To realize the universalization of elementary education, the National Policy, 1986, continuing presently, reiterates the earlier resolve to ensure that ‘up to a given level, all students, irrespective of caste, creed, location or sex, have access to education of a comparable quality’.71 The policy suggests that government initiate appropriately
funded programs. For implementing equal opportunity in letter and spirit, not only access is emphasized, but the conditions for success are also to be created. The Union Government shoulders the responsibility of re-enforcing the national and integrative character of education and maintaining quality and standards.
The education of the tribal masses receives special attention from the government in the policy. By the 1980s, educational planners were clear about the problem of tribals at this stage – poor school facilities, unrelated curriculum, poor methods of teaching and poverty – all of which were discussed at length by the Dhebar Commission. Based on an understanding of these problems, the 1986 Policy recommended a number of measures. Given the fact that ten per cent of rural habitations yet to be covered by primary school within radius of one km were largely tribal habitations in the interior areas, the government prioritized construction of school buildings under schemes like the Jawahar Rojgar Yojna, Tribal Welfare Schemes, etc. The development of curricula based on the socio-cultural milieu of tribals and of instructional materials in tribal languages, with provision for switching over to regional languages, is another priority of the policy. Besides, the policy suggests expansion of residential schools, including Ashram Schools, Anganwadis and Adult Education Centres. For teaching jobs in tribal areas, it seeks to encourage and train tribal youth. To promote tribals in higher education, especially in technical, professional and para-professional courses, the policy gives incentives by way of scholarships, special remedial courses and other programs to remove psycho-social impediments. Finally, to create awareness of the tribals’ rich cultural identity and to promote their enormous creative talent, the policy recommends suitable designing of curriculum at all stages of education.
69 Planning Commission, Government of India, Sixth Five Year Plan (1980-85)
planningcommission.nic.in/plans/planrel/fiveyr/6th/6planch21.html, p. 2. 70 Planning Commission, Government of India, Sixth Five Year Plan (1980-85)
planningcommission.nic.in/plans/planrel/fiveyr/7th/vol2/7v2ch10.html, pp. 4-5.
71 Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India, National Policy on Education (as modified in 1992), New
162
Besides these, the policy includes certain general points that are significant for the tribals. On elementary schooling, it emphasizes universal access and enrolment, universal retention of children up to fourteen years of age and a substantial improvement in the quality of education. The policy resolves to give ‘highest priority’ to solving the problem of drop-outs and promised to adopt ‘an array of meticulously formulated strategies based on micro-planning.’ Adopting ‘a warm, welcoming and encouraging approach’, it allows learners, especially first generation learners, to set their own pace of learning. It, therefore, underscored a no-detention policy at the primary stage. At the secondary level, the policy stood for widening the educational access of the weaker sections and promoting vocational education as a distinct stream. The government launched Operation Blackboard in 1987 and the National Literacy Mission in 1988. The Literacy Mission aimed to create a positive outlook among the adult population to encourage the compulsory elementary education of children. Operation Blackboard was meant for providing basic infrastructure and essentials of schooling like classrooms, teachers and so on. Further, a scheme of Restructuring and Reorganization of Teacher Education was taken up in 1987. Complementing the work of the Ministry of Human Resource Development, the government launched in 1990- 91, under its tribal division, fresh Ashram Schools from the primary to secondary level in Tribal Sub-Plan areas with an equal fund sharing arrangement between Centre and the States.
After the policy revision exercise was complete, the government drew out a Program of Action (1992). Important steps listed in the Program in the interest of the tribals are:
provision of primary school or other suitable institution in every tribal habitation before the end of the Eight Five Year Plan (1992-97)
implementation of educational plan in an integrated manner by the coordination of Balwadis, non-formal education, adult education and elementary education under an Educational Complex
making teachers responsible for enrolment drives at the beginning of academic session with the help of voluntary agencies and local communities
covering, under Operation Blackboard, within two years, all schools in tribal areas, irrespective of the date on which they were set up
preparation of instructional materials in tribal languages with a view to teaching them through tribal languages in the initial stage with a provision for transition to regional languages
linking rates of pre-matric and post-matric scholarships with the increase in the cost of living index, and disbursing scholarships to students of upper primary school level and above through banks/ post-offices, in advance on the first day of each month
163
organization of special coaching, training and remedial teaching classes in order to enhance scholastic achievement, and providing residential facility to those preparing for competitive examinations
giving additional scholarships to girl students at secondary and senior secondary stage, and providing them special coaching and remedial classes
proving quality reading material in cheap rate from Indian and foreign languages by abridging, adapting and translating, and lastly,
raising teachers from the community to meet the shortage of teachers, through short courses, specifying District Institutes of Educational Training for teacher training on a large scale with a long-term perspective.
The Government revamped the scheme of grant-in-aid to voluntary organizations, specially modifying the rules to provide for 100 per cent assistance, rather than 90 per cent. Towards promotion of girls’ education, in 1993-94, the scheme of ‘Educational Complex’ in 136 districts with low literacy pockets was introduced. The complex was meant for 50 girls of the primary school stage with free food and lodging, uniform and other facilities, with the additional provision of training in crafts and vocation. Another initiative of the government was the District Primary Education Program (1994) with partial funding from the World Bank. Soon after, the National Program of Nutritional Support, providing each primary school student with three kilograms of food grains per month, was launched in 1995. Further, a Minimum Level of Learning program was introduced, with the objective of ascertaining competencies, which all primary school students should be able to master in language, mathematics and environmental studies. Further, it aimed to develop curricula and textbooks in relation to the above mentioned objective. Additionally, in order to reduce the burden of learning in the early stage that would greatly help tribal students, the Government constituted a committee in 1993, which expeditiously recommended ways and means to make learning burden-free.72
At the secondary education level, the Government promoted the program of vocationalization. This was relevant to the tribals in view of their high drop-out rate at the secondary school level and subsequent unemployment. The program was introduced in accordance with the National Policy guideline that aimed at ten per cent higher secondary students in vocational courses by 1995 and 25 per cent by 2000. In 1993-94, a program of pre-vocational training for students of Class IX and X was initiated. The idea behind this was to impart training in simple marketable skills and develop student interest in the vocational stream at the senior secondary level. An attempt was also made to reach out to the weaker sections by expanding the National Open School System, whose study centres increased from 161 in 1990-91 to 666 in 1996-97. Of these centres, 105 were for vocational studies.
164