Part II Human Development Chapter 2 - NITI
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49 Human Development 2.1 Human development and the quality of life of citizens are central to any development planning. Human development indicators such as access to basic education and health services have a strong linkage with eradication of poverty and economic progress. The strong focus on universal basic education and health in the 10 th Plan, which laid down specific monitorable targets in these areas, shows a visible shift in the approach to development planning. For improving the quality of life, the use of new technologies and scientific knowledge in the delivery of education and health services and promotion of scientific and technological interventions in these social sectors is likely to have a significant impact not only on the quality of health and education services but also on their accessibility to the urban and rural poor and the disadvantaged sections. 2.2 Clear policies to improve programmes and their delivery in social sectors like education and health, supported by increased public sector spending in these areas, as also efficient use of new technologies such as ICT, is essential for development of human capital. However, social sectors like education and health have, in the past, not received the desired level of financial support both from the Centre and the States due to financial constraints. Increased public spending on health and education and successful public-private partnership, for creating social infrastructure and successful delivery of services, is the need of the hour. 2.3 To bridge the divide between the haves and have-nots and to ensure economic progress of the latter, access to quality basic education and health care is imperative not only to reduce social and regional disparities, but also to achieve balanced growth and development. States, which have given high priority to investment in the education and health sectors, have shown greater economic progress also in recent years. EDUCATION 2.1.1 The Tenth Five Year Plan recognised education as a critical input in human resource development and in the countrys economic growth. It also reiterated the fact that though the major indicators of socio-economic development growth rate of the economy, birth rate, death rate, infant and maternal mortality rates and literacy rate are interlinked, the literacy rate is a major determinant of the rise and fall of other indicators. 2.1.2 It was in recognition of this that three of the 11 monitorable targets of the Tenth Plan focused on elementary education and literacy: All children in schools by 2003; all children to complete five years of schooling by 2007; Reduction in the gender gap in literacy by at least 50 per cent by 2007; and Increase in literacy rates to 75 per cent within the Plan period 2.1.3 There has been good progress in achieving some of these targets. The enrolment drive launched during the second year of Tenth Plan to bring all children in the age group of 6-14 in schools has resulted in a reduction in the number of out-of-school children from 42 million at the beginning of Plan period to 8.1 million in September 2004. Universal enrolment is expected to be achieved by 2005 and accordingly, the Tenth Plan target of 2003 will need to be revised with consequential revisions in targets for retention and completion. 2.1.4 The gender gap in literacy had already started narrowing in the 1990s. The gap had Human Development Chapter 2 Part II
Transcript of Part II Human Development Chapter 2 - NITI
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Human Development
2.1 Human development and the qualityof life of citizens are central to any developmentplanning. Human development indicators suchas access to basic education and health serviceshave a strong linkage with eradication ofpoverty and economic progress. The strongfocus on universal basic education and healthin the 10th Plan, which laid down specificmonitorable targets in these areas, shows avisible shift in the approach to developmentplanning. For improving the quality of life,the use of new technologies and scientificknowledge in the delivery of education andhealth services and promotion of scientific andtechnological interventions in these socialsectors is likely to have a significant impactnot only on the quality of health and educationservices but also on their accessibility to theurban and rural poor and the disadvantagedsections.
2.2 Clear policies to improve programmesand their delivery in social sectors like educationand health, supported by increased public sectorspending in these areas, as also efficient use ofnew technologies such as ICT, is essential fordevelopment of human capital. However, socialsectors like education and health have, in thepast, not received the desired level of financialsupport both from the Centre and the Statesdue to financial constraints. Increased publicspending on health and education and successfulpublic-private partnership, for creating socialinfrastructure and successful delivery of services,is the need of the hour.
2.3 To bridge the divide between the�haves� and �have-nots� and to ensure economicprogress of the latter, access to quality basiceducation and health care is imperative notonly to reduce social and regional disparities,but also to achieve balanced growth anddevelopment. States, which have given highpriority to investment in the education and
health sectors, have shown greater economicprogress also in recent years.
EDUCATION
2.1.1 The Tenth Five Year Plan recognisededucation as a critical input in human resourcedevelopment and in the country�s economicgrowth. It also reiterated the fact that thoughthe major indicators of socio-economicdevelopment � growth rate of the economy, birthrate, death rate, infant and maternal mortalityrates and literacy rate � are interlinked, theliteracy rate is a major determinant of the riseand fall of other indicators.
2.1.2 It was in recognition of this that threeof the 11 monitorable targets of the TenthPlan focused on elementary education andliteracy:
� All children in schools by 2003; allchildren to complete five years ofschooling by 2007;
� Reduction in the gender gap in literacyby at least 50 per cent by 2007; and
� Increase in literacy rates to 75 per centwithin the Plan period
2.1.3 There has been good progress inachieving some of these targets. The enrolmentdrive launched during the second year of TenthPlan to bring all children in the age group of6-14 in schools has resulted in a reduction inthe number of out-of-school children from 42million at the beginning of Plan period to 8.1million in September 2004. Universal enrolmentis expected to be achieved by 2005 andaccordingly, the Tenth Plan target of 2003 willneed to be revised with consequential revisionsin targets for retention and completion.
2.1.4 The gender gap in literacy had alreadystarted narrowing in the 1990s. The gap had
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come down to 21.59 per cent in the 2001Census from 24.85 in the 1991 Census. Thetotal literacy rate improved significantly from52.21 per cent in 1991 to 64.84 in 2001, aquantum jump of 12.63 percentage points in adecade. The country is expected to achieve theTenth Plan target of literacy rate of 75 per centby 2007 through the combined efforts of theongoing elementary and adult educationprogrammes.
2.1.5 No quantitative target was fixed forsecondary education in the Tenth Plan. The onlytarget that was fixed for the university and highereducation sector was increasing the accessparameter for the eligible age-group (18-23) from6 per cent in 2002 to 10 per cent by 2007, whichmeans that enrolment in the university/collegesshould increase from 7.5 million in the beginningof the Plan period to 12.5 million in 2007.Although the enrolment has increased at anaccelerated rate in the first two years of the Plan,the enrolment ratio is likely to be lower thanthe target of 10 per cent for 2007.
2.1.6 The United Progressive Alliance (UPA)government is committed to universalisingaccess to basic quality education with greateremphasis on covering all the unreachedsegments and social groups, includingminorities. This commitment is reflected in asubstantial increase in the allocation of fundsfor elementary education by 56 per cent fromRs 5750 crore to Rs 8982 crore in the mid-yearof the Annual Plan 2004-05. The budgetallocation for 2005-06 has been further steppedup by 36 per cent to Rs 12241.76 crore. Thelevy of an education cess of 2 per cent of majordirect taxes with the proceeds being paid intoa non-lapsable fund, the Prarambhik ShikshaKosh is a concrete step towards providingassured funding for education. The long-termgoal, as spelt out in the National CommonMinimum Programme (NCMP) is to raiseeducational expenditure to 6 per cent of GrossDomestic Product (GDP).
ELEMENTARY EDUCATION ANDLITERACY
2.1.7 The �Education For All� decade of the1990s witnessed a massive countrywide
exercise for achieving the internationalcommitment of universalisation of basiceducation. This was done through severalprogrammes such as the District PrimaryEducation Programme (DPEP), and thesubsequent Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA)programme launched in 2001, the TeacherEducation Programme, the NationalProgramme of Nutritional Support toPrimary Education (commonly known as theMid-day Meal Scheme), activities under theNational Literacy Mission, special programmesfor promotion of Early Childhood Care andEducation, inclusive education etc.
2.1.8 These efforts seem to have borne fruit,with the total literacy rate at 64.84 per cent in2001. For the first time, the number of illiteratesdeclined in absolute terms by 23 million, from329 million in 1991 to 306 million in 2001.Nine states are in the high literacy rate categoryand 13 states have shown a higher rate ofincrease than the national average (12.63 percent) during 1991-2001. These include some ofthe states that were lagging behind � Rajasthan(21.86 per cent), Madhya Pradesh (19.07 percent) and Uttar Pradesh (15.56 per cent). Femaleliteracy rate too increased at a faster rate (14.39per cent) than that for males (11.13 per cent) inthis decade. A majority of low female literacystates like Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Rajasthan,Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh have shownsignificant improvement.
2.1.9 However, a lot more needs to be done.Regional, social and gender variations in literacycontinue to remain serious areas of concern.There are at least seven major states with morethan 15 million illiterates each, accounting fornearly two-thirds of total illiterates in thecountry. Though the gender gap has narrowedsince 1991, it is still big. The literacy rates forSCs (54.69 per cent) and STs (47.10 per cent)are far below the national average.
PLAN ALLOCATION ANDEXPENDITURE
2.1.10 Elementary education gets the lion�sshare of the allocations for the education sector.The Tenth Plan provided an allocationRs.30,000 crore in the Central sector for the
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schemes relating to elementary education andliteracy. The Annual Plan allocation for2002-03 and 2003-04 was Rs.4,900 crore, each.Against this, the expenditure in 2002-03 wasRs.4,476 crore and in 2003-04 was Rs.5,436crore, which was higher than the outlay. Therewas a substantial step up in allocation by 70per cent to Rs.9,232 crore in 2004-05 from Rs5436 crore in 2003-04. This includes theadditional amount of Rs.3232 crore for theNCMP commitments relating to education andliteracy (Annexure-2.1.1). The allocation forelementary education and literacy schemes wasfurther enhanced to Rs.12,531.76 crore for2005-06. With this, the aggregate allocation forfour years, at Rs.31,675.76 crore, exceeded theTenth Plan allocation by 5.6 per cent. Almost90 per cent of the allocation for 2005-06 hasgone to the two major programmes of SSAand Mid-Day Meal Scheme. Thus, adequatefunds have been provided for universalisationof elementary education in the Plan.
2.1.11 State governments also incurexpenditure in the state sector on elementaryeducation. The bulk of the state expenditure ison the non-plan side. The plan expenditure ofthe States/Union Territories on elementary
education (including adult education) isRs.4269.39 crore in 2002-03. Firm figures forthe subsequent years of the Tenth Plan are notavailable.
2.1.12 In some of the major States like UttarPradesh, Punjab, West Bengal, Orissa, Biharand Jharkhand there seems to be a problem ofresource absorption under SSA. These stateswill have to build up resource absorptioncapacities by strengthening institutionalarrangements. Some States like Assam, Gujarat,Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh,Maharashtra, Orissa, Tripura and West Bengalare not providing their full mandatory share of25 per cent in their budgets for SSA. It becomesvery difficult to provide this amount at therevised estimates (RE) stage. This distorts theSSA perspective plans and leads to otherproblems like holding up infrastructure projectsand delays in salaries for teachers.
UNIVERSALISATION OFELEMENTARY EDUCATION
2.1.13 The Working Group on Elementaryand Adult Education for the Tenth Plan hadestimated that enrolment for primary education
Box 2.1.1Major steps taken for strengthening UEE
The first three years of the Plan period witnessed major steps being taken towards the goal ofuniversalising elementary education. These are:
� The 86th
Amendment of the Constitution in December 2002 made free and compulsoryeducation for all children in the 6-14 age group a justiciable fundamental right.
� The Centrally Sponsored Schemes for elementary education were streamlined andrationalised, through a zero-based budgeting exercise and all the schemes were convergedunder five major schemes: Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA); National Programme forNutritional Support to Primary Education (Mid-Day Meals Scheme); Teachers Education;Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya (KGBV); and Mahila Samakhya.
� The Mid-Day Meal Scheme was universalised at the primary level, with the Centralgovernment providing conversion cost, enhanced transport subsidy in addition to supplyingfoodgrains free of cost to States/Union Territories.
� A 2 per cent Education Cess has been levied on income tax, excise duty, custom duty andservice tax since 2004 for financing basic quality education.
� A Prarambhik Shiksha Kosh, a non-lapsable fund for funding SSA and the Mid-Day Mealis being established and the proceeds of the Education Cess will go into this.
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would have to grow at an average annual rateof 1.12 per cent for boys and 4.16 per cent forgirls in order to achieve the goal ofuniversalisation of elementary education (UEE)by 2010.
SARVA SHIKSHA ABHIYAN
2.1.14 The Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA),launched in 2001, is the main vehicle forachieving the goals of UEE, through a time-bound integrated approach in partnership withthe states, local government and thecommunity. The programme addresses theneeds of about 210 million children in 11 lakhhabitations through 8.84 lakh existing primaryand upper primary schools and non-formaleducation centres, including EducationGuarantee Scheme (EGS) and AlternativeInnovative Education (AIE) centres.
2.1.15 The specific objectives of SSA are:
� All children to be in schools by 2003
� All children to complete five years ofprimary schooling by 2007
� All children to complete eight years ofschooling by 2010
� Focus on elementary education ofsatisfactory quality with emphasis oneducation for life
� Bridge all gender and social disparitiesat the primary stage by 2007 and at theelementary level by 2010
� Universal retention by 2010.
2.1.16 The SSA subsumed most of existingprogrammes on elementary education. Thefund-sharing pattern of SSA is 75:25 betweenthe Centre and the states, and expenditurecovers, among other things, construction ofschool building, additional class rooms,distribution of textbooks to all girls andchildren belonging to SCs/STs, developingteaching-learning materials and appointmentof new teachers.
2.1.17 Though SSA was launched towards theend of the Ninth Plan, it took a while tooperationalise and the preparatory workcontinued during the first year of the TenthPlan. State governments had to arrange for
minimum institutional arrangements,acceptance of the concept of communityownership of schools, establishment of VillageEducation Committees (VEC), Mother-Teachers Associations (MTA) and Parent-Teachers Associations (PTA), undertaking anintensive habitation based household survey,preparation of village education registers anddistrict perspective plans.
2.1.18 The primary focus of SSA has been onimproving the existing infrastructure of regularschools as well as on alternate strategies formainstreaming out-of-school children. Thedelayed start of SSA made it necessary for thetarget of getting all children in school by 2003to be extended to 2005 with consequentialrevisions in the targets for school retentionand completion.
2.1.19 The interventions under SSA � and itspredecessor, the District Primary EducationProgramme (DPEP) � had a positive impact onschool enrolments, substantially improvedaccessibility as well as the school environment.
2.1.20 According to provisional estimates ofthe Seventh All India Education Survey,enrolment in the primary stage increased from114 million in 2001-02 to 122 million in 2002-03. Dropout rates also declined significantlyfrom 39.03 per cent to 34.89 per cent duringthis period.
2.1.21 The number of out-of-school children,estimated at 42 million at the beginning of theTenth Plan has come down to 23 million inApril 2003 and further to 8.1 million inSeptember 2004. Various strategies have beenevolved to mainstream street children, workingchildren and differently abled children.Adequate teaching-learning materials andprovision of other joyful learning conditionsin schools should be ensured, and the childtracking system should be intensified. There isneed for a greater social mobilisation to tacklethe chronic problem of child labour, whichnegates the fundamental right to education.Therefore, anti�child labour campaigns shouldbecome an integral part of SSA publicity.
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2.1.22 Achievements must not overshadowthe fact that there are wide gaps in terms oflearner�s achievement. The poor quality ofeducation is one of the reasons for high dropoutrates. Improving the quality of education is,therefore, a high priority item for SSA.
2.1.23. In the infrastructure front, for theperiod 2001-2005, arrangements have been madeto open 1.37 lakh new schools, construct about80,000 school buildings and 1.92 lakh additionalclass rooms, appoint 7.48 lakh new elementaryteachers, besides 1.8 lakh EGS/AIE instructors.The construction of 1.57 lakh toilets and1.12 lakh drinking water facilities has also beensanctioned under SSA.
2.1.24 Tenth Plan envisaged a revision in thefunding pattern of SSA to 50:50 in the EleventhPlan. Considering the resource constraints ofthe states, it is recommended that the existingratio of 75:25 should be maintained till end ofSSA Mission period. With the money comingin from the education cess, the Central fundingunder SSA has gone up by 3.2 times in 2004-05 as compared to 2002-03, necessitatingincreased state contributions in absolute terms.Some Special Category States have sought forrevision of the state�s share from 25 per cent to10 per cent, and some other states have evenrequested for a share of the cess revenue. Thefinancing pattern for all CSS including SSA inNorth East is being examined and a decisionwould be taken in this regard. At present, asignificant proportion of the SSA allocationgoes to non-plan expenditure items � schoolgrants, maintenance grants, and teaching-learning material grants and teacher�s salary,fee/honorarium for instructors and free supplyof books and uniform � that states shouldactually take over as a committed liability atthe end of the Plan/Programme period. Planfunds should increasingly go towards buildingeducational capacity and infrastructure.Adequate attention has not been given tofinancing SSA perspective plans with poolingof resources at the district level, although SSAframework provides for such pooling ofresources.
2.1.25 The erstwhile DPEP covered 273districts in 18 states and focused on hard-core
low female literacy districts. No furtherexpansion of DPEP is envisaged after the launchof SSA. The project has already been closed in26 districts of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarhin 2002. Phase-I and Phase-II of DPEP wasclosed in 118 districts in 2003. DPEP is nowoperational only in 129 districts of nine states� Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Orissa, UttarPradesh, West Bengal, Rajasthan, Jharkhandand Uttranchal. It should be merged with SSAwhen external assistance ends. Lok Jumbish,the �Education For All� project, launched in1992, and the Shiksha Karmi project, initiatedin 1987, both in Rajasthan, appear to have hada positive impact in school enrolment andattendance in the state, particularly for theweaker sections including girls in remote, aridand socio-economically backward villages.Merger of these schemes with SSA will,however, result in increased requirement offunds for SSA. The SSA guidelines should bereviewed to ensure that these optimiseinvestment, meet output targets and cater tospecial regional circumstances
SCHEMES IN THE NON-FORMALEDUCATION (NFE) STREAMS
2.1.26 The Seventh All India EducationSurvey (2003) anticipates the coverage ofchildren under EGS/AIE at 12 million to reach19 million by 2004-05. Contrary to the generalperception, alternative schooling efforts underEGS/AIE, Lok Jumbish, Shiksha Karmi,residential and non-residential bridge coursesunder DPEP and SSA were not lacking inquality. These evolutionary schools are bestsuited for the transition period formainstreaming a large proportion of out-of-school children and should be treated as aninterim arrangement. These schemes should bemerged with the SSA and states will have toplan for the sustainability of these schools.Although a substantial proportion of out-ofschool children have been covered under thenon-formal and formal streams, the interimarrangement is likely to continue for quitesome time so as to net the groups that are veryhard to reach, particularly in the EmpoweredAction Group (EAG) states. The EAG stateswill also have to increase the spending on basiceducation.
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EARLY CHILD CARE EDUCATION
2.1.27. Early Child Care Education (ECCE),an optional component under DPEP andMahila Samakhya, facilitates opening of pre-primary classes where no Integrated ChildDevelopment Services (ICDS) centre exists. Itoperates on a small scale under SSA �innovation�funds provided to each district. Since theeducation component of Anganwadis underICDS is very weak, the repetition rate inprimary classes is quite high due to enrolmentof underage children. There is a heavy casualtyof dropouts in Class I and II. This wastage hasto be stemmed by strengthening pre-schooleducation. SSA should have a separatecomponent for ECCE, where ICDS is not inoperation. Even where ICDS is operating, pre-school component of ICDS should be coveredunder SSA. This component should includeinter-alia need based training of anganwadiworkers, supply of TLM like play-way kits,supporting development of curriculum andmaterials for ICDS and honorarium for ICDSworkers for extension of anganwadi timings tothe duration of school hours. Efforts should bemade to locate ICDS centres within schoolpremises or in the close proximity of primaryschool. It is also essential that joint trainingprogrammes are organised for primary schoolteachers and ICDS workers to facilitatetransition of preschool children to Class I ofprimary school. This will have a significantimpact on increasing enrolment of girls inregular schools as the scheme, along with ICDS,would relieve the girl child from the burden ofcaring for siblings and familiarise youngchildren to the school atmosphere and check theheavy casualties in the second year of primaryschooling. The mass media, including electronicmedia, should be utilised effectively forenhancing awareness among people about theutility of elementary education.
NUTRITIONAL SUPPORT TOPRIMARY EDUCATION
2.1.28 Under the National Programme ofNutritional Support to Primary Education orMid-Day Meal Scheme, cooked meals areprovided to children in primary schools with aview to increasing enrolment and improving
attendance and improving the nutritional statusof children (Box 2.1.2).
2.1.29 The Mid-Day Meal Scheme is expectedto significantly improve school attendance andbring down dropout rates by about 5 percentagepoints per annum, resulting in increase inretention of additional 1.5 million children,every year. The programme now requiresproper institutional mechanism andmanagement structure to be established foreffective implementation, including qualitychecks at the state, district and block levels. Itsexpansion to higher classes should be done ina phased manner after proper evaluation of theimplementation at primary level.
2.1.30 There are wide inter-state variations inthe implementation of the scheme.Arrangements made in Karnataka with goodNGOs for centralised cooking of mid-day mealand delivery to various schools is worthreplicating in urban areas of other states. Insome states, cooked meals are transported toschools in public transport and licensed privatebuses. A number of non-governmentorganisations (NGOs) and self help groups(SHGs) are already engaged in providing cookedmeals in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Orissaand Uttar Pradesh. These organisations areprovided foodgrains and conversion costs, inline with state norms, as well as transportationsubsidy in some cases where they have to liftfoodgrains from FCI godowns. In some states,Anganwadis workers along with SHGs take upthe task of cooking the meals and serving thechildren.
2.1.31 The Mid-day Meal Scheme has beenrevised with effect from 1st September, 2004.The State Government should provide forproper management structures and monitoringarrangements including social audit,accountability and public-private partnership.The scheme should be evaluated by independentagencies.
INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT FORTEACHERS EDUCATION
2.1.32 The Teachers Education Scheme,launched in 1987-88, involved setting up of
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District Institute of Education & Training(DIET), College of Teachers Education (CTE),and Institute for Advanced Studies inEducation (IASE) and strengthening of StateCouncil of Educational Research and Training(SCERT). The objective was to create a viableinstitutional infrastructure for orientation andtraining of school teachers and continuousupdating of their knowledge, competence andpedagogical skills. The DIETs and SCERTsplay a major role in the development oftextbooks, teaching-learning material, qualitymonitoring of schools, running of 6,000 BlockResource Centres and 15,000 Cluster ResourceCentres. Though a Seventh Plan scheme, itis being implemented in the Tenth Plan with100 per cent Central government funding asa special case. Upto 31st March, 2005, 550DIETs/DRCs have been approved of which436 DIETs are operational.
2.1.33 The Joint Review Missions (JRM) ofDPEP have noted that vacancies have not beenfilled in many DIETs, affecting various trainingprogrammes. The position of the BlockResource Centres was no better. To developthese institutions as centres of excellence, theselection criteria should be transparent andclear-cut responsibilities should be fixed. Theinstitutional support organisations for teachereducation and development of curriculum areclosely linked with the learning achievementof children and performance of teachers.Teachers� vacancies at all levels should be filledup urgently and there should be advanceplanning for future requirements too. Pre-service and in-service training of teachers shouldbe strengthened and all the DIETs, BRCs,CRCs be made fully functional by filling upthe vacant faculty positions. Transfers ofteachers should be effected during the vacations
Box 2.1.2Mid-Day Meals Scheme
The National Programme of Nutritional Support to Primary Education or the Mid-day MealScheme was launched on 15
th August 1995 to give a boost to universal primary education. It
was expected to increase enrolment, attendance and retention and improve the nutritional statusof children in primary classes in government, local-body and government-aided schools. FromOctober 2002, the programme has been extended to children studying in the EGS/AIE centres.
The programme provides cooked meals to children through local implementing agencies. TheCentral government provides foodgrains (wheat and rice) free of cost at the rate of 100 gramsper child per school day where cooked meals are served and 3 kg per student per month wherefoodgrains are being distributed.
The cost of transporting foodgrains from the nearest Food Corporation of India godown tothe schools up to Rs. 50 per quintal is also reimbursed to district authorities/state agencies. Thestate/Union Territory governments meet the cost of conversion of foodgrains into cookedmeals. About 64 million children, accounting for 59 per cent of the total target group weresupplied with cooked meals during 2004-05. Twenty-seven states/Union Territories havereported full coverage under the scheme and the rest partial coverage.
MDMS has been revised and universalised at the primary level from 1 September 2004. In
addition to providing foodgrains free of cost to the States, the Central government alsoprovides assistance towards cost of conversion of foodgrains into cooked meals at the rate ofRe.1 per child per school day. The transportation subsidy has been enhanced from Rs. 50 perquintal to Rs. 75 per quintal for all states and to Rs 100 per quintal for the special categorystates. Mid-day meals are now being supplied to children in drought-affected areas duringsummer vacations also. The scheme is implemented in convergence with ongoing rural andurban development schemes for adequately meeting infrastructure requirements and with theinvolvement of local community, self-help groups and non-government organisations.
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only. The performance of the institutionalarrangements for teacher�s education should beclosely and regularly monitored, preferably byexternal agencies. Presently, adequatemechanism for this at the state level does notgenerally exist. The Teacher EducationProgramme has been restructured and schemeshould be merged with SSA in the XI Plan foreffective organisational tie-ups for qualityeducation. Local community should also beinvolved in monitoring school performancethrough Village Education Committees andthe institution be made responsible foroutcomes in terms of quality education.
2.1.34 A large number of local unemployedyouths, who have the necessary qualifications,have been appointed as para teachers, instructorsand part-time teachers under SSA/DPEP. Theyare very enthusiastic about their assignmentand the joint review mission teams found theirperformance quite satisfactory, in some cases ashade better than regular teachers. Amechanism, therefore, needs to be devised toprovide them professional training and inductthem as regular teachers after screening in awell-planned way.
SOCIAL EQUITY AND GENDER
2.1.35 Specific steps have been taken forcorrection of various imbalances in access toeducation, especially gender imbalances. Apartfrom launching a National Programme forEducation of Girls at Elementary Level(NPEGEL) as a component of the SSA ineducationally backward blocks, at least 50per cent of teachers recruited under SSA/DPEP have to be women. These initiativesare in addition to the DPEP in low femaleliteracy districts, the Shiksha Karmi projectand Lok Jumbish in Rajasthan. The ShikshaKarmi project has led to 75 per cent coverageof SCs/STs in the remote areas of Rajasthan.Building toilets for girls is an importantcomponent of programmes for providinginfrastructure facilities. Free textbooks,scholarships and other incentives for girlsreduce the private cost of education,particularly for those belonging to SCs/STsand BPL families. A new initiative ofproviding integrated education to physically
challenged children has been incorporated inthe DPEP/SSA.
2.1.36 The Mahila Samakhya was initiated in1998 as a programme for education andempowerment of women in rural areas,particularly those from socially andeconomically marginalised groups. Currentlyimplemented in 33 districts of seven states, thescheme is targeted to cover 240 districts in 17states during the Tenth Plan. The MahilaShiksha Kendras are running some of bestresidential bridge courses with vocationaltraining, including life skills, for out-of-schoolchildren.
2.1.37 The Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya(KGBV), a special school programme for girlchildren from the SC/ST/ other backwardclasses and minorities in low female literacydistricts, was launched in 2004-05. It aims toensure access and quality education to girlsthrough 750 residential schools and boardingfacilities at elementary level. KGBV schemeshould be merged with the SSA, given thesimilar objectives.
ADULT EDUCATION
2.1.38 The adult education programmeincludes the schemes for Total LiteracyCampaign (TLC), Post Literacy Project (PLP)and Continuing Education Programme (CEP)and covers 596 districts, thus creating afavourable climate for universalisation ofeducation. The Continuing EducationProgramme in 276 districts provides a thrustto the National Literacy Mission (NLM) bylinking literacy with upgrading of skills andimprovement in the quality of life. In 2003-04,the TLC (for teaching the 3Rs) and PLP(application of literacy skills by the neo-literates)were combined for continuity, efficiency andconvergence. The literacy schemes like PLP,TLC, Continuing Education should betransferred to the State Governments alongwith funds to ensure better participation/involvement and effective monitoring. Literacyprogrammes cover illiterate / neo-literatepersons in the age group of 15-35 only. Thereare about 31 crore illiterate persons as perCensus 2001 and a very sizeable proportion is
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in the age group of 35 years and above andremain uncovered under literacy programmes.Considering significant improvements in thelife expectancy, a new scheme should belaunched as a part of literacy programmesoperated through NGOs to impart functionalliteracy to 35 plus age group to eradicateilliteracy.
2.1.39 The Jan Shikshan Sansthan (JSS) schemewas initiated in 1988 to promote educational,vocational and occupation development ofliterates, neo-literates, semi-literates andunlettered persons. So far, 158 centres havebeen sanctioned to run vocational programmesof varying duration for different skills. Thirtyof these have been identified for extendingtheir activities to the neighbouring districts.Efforts should be made to bring down theadministrative expenditure of the Jan ShikshanSansthan scheme, which is unsustainable.
2.1.40 One of the major areas of concern inschemes implemented by NGOs with directfunding from the Government of India is thelack of effective mechanisms for monitoringand evaluating their activities. They appear tobe duplicating government�s activities in manycases. The state governments are also not awareof their activities. All NGO operated schemesunder adult education should be amalgamatedinto a single comprehensive CSS with individualcomponents as in SSA, if required, withdifferent norms and funds routed through theState Governments.
2.1.41 Evaluation showed that only 16 JanShikshan Sansthans (20 per cent ) out of 80JSSs could be rated as �very good� and 23 JSSs(29 per cent ) were graded either �average orbelow average�. Some of the JSSs are notfunctioning well, calling for urgent remedialand corrective steps to improve their activities.The quality of NGOs and their performanceunder JSS should be regularly monitored andan accreditation process evolved by the Centralor state governments to weed out those whohave not performed.
2.1.42 About 26 State Resource Centres havebeen set up to provide resource support,including teaching-learning material for adult
education and other programmes. Theseresource centres are not mandated to monitorand evaluate adult education programmes runby state government and NGOs. The role ofthe State Resource Centres should formally beextended to cover monitoring and concurrentevaluation of adult education programmes.
ICT IN ELEMENTARY EDUCATION
2.1.43 Information and communicationtechnology (ICT) has a great potential forenhancing learning and improving the qualityof education. At present, the use of ICT islimited because of infrastructure and technicalmanpower constraints. The Vidya Vahiniprogramme initiated in 2002-03 covers 140schools in seven districts. It is meant toensure that an effective education technologysystem is put in place. Broadband VSAT(Very Small Aperture Terminal) connectivityneeds to be considered for connectivity inrural areas. The EDUSAT network hasenormous capacity for providing a variety ofoptions for interactive/broadcast/ telecastmodes, and online communication networksat national, regional and state level. Besides,conventional television broadcasting, which isavailable in extended C-Band, the EDUSATnetwork can provide computer connectivitythrough Ku-Band, facilitating virtualclassrooms, access to databases and audionetwork. The emphasis should be on regulartraining of existing teachers and para teachers.The distance education programme is likelyto give a boost to the utilisation of EDUSATby providing necessary infrastructure such asdirect reception centres in SCERTs, StateInstitute for Educational Management andTraining (SIEMAT) and DIETs, as well asdeveloping software on curricular contextualpedagogy.
SECONDARY EDUCATION
2.1.44 Given the liberalisation andglobalisation of the Indian economy, the rapidchanges witnessed in scientific and technologicalworld and the general need to improve thequality of life, it is essential that school leaversacquire a higher level of knowledge and skillsthan what they are provided in the eight yearsof elementary education. It has been established
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beyond doubt that the rate of return tosecondary education is not only positive butalso very large. The average earnings ofsecondary school certificate holders, accordingto a World Bank study is 2.9 times higher thanthat of illiterate workers and 1.7 times that ofworkers with primary school education.
2.1.45 The SSA has already set the stage foran exponential growth of demand for secondaryeducation. While the growth of enrolment inthe secondary school, had increased at an annualrate of 2.83 per cent during 1990s, it increasedat 7.4 per cent, per annum between 2000 and2003. The full impact of SSA is likely to bereflected only during the terminal years of theEleventh Plan. As the enrolments during theTenth Plan period are determined by thetransition rate of children already enrolled inupper primary schools, the secondary schoolenrolments in the Tenth Plan are anticipatedto increase from the base level of 20 million to26.4 million by 2006-07. If SSA achieves thegoal of universal enrolment and retention infull or near full measure, the total secondaryenrolment is expected to reach approximately50 million, with an annual growth rate of 7.2per cent between 2003 and 2011. In order toplan for a major expansion of secondaryeducation in the event of achievement of fullor near full retention under SSA, setting up ofa new Mission for Secondary Education, onthe lines of SSA, should be considered.
2.1.46 The following steps are needed in orderto cope with the increased enrolment.
� Opening of new secondary schools inunserved areas.
� Organising second shifts in thicklypopulated areas.
� Upgrading existing upper primaryschools into secondary schools inspecified locations.
� Successfully and effectively diverting25 per cent secondary students to thevocational stream
2.1.47 The country should plan for expansionof �basic education� up to Class X in consonancewith the requirement of the baseline
qualification of the workforce already in voguein industrialised countries. Public expenditureon education was 4.02 per cent of GDP in2001-02, with secondary education accountingfor 1.25 per cent of this. This will have to besubstantially increased in future.
2.1.48 The expansion of secondary educationraises issues related to the number of private orpublic schools. There are 1.38 lakh secondaryschools, 58 per cent of which are run by theprivate sector and the rest by government andlocal bodies. The share of private schools insecondary education has been rising steadily.The share of private unaided schools increasedfrom 15.17 per cent in 1993-94 to 23.56 percent in 2001-02, while the share of governmentsector schools declined by 5 percentage pointsand government-aided private sector school by4 percentage points. The increase in privateunaided school reflects the willingness of theparents to pay for education, as their perceptionis that the education in private sector issuperior. One factor underlying this perceptionis the fact that private schools involve muchmore extensive education in English which iswidely perceived as improving jobopportunities. There are regional variations inaccessibility to secondary schools and urbanareas are apparently better served than ruralareas.
2.1.49 There is considerable scope for greaterprivate participation in this sector. Suitabletaxation and land policies are needed toencourage expansion of secondary schools inthe private sector, along with concessional loansfor NGOs, trusts and registered societies. Allunrecognised schools that meet the minimumbasic norms should be accorded recognition.The public sector should concentrate onopening new secondary schools in unservedand difficult areas, organising second shifts inthickly populated areas and upgrading existingupper primary schools into secondary schoolsin specified locations.
2.1.50 The duration of secondary educationvaries across the country. Most states have twoyears of secondary education, while nine stateshave three years. Nagaland has four years ofsecondary education. However, all states have
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Human Development
two years of higher secondary education. Asenvisaged in the National Policy on Education,1986, adoption of a uniform educationalstructure of 10+2+3 would remove thehandicap faced by the students of those stateswho follow a different system when seekingadmission to higher education institutions andalso when tapping national and internationallabour markets.
KEY ISSUES AND FOCUS IN TENTHPLAN
2.1.51 The key issues relating to secondaryeducation highlighted in the Tenth Plan are:greater focus on improving access; reducingdisparities by emphasising the Common SchoolSystem; renewal of curricula with emphasis onvocationalisation and employment-oriented
Figure 2.1.1. Secondary schools by management
Box 2.1.3Tenth Plan objectives for secondary education
The Tenth Plan objectives for secondary education are in consonance with the broadparameters and strategy of the National Policy on Education (NPE) of 1986 and theProgramme Of Action of 1992. These include:
� Extending access in unserved areas and educationally backward areas with concentrationof SC/ST population
� A uniform educational structure of 10+2+3, with the first 10 years envisaged as a stageof general education with undifferentiated courses providing basic knowledge in languages,science (including social and natural science) and mathematics
� The higher secondary stage to provide for diversified courses with emphasis onvocationalisation
� Vocational education is to become a distinct stream, intended to prepare students foridentified occupations spanning several areas of activity, at the +2 stage.
courses; expansion and diversification of theOpen Learning System; reorganisation ofteacher training and greater use of ICT.
2.1.52 The social, gender and regionaldisparities need to be addressed. The gendergap should be bridged, with district levels targetsbeing fixed. Educationally backward districtsshould receive greater support for schoolinfrastructure. Besides providing new schools,need-based upgradation of upper primaryschools will have to be given greater priority.The quality of education needs to be improvedwith investments in teacher education, training,laboratories, libraries and encouraging parentsto invest in their children�s education. TheState Boards of Secondary Education needs tobe strengthened.
Government Private Aided
2001-02
24%42%
34%
1993-94
15%47%
38%
Private unaided
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2.1.53 Secondary education is primarily theresponsibility of the state governments. Figuresprovided by the State Plans Division of thePlanning Commission show that stategovernments incurred an expenditure ofRs.459.31 crore in 2002-03. Firm figures forthe subsequent years of the Tenth Plan are notavailable.
2.1.54 The approved outlay for secondaryeducation (including vocational education) inthe Central sector in the Tenth Plan is Rs.4,325crore. The actual expenditure in 2002-03 wasRs.578.14 crore, which increased to Rs.639.08crore in 2003-04. The revised outlay for2004-05 is Rs.653.60 crore. The allocation forsecondary education for 2005-06 was furtherenhanced to Rs.875 crore, taking the aggregateallocation for four years for the sector toRs.2745.82 crore. While the plan allocationupto 2005-06 for elementary education hasalready exceeded the Tenth Plan outlay, in thecase of secondary education it accounts foronly 63 per cent.
2.1.55 At present, the Centre�s interventionin secondary education is at two levels:
� through apex national level bodies likeNavodaya Vidyalaya Samitis (NVS), theKendriya Vidyalaya Sanghthan (KVS),National Council of EducationalResearch and Training (NCERT), theNational Institute of Open Schooling(NIOS), and the Central Tibetan SchoolAdministration (CTSA).
� through four Centrally SponsoredSchemes � Access with Equity, QualityImprovement in Schools, ICT inSchools and Integrated Education forDisabled Children.
APEX INSTITUTES
2.1.56 Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya (JNV):The JNV scheme was launched in 1985-86with the objective of setting up one school ineach district for providing good quality moderneducation to talented children in rural areas.The annual intake of the schools is about30,000. The total number of JNVs has increasedfrom 449 at the beginning of the Tenth Plan to506 in 2003-04. JNVs cover 34 States/Union
Territories with a total enrolment of 1.58 lakhchildren. The provisions of the scheme includecomputer literacy and library facilities to theseschools, and also community services like adultliteracy drives, tree plantation, environmenteducation etc.
2.1.57 Between 1999 and 2003 the JNVsshowed an improvement in pass percentages inthe secondary examinations. Three-fourths ofthe seats in the schools are reserved for ruralareas with proportional representation for SCs/STs and one-third seats are reserved for girls.However, the actual numbers enrolled in boththese groups was higher than the quota. SCs/STs enrolments accounted for 38.5 per cent oftotal enrolment and that of girls 34.01 percent.
2.1.58 Kendriya Vidyalas: The KendriyaVidyalayas were set up in 1962 primarily tocater to the educational needs of the wards oftransferable Central Government employees.At the beginning of the Tenth Plan, there were854 Kendriya Vidyalayas with an enrolment of7.2 lakh students. During the first three yearsof the Tenth Plan, 79 more schools wereadded, taking the total number of schools to933 and the enrolment to 7.3 lakh students.The Kendriya Vidyalayas topped at the seniorsecondary examinations during 2003 with apass percentage of 88.67.
2.1.59 In order to strengthen the trainingneeds and academic excellence of the KendriyaVidyalayas, five Zonal Institutes of Education& Training (ZIET) are being set up in Gwalior,Mumbai, Kolkata, Chandigarh and Mysore, ofwhich the ZIETs at Mumbai and Gwalior havebecome functional.
2.1.60 The Tenth Plan allocations for theNavodaya Vidyalaya and Kendriya Vidyalayasis Rs.2420 crore (Rs.2,000 crore for NavodayaVidyalaya Samitis and Rs.420 crore forKendriya Vidyalayas) and the actual expenditureduring the first two years of the Plan period isRs.988.13 crore. The Annual Plan 2004-05provided an outlay of Rs.477 crore for thesetwo schemes. Thus, against the Tenth Planoutlay of Rs.2420 crore, the anticipatedexpenditure during the first three years of the
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Human Development
Plan period is Rs.1528.13 crore accounting for63 per cent of plan outlay.
2.1.61 National Council of Education,Research and Training (NCERT): TheNCERT provides technical and academicsupport to the Ministry of Human ResourceDevelopment and state governments for qualityimprovement through curriculum anddevelopment and preparation of schooltextbooks. The Tenth Plan outlay for NCERTis Rs.60 crore and the anticipated expenditurefor the first three years of the Plan period isRs.52.31 crore, which accounts for 87.2 percent of outlay.
2.1.62 National Institute of Open Schooling(NIOS): The NIOS is an autonomousorganisation providing continuing education,including vocational education, to those whohave missed the opportunity to completeschool. It has 120 million students on rolls and2,500 study centres, which is almost double thenumber of 1278 centres in 2000. The TenthPlan outlay for NIOS is Rs.65 crore and theanticipated expenditure during the first threeyears of the Plan period is Rs.20.33 crore,accounting for 31.3 per cent of outlay.
2.1.63 Central Tibetan SchoolAdministration (CTSA): The CTSA runs 79schools for children of Tibetan refugees. TheTenth Plan outlay for this is Rs.15 crore andthe anticipated expenditure during the firstthree years of the Plan period is Rs.8.38 crore,accounting for 55.8 per cent of the outlay.During the years under review, the schoolsreported a pass percentage of 80 percent inClass X and XII examinations conducted bythe Central Board of Secondary Education.
CENTRALLY SPONSORED SCHEMES
2.1.64 Access with Equity: The main schemefor increasing access to secondary education inthe Tenth Plan period is the Access withEquity scheme which has two components:strengthening of boarding and hostel facilitiesfor girls and setting up of schools ineducationally backward blocks throughprovision of a one-time Central grant to stategovernments, NGOs and registered societies.
The Tenth Plan outlay for the scheme is Rs.305crore. During the first three years of the Planperiod, an expenditure of only Rs.30.90 crorewas incurred accounting for 10.13 per cent ofPlan outlay. The Annual Plan 2005-06 hasprovided an outlay of Rs.10 crore. The revisedscheme was approved only in January 2004,which explains the low pace of expenditure.The response to the revised scheme appears tobe quite good and its implementation is likelyto accelerate during the remaining two years ofthe Plan.
2.1.65 Quality Improvement in Schools:This Centrally Sponsored Scheme is anamalgamation of the Ninth Plan schemes ofImprovement in Science Education,Mathematics Olympiads, EnvironmentOrientation, Promotion of Yoga andPopulation Education and has a newcomponent of Educational Libraries. Underthe scheme, state governments and registeredsocieties are given grants for the specifiedactivities under each of the erstwhileprogrammes. The Tenth Plan outlay for thescheme is Rs.110 crore and the expenditureduring the first three years of the Plan periodis Rs.43.93 crore, accounting for 40 per cent ofthe Plan outlay. The pace of implementationof the revised scheme is expected to accelerateduring the remaining years of the Tenth Plan.
2.1.66 ICT in Secondary Schools: ThisCentrally Sponsored Scheme attempts tospread computer literacy by providing grantsto schools for the procurement of hardware,software and other related infrastructure. TheCentral government shares 75 per cent of theexpenditure, subject to a ceiling of Rs.5 lakhper school, with the states contributing25 per cent. Each school is to be providedwith 10 Personal Computers with printers,education software, furniture, computerstationery, teacher training, Internet facilitiesetc. at an estimated cost of Rs.6.70 lakh,including monitoring cost of Rs.24,000. Thescheme has three major components:partnership with States/Union Territories forproviding computer aided education;universalisation of computer literacy throughthe network of Kendriya Vidyalayas andNavodaya Vidyalayas to neigbouring schools;
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and establishment of SMART schools fortechnology demonstration.
2.1.67 The Tenth Plan outlay for this schemeis Rs.800 crore and the actual expenditureduring the first three years is only Rs.60.52crore. An outlay of Rs.50 crore has beenprovided for the Annual Plan 2005-06. In viewof the relevance of ICT to open schools, allregional centres of NIOS have been providedwith basic computing facilities. The schemehas yet to expand.
2.1.68 Inclusive Education for DisabledChildren (IEDC): Under this scheme, grantsare provided for aids and appliances, learningmaterials, teacher salaries and other relatedexpenditure with the objective of bringingdisabled children into the mainstream. Thescheme is being implemented in 27 States andfour Union Territories covering 17 millionchildren in about 50,000 schools. The TenthPlan approved outlay for the scheme is Rs.200crore and the expenditure during the first threeyears of the Plan period is Rs.110.32 crore,55.2 per cent of outlay.
VOCATIONAL EDUCATION
2.1.69 The vocationalisation of secondaryeducation provides for diversification ofeducational opportunities so as to enhanceindividual employability, reduce the mismatchbetween demand and supply of skilledmanpower and an alternative for those pursuinghigher education.
2.1.70 The Centrally Sponsored Scheme ofvocationalisation of secondary education at the+2 level, initiated in 1988, provides for financialassistance to the states to set up administrativestructures, area-vocational surveys, preparationof curriculum guides, training manual, teachertraining programme, strengthening technicalsupport system for research and development,training and evaluation etc. It also provides forfinancial assistance to NGOs and voluntaryorganisations for implementation of specificinnovative projects for conducting short-termcourses. The scheme so far has created a massiveinfrastructure of 20,600 sections in 73,00schools. Grants to the tune of Rs.700 crorehave been released so far.
2.1.71 However, the scheme was not verysuccessful. For vocational education to be asuccess, trades and disciplines should becarefully selected, keeping in view theemployment potential and demand by theindustry. Curricula, including the practicaltraining, must meet the demand for specificskills. The vocational stream should also aimat developing courses, which do not requireexpensive infrastructure for practical trainingand do not replicate the training in theIndustrial Training Institutes (ITI). Newemerging areas such as information technology,tourism, banking and insurance, services etc.should be part of the curricula. The secondaryschools should thus focus on reorientation ofvocational education and impart vocationaltraining in non-engineering and tertiary sectoractivities rather than conventional subjectsrelating to manufacturing sector.
2.1.72 The vocational system should addressthese issues and be a separate stream within thesecondary education system, rather than beingimparted through separate educationalinstitutions. It should also establish greaterlinkage with vocational training and academiceducation to provide for vertical mobility forstudents aspiring for higher professionalprogrammes in polytechnics, universities andengineering colleges.
2.1.73 Based on the recommendations ofvarious review groups/committees, the schemeis being revised and a new scheme of VocationalEducation and Training (VE&T) has beenformulated and is being examined by variousMinistries/Departments.
2.1.74 The salient features of the new schemeare:
� The vocational education stream isenvisaged as a distinct stand-alonestream.
� The courses offered should be modular,competency based with multi-pointentry and exit.
� These will be demand-driven and basedon the �need� surveys conducted forthe industries/user organisations.
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Human Development
� Recognition and equivalence of thecourses will be provided based on theNational Vocational EducationQualification and CertificationFramework (NVEQCF).
� There will be a provision forrecognition of prior learning through asystem of testing and assessment ofskills.
� A system of testing of skills and bridgecourses will be developed to facilitatepeople without any formal educationto get enrolled in the regular system ofcourses.
� Nationally Recognised Certificationwill be provided by the NationalCompetency Testing Agency (NCTA).
2.1.75 The revised scheme is likely to beimplemented in the last two years of TenthPlan, which has set aside an outlay of Rs.350crore for it. An expenditure of only Rs.34.01crore has been incurred under the existingvocational education scheme during the firstthree years of the Plan period. Hopefully, therevised scheme � with greater flexibility,mobility, and close linkages with industry �will be more effective for skill developmentand employment potential. It must beimplemented in secondary schools withmodular courses, with flexible durations rangingbetween six months to three years, primarilyin high-quality vocations in the non-industrialand non-agricultural tertiary sub-sectors.
UNIVERSITY AND HIGHEREDUCATION
2.1.76 Knowledge is at the core of economicand social development and the Tenth Planrecognised that the higher education systemshould equip students with adequate skills toenable their full participation in the emerging� and changed � social, economic and culturalenvironment. India�s higher education systemhas witnessed exponential growth in recentyears (Table 2.1.1).
2.1.77 However, many universities andcolleges, especially in smaller towns, lack properinfrastructure and function out of ramshacklebuildings, without basic facilities. Decline inthe quality of faculty is also a major area ofconcern. Issues relating to access and quality ofeducation, therefore, still remain to beaddressed. The Knowledge Commission shouldcomprehensively review university educationand address some of the deep-seated problemsof varying standards, outdated syllabi,inadequate facilities and also recruitmentprocedures and policies in order to reduce thedisparities in academic standards of variousuniversities.
TENTH PLAN OBJECTIVES FORHIGHER EDUCATION
2.1.78 Raising the enrolment of the populationin the 18-23 age group from 6 per cent at thestart of Tenth Plan to 10 per cent by the endof 2007 was a key objective of the Tenth Plan.
Table 2.1.1Growth of higher education system in India
Items Status up to end Status up to Mid-Termof Ninth Plan Appraisal of Tenth Plan(March 2002) (2004-05)
State/Central Universities (Nos.) 133 229
Deemed Universities (Nos.) 27 95
No. of colleges 12342 16000
Women�s colleges (Nos.) 1500 1650
No. of students enrolled 75 lakh 92.28 lakh
Allocation (Rs. in crore) 2500 (Ninth Plan) 4176 (Tenth Plan)
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Among the other issues it flagged were:improving the quality of education; adoptionof state-specific strategies; liberalisation of thehigher education system; relevance of thecurriculum, vocationalisation, networkingthrough information technology; convergenceof formal, non-formal education; increase inprivate participation; research in frontier areasof knowledge and meeting the challenges ofinternationalisation of Indian education.
2.1.79 Related to the issue of increasing theaccess ratio was the emphasis in the Plan periodon reducing disparities in higher educationopportunities between the urban and ruralareas by supporting universities and collegeslocated in backward areas and narrowing socialand gender disparities through increased accessand equity for marginalised groups like women,SCs/STs, backward and minority groups.
2.1.80 The NCMP also addressed the issue ofincreasing access by pledging that �the UPAgovernment will amend the Constitution toestablish a Commission for MinorityEducational Institutions that will provide directaffiliation for minority professional institutionsto central universities� and that �the UPA willensure that nobody is denied professionaleducation because he or she is poor�.
ACHIEVEMENTS AND ISSUES
2.1.81 Increasing the access parameter from 6per cent to 10 per cent over the Tenth Planperiod means that the enrolment in theuniversity/colleges should increase from 7.5million in 2002 to 12.5 million in 2007. Theenrolment at the beginning of the 2003-04academic year was 9.22 million, including 1.18million students in the distance education /correspondence courses under the IndiraGandhi National Open University (IGNOU)and other open universities.
2.1.82 In order to achieve the goal ofincreasing the access ratio, new colleges anduniversities must be set up, especially in theeducationally backward districts, existinginstitutions must be strengthened and also theopen and distance education system expanded.State-wise disaggregated targets need to be fixed
for all of these. A long-term plan should bedevised for setting up new colleges anduniversities, especially in educationallybackward districts, strengthening existinginstitutions and also for expanding �open� and�distance� education. These activities should beundertaken in a phased manner, based on aclear perspective plan.
2.1.83 Hardly any Indian university figuresamong the world�s top universities. A separateprogramme is needed to improve and upgradeselected universities to world standards. Tomake these universities globally competitive,faculty, funds and infrastructure of internationalstandards should be provided and supportedby appropriate policy changes. A separateprogramme should be launched to improveand upgrade select universities and make theseglobally competitive. Expert faculty, funds andinfrastructure of international standards shouldbe provided to these institutions and supportedby appropriate policy changes. Part of theupgradation should be financed by increasedfee income.
2.1.84 All this requires higher levels ofresources for the higher education sector, apartfrom appropriate policy and otherinterventions. Of the Tenth Plan total outlayof Rs.13,825 crore for the Department ofSecondary and Higher Education, Rs.4176 croreis allocated for the university and highereducation sector, which amounts to 30.20 percent of the total allocation. The UniversityGrants Commission (UGC), which is the nodalagency for coordinating and maintainingstandards of higher education in the country,accounts for a major share of this allocation -Rs.3294 crore.
2.1.85 In order to provide more resources forincreasing access and improving quality, apartfrom a substantial increase in public funding,increasing the fees paid by students is equallynecessary. The Planning Commission hascarefully considered the issue and feels that asubstantial increase in fees combined with anaggressive means-based scholarship and loanprogramme is the need of the hour. The CentralGovernment can give a lead in this area byintroducing the system in the Central
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Human Development
Universities. A clear policy for inviting privatesector investment in higher education shouldalso be formulated.
INITIATIVES TAKEN IN TENTHPLAN
2.1.86 The UGC has taken several steps inthe Tenth Plan period to improve the qualityof education in universities and colleges.
� Five universities � Jawaharlal NehruUniversity, University of Hyderabad,University of Madras, JadavpurUniversity and the University of Pune� have been identified for granting thestatus of �Universities with potentialfor excellence�.
� During the first three years of theTenth Plan, 51 Academic Staff Collegescontinued their orientation programmeand refresher courses for in-serviceteachers and newly appointedlecturers. A total of 296 orientationprogrammes/workshops and 1271refresher courses have been approvedin 117 universities.
� The number of vocational courses forintroduction in universities and collegesidentified by UGC has increased from35 to 42 during the period underreview. In 2002-03, an amount ofRs.19.77 crore was paid to 335 collegesfor implementation of the CareerOrientation to Education programme.
� The UGC has taken a number of stepsfor leveraging the use of ICTs. UGCINFONET allows teachers and studentsto have access to a storehouse ofinformation in the form of e-formattedjournals, besides links to other research.The network will be run and managedby ERNRET India. Information forLibrary Network (INFLIBNET), anautonomous Inter-University centre forUGC, is the nodal agency forcoordination and facilitation of thelinkage between ERNET anduniversities.
� The UGC launched an e-journal,Consortium of Universities, in October
2003. The Consortium will use theInternet to provide electronic access toscholarly literature in all areas oflearning. This programme is to coverthe universities coming under theUGC�s purview and it will be graduallyextended to the colleges as well. Theprogramme needs to be accelerated.
2.1.87 The Ministry of Human ResourceDevelopment and the UGC have taken thefollowing steps in order to increase the role ofthe private sector in higher education and toimprove the quality of private universities andself-financing colleges:
� A Committee of Academics has beenconstituted to review the implicationsof the Private Universities(Establishment and Regulation Bill)1995 proposed to be introduced inParliament. This Bill is an enablinglegislation, which would lay downbroad uniform guidelines for ensuringacademic standards, preventscommercialisation, mismanagementand greater investment in highereducation by the private sector.
� The National AccreditationAssessment Council (NAAC), anautonomous body under the UGC, isto be strengthened with the openingof four regional centres so as to speedup the accreditation process. NAAChas so far completed the process ofaccreditation of 113 universities and2,089 colleges. According to the UGCmandate, NAAC has proposed reviewof approximately 1000 colleges peryear, for the next five years. Theaccreditation process for higher andtechnical education institutions shouldbe made transparent and veryeffective.
� The objective of granting autonomy tocolleges is to provide academic freedomin designing curricula, evolving newmethods of teaching and research,prescribing courses for study, settingexamination papers, etc. In the TenthPlan, the target is to give autonomy to10 per cent of eligible colleges. At
66
present 132 colleges under 29universities are autonomous. A studyshould be conducted to assess theimpact of autonomy in improving thequality of education and ofinfrastructure in universities andcolleges.
TECHNICAL EDUCATION
2.1.88 The technical education system coverscourses and programmes in engineering,technology, management, architecture, townplanning, pharmacy, applied arts and crafts.The Ministry of Human Resource Developmentcaters to programmes at the undergraduate,postgraduate and research levels.
2.1.89 The technical/management educationsystem at the Centre comprises the All IndiaCouncil of Technical Education (AICTE), theseven Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs),six Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs), theIndian Institute of Science (IISc), 17 RegionalEngineering Colleges (RECs)/NationalInstitutes of Technology (NITs), two IndianInstitutes of Information Technology atAllahabad and Gwalior, the North EasternRegional Institute of Science & Technology orNERST (Itanagar), Sant Longowal Institute ofEngineering and Technology (Punjab), NationalInstitute of Foundry and Forge Technology(Ranchi), School of Planning and Architecture(New Delhi), and National Institute ofIndustrial Engineering (Mumbai).
2.1.90 Tenth Plan Objectives for TechnicalEducation: The key issues relating to technicaland management education during the TenthPlan are:
� a continuing focus on increased intakecapacity;
� improving quality;
� faculty development;
� optimisation of resources throughnetworking;
� development of information technologyeducation;
� improving the quality and quantity ofresearch in technologies;
� modernisation/development ofcurriculum;
� international benchmarking;
� developing capacity in new andemerging technology areas;
� strategic planning and management ofthe technical education system;
� informal sector development.
2.1.91 There has been a significant increase inthe number of technical education institutionsand total intake of students.
2.1.92 Of the Tenth Plan outlay of Rs.13,825crore for the Department of Secondary andHigher Education, Rs.4,700 crore wasearmarked for 16 programmes of technicaleducation. Of this, the major share goes to theWorld Bank-aided Technical Education QualityImprovement Programme (TEQIP) with anoutlay of Rs.900 crore; AICTE with an outlayof Rs.600 crore and IITs with an outlay ofRs.612 crore.
PROGRESS IN THE TENTH PLAN
2.1.93 The first cycle of the first phase ofTEQIP is being implemented in six States �Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh,Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh. Theprogramme aims at upscaling and supportingthe on-going efforts of the Government ofIndia in improving quality and enhancingexisting capacities of the Institutions. Eighteenlead institutions (including five Centrally fundedNITs) and 70-80 state engineering/networkinstitutions will participate in the programmein the first phase, which coincides with theTenth Plan period. The programme will benefit10,000 graduating students, each year byimparting superior skills and training and willalso enhance the professional development of1000 teachers.
2.1.94 Two Indian Institutes of InformationTechnology, Design and Manufacturing(IIITDM) were set up at Kancheepuram andJabalpur in 2003-04. These institutes are toprovide a sustainable competitive advantage tothe Indian industry in the area of design andmanufacturing of new products.
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Human Development
Table 2.1.2Growth and intake of technical education institutions
No. of Institutions No. of Students
Institutions April March April March
2002 2004 2002 2004
Degree level institutes
i) Engineering & Technology 1057 1265 295796 380803
ii) Pharmacy 274 320 13941 16410
iii) Architecture 107 107 3972 3408
iv) Hotel Management 40 49 2100 2640
Postgraduate level institutes
i) MBA/PGDM 819 958 65102 71251
ii) MCA 865 1034 40797 56338
2.1.95 Efforts are made to strengthen theCommunity Polytechnics, which are wings ofthe existing polytechnics mandated to undertakerural/community development activities intheir vicinity through the application of scienceand technology, by providing a one-time non-recurring grants-in-aid of Rs.7.00 lakh, and anannual recurring grant of up to a maximum ofRs.7 lakh. Community polytechnics provide aplatform for transfer of appropriatetechnologies to rural masses for developmenton scientific lines, and provide technical/support services to the local community. Atpresent, there are 672 community polytechnicsin the country.
2.1.96 The zero-based budgeting exerciseinitiated by Planning Commission led to severalschemes relating to improvement in quality intechnical education being clubbed under theumbrella scheme of Programme for QualityImprovement in Technical Education (PQITE)for effective implementation. Four of theseschemes � the National Programme forEarthquake Engineering Education (NPEEE),Support for Distance Education and Web BasedLearning, National Programme for TechnologyEnhanced Learning (NPTEL) and Programmefor Quality Textbooks in Technical Education� have already been launched. Three majorschemes � National Programme for HRD inIT, Programme of Bio-Sciences and Bio-Engineering Education and Networking of
Premier Academic Institutions and CSIR Labs� are being initiated.
2.1.97 The seven IITs have been effectivelyenhancing the country�s techno-economicstrength and technological self-reliance. Theseinstitutes have distinguished themselves by theexcellence of their academic activities andresearch programmes. The total Tenth Planoutlay for these institutions is Rs.612 croresand it is necessary to plan for new IITs thatcould be set up in the 11th Plan period to meetthe demand for highly skilled engineers in theyears ahead.
2.1.98 The IIMs are institutions of excellence,established with the objective of impartinghigh quality management education andtraining, conducting research and providingconsultancy services in the field of managementto various sectors of the Indian economy.These institutes conduct research to cater tothe needs of non-corporate sectors likeagriculture, rural development, energy, health,education, habitat etc. Expansion of suchinstitutions of excellence, providing globallycompetitive manpower, should be a priority.
EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT INTHE NORTH EAST REGION
2.1.99 The north-eastern region has a highliteracy rate but lacks infrastructure and
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educational facilities. The important Centralsector institutes in the region are IIT, Guwahati,NERIST, Itanagar, Regional Centre ofIGNOU, Central Universities of Mizoram andNagaland and the North Eastern HillUniversity (NEHU). The Kendriya VidyalayaSangathan is running 89 schools in the region.While the Department of Secondary and HigherEducation has been able to spend 10 per centof the earmarked allocation in the region, theDepartment of Elementary Education andLiteracy could spend only about seven per centduring 2002-03 and 2003-04.
EDUCATION FOR SCs/STs/WOMEN/MINORITIES
2.1.100 The National Policy on Educationemphasised that education must play a positiveand interventionist role in correcting socialand regional imbalances, empowering womenand in securing a rightful place for thedisadvantaged, linguistic groups and minorities.The major elementary education programmesaccord priority to areas with a concentrationof SCs/STs. Seats are reserved for SCs/STs ininstitutes of higher education and the qualifyingcut-off stages for admission in universities/colleges and technical institutions are alsorelaxed for them. The UGC has establishedSC/ST Cells in 113 universities to ensure properimplementation of the reservation policy. Inaddition, SC/ST students are entitled toscholarships under the relevant programmes.
2.1.101 While the 2001 Census shows anincrease in the female literacy rate and areduction in the male-female literacy gap, it isa matter of concern that 46 per cent of womenare still illiterate. The school educationprogrammes focus on enrolment and retentionof girls through provision of incentives likesfree uniforms, scholarships, textbooks, etc. TheKasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya (KGBV)and the National Programme for Education ofGirls at Elementary Level ((NPEGEL) attemptto address the issues relating to girls education.In the higher education sector, emphasis is laidon construction of women�s hostels, day-carecentres and strengthening infrastructure forwomen students and teachers.
2.1.102 The Area Intensive and MadrasaModernisation Programme for education ofeducationally backward minorities is beingrevised to have two components � improvementof infrastructure and facilities in schools locatedin areas of minorities concentration andmodernisation of madrasas. The Centralgovernment will fund salaries of teachers insubjects like science, mathematics, english andsocial studies and will provide grants forpurchase of science and maths kits, book banksand strengthening libraries. The revised schemewill be launched shortly.
YOUTH AFFAIRS AND SPORTS
SPORTS
2.1.103 Successive Plans have laid emphasis onsports and physical education. The sector gotadditional importance in 1984 when a separatedepartment for sports was created, which wasmade a separate ministry in 1999.
2.1.104 The role of the government in thesphere of sports is to create a network of basicsports infrastructure throughout the country.A number of initiatives are required to betaken to improve the performance of Indiansportspersons in international competitivesports, which include provision of modernequipment and training facilities, greatertransparency in the working of SportsFederation/Associations, etc.
2.1.105 It is necessary to set up sports academiesfor training Indian sportspersons in those sportswhere they have an international edge. Intensivetraining through coaches of international reputeas also development of sports medicines andsports research facilities at these academies arenecessary. Talent search contests should beheld country-wide for various sports and theselected persons put through rigorous training,well before the international events.
YOUTH
2.1.106 The thrust in the Tenth Plan is toinvolve the youth, who constitute nearly40 per cent of the population, in the process ofnational planning and development and making
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them the focal point of development strategyby providing educational and trainingopportunities, access to information,employment opportunities, developing qualitiesof leadership, tolerance, open mindedness,patriotism, etc.
2.1.107 The activities under the redefinedNational Service Scheme (NSS) covers thepopulation in the 13-35 years age group. TheNSS currently has over 2 million studentvolunteers on its rolls spread over 178universities and 39 senior secondary schoolsand vocational institutions. So far, more than26.9 million students have benefited from NSSactivities.
2.1.108 The Programmes of NSS have beenincluded as one of the priority areas under theNCMP, which emphasised the need to provideopportunities for the youth to involvethemselves in national and social developmentthrough educational institutions. The NCMPalso reiterates provision of adequate facilitiesto ensure that all students participate in one orthe other existing schemes particularly, NSSand the National Cadet Corps (NCC). TheNSS should be restructured in terms of funding,training, management and coverage in the XIPlan.
2.1.109 The objective of the Nehru YuvaKendra Sangathan (NYKS) is to harness andchannelise the power of youth on the principleof voluntarism and self help through its regularand special programmes. At present, two lakhactive youth clubs/mahila mandals with amembership of over eight million arefunctioning under district Nehru Yuva Kendras.There is a need to further expand andstrengthen the NYKS network for effectiveand meaningful mobilisation of youth energyto promote communal harmony, nationalvalues and solidarity, and to develop a dedicated,motivated and trained cadre of youth leadersand youth volunteers. Disaster preparednessshould be included as one of the regularactivities of Nehru Yuva Kendra Sanghathan(NYKS) during the current plan itself.However, a major restructuring of NYKSshould be undertaken only after a detailedstudy of the scheme including the feasibility of
setting up State Level Centres. As against theTenth Plan outlay of Rs.191.49 crore, theanticipated expenditure for the first three yearsof the Plan is Rs.92.97 crore.
2.1.110 The approved outlay for the TenthPlan for Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports isRs.1825 crore, a 121 per cent increase over theNinth Plan outlay. The expenditure during thefirst three years of the Tenth Plan is Rs.1038.05crore, which is 56.87 per cent of approvedoutlay. The Ministry of Youth Affairs andSports is implementing 24 Plan schemes ofwhich, NSS and Creation of SportsInfrastructure are Centrally Sponsored Schemes.There are 18 schemes related to youth welfareand all the sports schemes have been mergedinto six umbrella schemes during the TenthPlan. Two new schemes have been introducedfor the promotion and development of sports� Scheme of Dope Test and State SportsAcademy � during the Tenth Plan. Othermajor schemes are the NYKS and SportsAuthority of India (SAI);
2.1.111 There is a need for greater dovetailingof the resources of the Ministry of YouthAffairs and Sports with those of the variousstate governments to avoid duplication ofefforts. The thin spread of resources over alarge number of schemes is not yielding thedesired results. Promotion and development ofsports at village, block and district levels shouldprimarily be left to the state governments.Intervention of the Central government shouldbe selective and support provided only to thosetalented sportspersons who have achievedexcellence at the district/state levels forgrooming them for major national andinternational events.
ART & CULTURE
2.1.112 The Tenth Plan thrust in the sphere ofart and culture has been on the implementationof a comprehensive plan for the preservationof archaeological heritage and development ofmonument complexes, modernisation ofmuseums and preservation of archival heritage;promotion of classical, folk and tribal art,crafts and oral traditions which are in dangerof dying out. A National Mission for
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Monuments should be launched fordocumentation and conservation of monumentsnot protected by ASI. A programme forpreservation of such monuments anddevelopment of selected monuments forpromoting tourism in different regions shouldbe taken up. Various folk and tribal art andculture of different tribes in the country shouldnot only be documented but also conserved,promoted and integrated with tourism relatedactivities.
2.1.113 The focus has also been oncomputerisation of the work of museums withthe assistance of National Informatics Centre(NIC), digitisation of collections, micro filmingof manuscripts and the introduction ofequipment for audio tours. Emphasis has beenplaced on strengthening of inter-organisationalnetworks to introduce a management-orientedapproach in cultural institutions. Networkingamongst central museums, undertaking of in-service training of staff and organisingexhibitions have also been priority areas.
2.1.114 The Tenth Plan outlay for the Ministryof Culture is Rs.1720 crore and the anticipatedexpenditure during the first three years of thePlan period is Rs.904.38 crore, accounting for53 per cent of outlay. A Memorandum ofUnderstanding (MoU) has been signed betweenthe Government of India and the Governmentof Cambodia for conservation of the Ta Prohm.Temple in Sien Reap, Cambodia. During the
Tenth Plan, National Missions on Antiquitiesand Built Heritage are also proposed to belaunched and the Central Institute ofHimalayan Cultural Studies is to be set up inArunachal Pradesh. Three new galleries �Nizam Jewellery Gallery, Folk and Art Galleryand Central Asian Antiquities were set up inthe National Museum at Delhi. The pace ofmodernisation of preservation facilities relatingto repairing and rehabilitation of records underthe Archives and Records scheme picked upduring the period under review.
2.1.115 An amount of Rs.362.43 crore wasprovided for Promotion and Dissemination ofcultural heritage in the Tenth Plan and theexpenditure up to 2004-05 is Rs.208.81 crore.There is a need to ensure that benefits underthe scheme reach all the states/UnionTerritories and the schemes providing grants-in-aid to individuals and NGOs, which aresimilar in nature should be merged into oneumbrella scheme of Financial Assistance toInstitutions and Individuals.
2.1.116 Financial assistance is provided tovoluntary organisations/individuals engaged inpreservation and promotion of tribal/folk andculture under the scheme, Promotion ofClassical, Folk and Tribal Art Crafts. Anamount of Rs.4.55 crore has been providedduring the Tenth Plan for this scheme andexpenditure up to 2004-05 is Rs.2.53 crore.
THE WAY FORWARD
ELEMENTARY EDUCATION AND LITERACY
� The Tenth Plan target of enrolling ofall children in schools and EGS/AIEcentres by 2003 should be revised to2005 as about 8.1 million children arestill out of school as on September2004 and the targets for retention andcompletion should have consequentialrevisions.
� The remaining 8.1 million hard to reachout of school children should beenrolled in regular schools/EGS-AIE
Centres and plans to mainstream 12million children already enrolled in non-formal education streams into regularschools should be pursued rigorously.
� High dropout rates and quality ofeducation, the two main areas ofconcern of SSA, should be addressedthrough specific measures. The teacher-related issues like vacancies, absenteeism,untrained teachers and ineffectivetraining should be addressed urgently.
� Adequate teaching-learning materialsand provision of other joyful learningconditions in schools should be ensured,
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and the child tracking system shouldbe intensified.
� SSA funding pattern of 75:25 betweenthe Centre and states should bemaintained till the SSA Mission period.
� The SSA guidelines should be reviewedto ensure that these optimiseinvestment, meet output targets andcater to special regional circumstances.
� SSA should have a separate componentfor ECCE, where ICDS is not inoperation. Even where ICDS isoperating, pre-school component ofICDS should be covered under SSA.This component should include inter-alia need based training of anganwadiworkers, supply of TLM like play-waykits, supporting development ofcurriculum and materials for ICDS andhonorarium for ICDS workers forextension of anganwadi timings to theduration of school hours.
� Under MDMS, the States should ensureproper management structures andmonitoring arrangements, includingsocial audit, accountability and publicprivate partnership. A concurrentevaluation of MDMS should belaunched in all States.
� The factors leading to low learner�sachievement, including poor classroomtransactions, lack of pupil evaluationand low proportion of female teachersshould be addressed effectively.
� Local community should also beinvolved in monitoring schoolperformance through Village EducationCommittees and the institution be maderesponsible for outcomes in terms ofquality education.
� Teachers� vacancies at all levels shouldbe filled up urgently and there shouldbe advance planning for futurerequirements too. Pre-service and in-service training of teachers should bestrengthened and all the DIETs, BRCs,CRCs be made fully functional byfilling up the vacant faculty positions.
� Teacher Education Scheme should bemerged with SSA in the XI Plan inorder to ensure effective organisationaltie up for quality education.
� The literacy schemes like PLP, TLC,Continuing Education, should betransferred to the State Governmentsalong with funds to ensure betterparticipation/ involvement and effectivemonitoring.
� A new scheme should be launched as apart of literacy programmes, operatedthrough NGOs, to impart functionalliteracy to 35 plus age group as a sizeableproportion of the 31 crore illiteratepersons is in the said age group.
� All NGO operated schemes under adulteducation should be amalgamated intoa single CSS and funds routed throughthe State Governments.
SECONDARY EDUCATION
� In order to plan for a major expansionof secondary education in the event ofachievement of full or near full retentionunder SSA, a new Mission for SecondaryEducation, on the lines of SSA, shouldbe considered.
� The expansion of secondary educationshould recognize the scope forpromoting public-private partnership inview of the substantial share of privatesector in secondary education.
� Suitable taxation and land policies,concessional loan programmes shouldbe evolved to encourage expansion ofsecondary schools by NGOs, trusts andregistered societies in the private sector.
� The focus of public sector should be onopening of new secondary schools inunserved and difficult areas, organisingsecond shifts in thickly populated areas,upgrading existing upper primaryschools into secondary schools inspecified locations.
� Urgent steps should be initiated to bringabout reforms in curricula, review ofexamination system and the State Boards
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of Secondary Education should bestrengthened to improve the quality ofeducation.
� The main emphasis should be oninvestment in teacher education, pre-service and in-service training, andsetting up of laboratories, libraries andgreater usage of ICT.
� The secondary schools should focus onreorientation of vocational educationand impart vocational training in non-engineering and tertiary sector activitiesrather than conventional subjectsrelating to manufacturing sector.
� Vocational education should be gearedto meet the local demands and necessarylinkages with the local industry,business and trade should be established.
UNIVERSITY & HIGHER EDUCATION
� The Knowledge Commission shouldcomprehensively review universityeducation and address some of the deep-seated problems of varying standards,outdated syllabi, inadequate facilities andalso recruitment procedures and policiesin order to reduce the disparities inacademic standards of variousUniversities.
� A long-term plan should be devised forsetting up new colleges and universities,especially in educationally backwarddistricts, strengthening existinginstitutions and also for expanding�open� and �distance� education. Theseactivities should be undertaken in aphased manner, based on a clearperspective plan.
� A separate programme should belaunched to improve and upgrade selectuniversities and make these globallycompetitive. Expert faculty, funds andinfrastructure of international standardsshould be provided to these institutionsand supported by appropriate policychanges. Part of the upgradation shouldbe financed by increased fee income.
� A substantial increase in university feesshould be combined with an effectivescholarship for the deserving studentsand loan programme by public sectorbanks should be considered on apriority basis to improve the resourceposition of Universities and Colleges.The Central Government can give alead in this matter by introducing thesystem in the Central Universities.
� A clear policy for inviting private sectorinvestment in higher education shouldalso be formulated.
� The accreditation process for higherand technical education institutionsshould be made transparent and veryeffective.
� The expansion of institutions like IITs,IIMs should be considered so that theseset standards for technical andmanagement institutions.
YOUTH AFFAIRS AND SPORTS
� Sports Academies should be set up atdifferent locations for training anddeveloping sports infrastructure ofinternational standards and making itaccessible to those being trained forinternational competitive events.
� There should be greater transparencyin the functioning of SportsFederations/ Associations.
� Disaster preparedness should beincluded as one of the regular activitiesof Nehru Yuva Kendra Sanghathan(NYKS) during the current Plan itself.
� Greater dovetailing of the resources ofthe Ministry of Youth and SportsAffairs with those of the various stateGovernments should be ensured toavoid duplication of efforts.
� Promotion and development of sportsat village, block and district levels shouldbe the responsibility of the StateGovernments.
� Intervention of the central governmentshould be restricted to providing
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support only for grooming the talentedsports persons who have excelled atthe district/state levels for majornational and international events.
ART AND CULTURE
� A National Mission for Monumentsshould be launched for documentationand conservation of monuments notprotected by ASI.
� A programme for preservation of suchmonuments and development of selectedmonuments for promoting tourism indifferent regions should be taken up.
� Various folk and tribal art and cultureof different tribes in the country shouldnot only be documented but alsoconserved, promoted and integratedwith tourism related activities.
