl»lans were discussed in regional conferences with the autihoiritiies s of the State Governments. These plans emphasised not mejrctly en­ rolment but also efforts to stabilise attendance and efffoirtss to bring down the dropout rates. An entirely new featur e lhass bbeen the emphasis on non-formal education programmes for tlhe oblder children who have dropped out of school and those whio Jhawe : not been to school. These non-formal education programmers dlessign- ed to suit the needs and requirements of these children wlho > are mostly girls and drawn from weaker sections of the lpojpullatition. are expected to ensure extension of educational oppcortiunnities to the weaker sections and at the same time reduce tlhe drroppout rates. Particular attention is being given to the 9 Statees wl'hich (iii) havi lagged behind in elementary education and which have 75 percent of the non-enrolled children. These are Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Jammu and Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Rajisthan, Uttai Pradesh and West Bengal. The States have alsc been advised during the discussions on the draft Five Year Plai 1978-83 and Annual Plan 1979-80 to ensure that adequate pro'ision is made for the elementary education sector. However, it nust oe mentioned here that due to difficult resources position sone of these States are encountering difficulties in providing adequate funds for elementary education. } It may, however, be posible through more intensive utilization of educational facilities and also redeployment of the resources available to the Education Departments to secure greater impact. Government of India are aimne at 90 per cent enrolment of the children in the age group 6— 14 by 1982-83. Coitent of Education The Report of the Committee to review the curriculum at the school stage has been accepted by the Central Government. It vas discussed at the Ministers’ Conference and broadly ap- pro'ed. The Central Board of Secondary Education has reviewed its (urrieulum dropping the academic load on the lines recom- merded by the Committee. The Conference of Chairmen of the Stat-. Boards of Education lias also accepted a majority of the reconmendations which are under various Stages of implemen­ tation in the State. Government objective is to move towards a revision of the contents of education basing it on the best in our traditions and making it relevant to our needs and environ- men. Aduf Education "he National Adult Education Programme, which was drawn up ;fter detailed and wide ranging discussions at various levels was naugurated on 2nd October, 1978. A provision of Rs. 200 crors has been made for the adult education programme in the Plan 1978— 83 which represents nearly 10 per cent of the total plan provision for education. discussions have been held with the State authorities for the impfmentation of the programme in the States. The State Boads of Adult Education are in position in all the States and Unicn Territories. The Administrative infrastructure has moved into oosition in most of the States and Union Territories. Volun­ (iv) tary organisations are being mobilised in most of the St ates tanand they are seeking the assistance of the Central Government throiuglugh the State Governments on a large scale. The Ministry is ailsolso setting up an evaluation and monitoring machinery to ensure tthahat the impact of the programme is being carefully evaluated ;anand monitored. Y ocationalisation The programme of vocationalisation of secondary educattioiion has picked up momentum during the year under review. TThifhe Centre’s role in the schemc is mainly to ensure countrywide acc;epep- tance of this concept and to assist the State Governments ii in establishing the relevance of vocationalisation to our socio-e;coco- nomic needs. The provision of funds in the Central s.ector fo for assisting the States in their efforts in the field of vocationalisatfiouon of higher secondary education, has been utilized in full and th'the general response of the State Governments has been quite encxuiou- raging. Financial assistance has been released to 80 dhstrictss ii in 14 States for taking up vocationalisation. Higher Education The University Grants Commission finalised the policy frainume for the development of higher education in India for the niexext 10—15 years and also the approach to development of hi«;hc,hcr education for the next 5 years.