Praudh Shiksha Vistar Sewayein प्रौढ़ शिक्षा विस्तार सेवायें

Eradication of illiteracy from a nation that is set to become the most populated in the world is by no meanseasy. This was realised in the eighties and the National Literacy Mission came into being to impart a newsense of urgency and seriousness to adult education.

As we set foot in to the new millennium, it gives us the opportunity to reflect upon the efforts we have been making and also to learn from our failures so that we canachieve our target of a sustainable, threshold level of literacy. It is time to assess ongoing programmes and seek new horizons.It is in this context that the Union Cabinet took some momentous decisions in its meeting held on 30th November1999.Thesedecisions, which will have far reaching consequences, have greatly strengthened the mission and given to it a new orientation as well as a resurgent spirit.

Integrated Approach

The Government has decided that an integrated approach to literacy would be followednow. This means, the Total literacy Campaigns and the Post Literacy Programme will now operate under one literacy Project.This approach would enable the enormous illiteracy problem to be tackled in a holistic manner. By treating the imparting of functional literacy as a continuum rather than as a one off benefit for the illiterateperson, progress of literacy efforts would be made goal -directed. Literacy campaigns would continue to run in those areas where there are large pools ofresidual illiteracy. At the same time, for those who have crossed the basic learningphase, programmes of consolidation, remediation, vocational skills, integrationwith life skills and such other aspects would be considered the basic unit.

In effect, the task of making a person actually literate in a sustainableand meaningful way can be said to have been modesty discharged only after the Post Literacy Campaigns actually constitute two operational stages on the learning continuum and now under the same scheme will operate in smoothprogression, drawing there financial sustenance from one single and same budgetary provision.

It is proposed that a district, while submitting theirinitial project, would also submit their strategy for Post Literacy on the basis of there anticipated target andprojections of achievements. The per learner financial norms of Total Literacy Campaigns and Post Literacy Campaigns would be the same as approved by the Expenditure FinanceCommittee. The structures and strategies would also remain unaltered providing closer linkages.

The integrated proposal seeks to effectively bring the activities of literacy campaigns underone 'Literacy Project' to achieve continuity, efficiency and convergenceand to minimise unnecessary time lag between the two.

The existing funding pattern of literacy campaigns is proposed to becontinued. The funding ratio between Centre and State Government for normal districts is 2:1,whereas for districts under Tribal Sub-Plan the ratio is 4:1.The per learner cost for a Total Literacy Campaigns will now be in the range of Rs90-180, whereas it will be between Rs.90-130 for post literacy programme.

In many cases for reasons such as natural calamities, absence of politicalwill, frequent transfer of collectors, etc., a number of campaigns have stagnated .Therestoration of such project would be continued as was approved by the cabinet in 1994. For thispurpose, an additionality of 40-50% on the original project cost, will be admissible.

The revised parameters of the scheme, in brief,are as follows: