Eleventh Five Year Plan

14 Eleventh Five Year Plan• Bringing literacy programmes at various levels underPRI structures at Block/Gram Panchayat levels,through Panchayat Saksharata Samitis.• Revamping of NLM integrating TLC, PLP, andCEP and introducing a broad-based LifelongEducation and Awareness Programme (LEAP).The LEAP will offer diverse learning programmes,functional skills, Quality of Life ImprovementProgrammes, Vocational Skills, and EquivalencyProgrammes.• Centres for Lifelong Education and Awareness willbe multifunctional and multidimensional seekingto provide a variety of learning programmes to beneficiaries.• ICTs will be more widely used to spread literacy inthe country.• About 250 new JSS will be set up in the EleventhPlan. The sanction of new JSS will be contingentupon independent evaluation of the existing JSSwith regard to their utility.• To ensure transparency in the functioning of JSS,an accreditation process will be evolved in partnershipwith States and only accredited NGOs withgood track record will implement JSS. The managementof dysfunctional JSS will be changed. Thequality of JSS training programme will be improvedwith the help of professional technical institutionsof the district and the programmes tuned to meetlocal demand. Placement record of the trainees inthe self employment will be maintained.• A stronger synergy would be ensured between theState Resource Centres (SRCs) and the AdultEducation Departments in universities for soundacademic and research inputs.• Existing SRC/District Resource Centre (DRC) willbe strengthened as per the assessed needs andnew SRCs will be set up only in the States wherethey do not exist. There will be no more than oneSRC per State irrespective of the size of the State’spopulation so that uniform standards are maintainedincluding production of Teaching LearningMaterials (TLM).• All NGO-operated schemes will be sanctioned toaccredited institutions only. The accreditationprocess will invariably involve State Governmentsand the accredited institutions will be listed on theMHRD website.1.2 SECONDARY EDUCATION ANDVOCATIONAL EDUCATION (VE)1.2.1 The success of SSA in achieving large scaleenrolment of children in regular and alternate schoolshas thrown open the challenge of expanding access tosecondary education. Rapid changes in technology andthe demand for skills also make it necessary that youngpeople acquire more than eight years of elementaryeducation to acquire the necessary skills to competesuccessfully in the labour market. Moreover, secondaryeducation serves as a bridge between elementaryand higher education.1.2.2 The stage is thus set for universalization ofsecondary education. The population of children inthe age group (14–18 years) is estimated at 107 millionin 2001, 119.7 million in 2006, and 121.1 millionin 2011, where as, the current enrolment in secondaryand senior secondary education together is around 37million only (2004–05).SECONDARY EDUCATION: REVIEW OFPERFORMANCE IN THE TENTH PLAN1.2.3 The thrust of secondary education during theTenth Plan period was on improving access andreducing disparities by emphasizing the CommonSchool System in which it is mandatory for schools ina particular area to take students from low-incomefamilies in the neighbourhood. The Tenth Plan alsofocused on revision of curricula with emphasis onvocationalization and employment-oriented courses,expansion and diversification of the open learningsystem, reorganization of teacher training, and greateruse of ICTs. These objectives have been achievedonly partly.Access1.2.4 The enrolment in 1.02 lakh secondary and 0.50lakh higher secondary schools is 24.3 million and 12.7million, respectively (2004–05). The GER for secondaryeducation (IX and X) is 51.65% and that for highersecondary 27.82%. The combined GER for both thelevels is only 39.91%. The dropout rate at secondarylevel is as high as 62% (Table 1.2.1).1.2.5 There are glaring inter-State and intra-Statevariations in enrolment, dropouts, and access to