Access to education key in 2006

New Delhi, Dec 31: While the reservation issue occupied public attention, the Human Resource Development Ministry went about opening doors to education for more and more Indians in 2006, an official appraisal suggests.

The Ministry's key underlying objective: access to education for advancement of weaker citizens.

Despite criticism and protests, the Ministry went ahead and reserved higher education seats for the educationally backward-- with effect from 2007.

Armed with a Re 11,000 crore budget provision in 2006-07, the Ministry brought millions of out-of-school kids into classrooms, emphasising education of girls and initiating effort to modernise Madarsas.

But little was done to curb teacher absenteeism-- a problem that may get more acute as college lecturers begin to spend more time on internet-- paid for by the University Grants Commission-- and possibly even less time with students.

The number of children still-out-of-school is officially estimated to be down to 9.6 million from 25 million two years ago.

India's National Institute of Open Schooling, the world's largest such system, registered 1.4 million students on its rolls from primary to pre-degree levels.

Special scholarships were introduced by the Central Board of Secondary Education for girls who are an only child-- a fillip also to the long-lost small family norm and gender balance.

A preliminiary test for entry to ace engineering and other professional schools was discarded as it gave students in cities an edge over those from smaller towns where coaching facilities are far fewer.

The number of 6-to-14-year-olds availing of mid-day meals rose to 120 million.

Led by Union Minister Arjun Singh, the HRD Ministry touched off controversy by its move to introduce reservations in higher educational institutions for backward classes.

With Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's approval, a committee chaired by Veerappa Moily was set up to monitor implementation of the decision.

The Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Admission) Bill 2006 was introduced in Parliament to give effect to the Constitutional provisions-- clause (5) of article 15.

The ''landmark'' Bill sought reservation in matters of admissions for the students belonging to the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Bckward Classes.

The provisions applied to Central educational institutions, includingthose deemed to be universities established, maintained or aided by theCentral government. It does not apply to minority educationalinstitutions== cited in clause (1) of article 30. As per provisions ofthe Bill, reservation of seats in the admissions are set to begin in2007.

Still trying to put all of India's 6-to-14-year-olds throughelementary education, the Indian authorities have set their sights on anew goal-- universal retention by 2010.

The idea is not just to send kids to school, but to help them stay there instead of dropping out-- a widespread problem.

Backed up by a cess from taxpayers, the Ministry's flagship Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan is striving to achieve universal retention.

It is aided by a mid-day meal programme serving about 120 millionchildren in a million primary schools and Education Guarantee Schemeand Alternative and Innovative Education Centres.

The Abhiyan and the meals are financed from a two per cent Education Cess imposed a couple of years ago.

Nutritional norms for the meal served to kids were raised thisyear from 300 calories and 8-12 grams of proteins to minimum 450calories and 12 grams of proteins.

The Centre pays Re 1.50 per child per school day-- as against Reone before-- while the States pays Re 0.50, making the tab Rs two permeal. The Northeastern States pay 20 paise per meal with the Centrepaying Re 1.80.

Girls who are an only child were offered a new scholarship by the CBSE from 2006-07.

By securing at least 60 per cent marks in class X such studentswill henceforth receive a Re 500 monthly scholarship through classes XIand XII in CBSE affiliated schools charging Rs 1,000 or less as monthlytuition fee.

Kendriya Vidyalayas already provide a fee waiver from classes VI to XII to girls who are an only child.

The Ministry also promoted girls' education through KasturbaGandhi Balika Vidyalayas, National Programme on Education and MahilaSamakhya Scheme and by improving hostel facilities.

As many as 1,000 new schools were approved this year-- besides1,180 earlier-- under Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya Scheme for girlspredominantly belonging to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, OtherBackward Classes and Minority communities.

As many as 50 new Kendriya Vidyalayas were approved this yearbesides 919 running and 28 Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas besides 505running. JNVs offer rural children access to 'high quality' schooleducation.

In April this year, Singh released new textbooks for classes I,III, VI, IX and XI brought out by the National Council of EducationalResearch and Training based on a new curriculum framework 2005.

The Ministry held a workshop for some of the nation's leadingwriters to suggest reading material that would interest and benefit 120million neoliterates.

Law was amended to allow retrospective recognition of teachertraining institutions which have been conducting courses andexaminations without prior recognition.

The UGC received Rs 1,270 crores in 2006-07 to facilitate moreassistance to Central Universities in the Northeast and StateUniversities and expand remedial coaching centres.

Steps were taken to set up a third Indian Institute of ScienceEducation and Research at Mohali besides such Institutes alreadyrunning at Kolkata and Pune. A preliminary test for Indian Institutesof Technology was dispensed with to give a larger number of candidatesa shot at the IITs if they secure 60 per cent marks in the SeniorSecondary Examination.

This eliminated the role of private coaching to which students from rural areas or smaller towns and cities seldom had access.

The Ministry also launched a free portal-- Sakshat-- for educationand learning needs of students, scholars, teachers and lifelonglearners.

It is intended as a one stop solution for educational needs ofK-20 learners-- from Kindergarten to Research levels-- covering allfields of study, including vocational, as well as learning for lifeskills.

The Ministry says it is encouraging use of technology to overcome barriers to access, equity and quality in education.

A National Core group has been formed to coordinate contentcreation, programme rescheduling and bandwidth utilisation of Edusat, asatellite dedicated for education.

A Technology Enhanced Learning Programme involving the seven IITsand the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore took India into theglobal arena where science and technology education is imparted throughInformation Communication and Technology.

The Programme has more than 300 faculty members with internationalreputations helping more than two million engineering students acrossIndia.

With Singh presiding, the National Institute of EducationalPlanning and Administration was renamed the National University ofEducational Planning and Administration.

An offshoot: Report Cards on a million plus primary and upperprimary schools parents can use to evaluate the school their kidsattend.

A move is being considered to regulate Foreign Direct Investmentin Higher Education-- keeping tabs on entry, operation, qualitycontrol-- to prevent commercialisation.

The Centre set up a Rashtriya Sanskrit Parishad in place of theCentral Sanskrit Board to make preservation, promotion and developmentof the rich heritage a national endeavour.

Also set up was a high level group under the Chairmanship ofMinister of State for HRD M A A Fatmi to examine the findings of theSachar Committee on Social, Economic and Educational Status of theMuslim Community and prepare a plan of action.

An All India Conference was convened to discuss introducing moderneducation in Madarsas and the need for a Central Madarsa Board.

UNI