HISTORY AND POLITICAL SCIENCE
STANDARD NINE
The Coordination Committee formed by GR No. Abhyas - 2116/(Pra.Kra.43/16) SD - 4
Dated 25.4.2016 has given approval to prescribe this textbook in its meeting held on 3.3.2017
History and
Political Science
Standard Nine
Maharashtra State Bureau of Textbook Production and
Curriculum Research, Pune.
The digital textbook can be obtained through DIKSHA APP
on a smartphone by using the Q. R. Code given on title page
of the textbook and useful audio-visual teaching-learning
material of the relevant lesson will be available through the
Q. R. Code given in each lesson of this textbook.
First Edition : 2017 © Maharashtra State Bureau of Textbook Production and
Reprint : October 2020
Curriculum Research, Pune - 411 004.
The Maharashtra State Bureau of Textbook Production and Curriculum
Research reserves all rights relating to the book. No part of this book
should be reproduced without the written permission of the Director,
Maharashtra State Bureau of Textbook Production and Curriculum
Research, ‘Balbharati’, Senapati Bapat Marg, Pune 411004.
History Subject Committee Authors Cartographer
Shri. Ravikiran Jadhav
Dr Sadanand More, Chairman Dr Ganesh Raut
Shri. Mohan Shete, Member Dr Vaibhavi Palsule Scrutiny
Shri. Pandurang Balkawade, Member Dr Ganesh Raut
Shri. Bapusaheb Shinde, Member Cover and Illustrations
Shri. Balkrishna Chopde, Member Typesetting
Shri. Prashant Sarudkar, Member Shri. Mukim Shaikh DTP Section, Balbharati
Shri. Mogal Jadhav, Member-Secretary
Translation Paper
Prof. Arati Khatu 70 GSM Creamwove
Dr Padma Mehta
Shri. Sushrut Kulkarni Print Order
N/PB/2021-22/Qty,-1,30,000
Civics Subject Committee Coordination
Printer
Dr Shrikant Paranjape, Chairman Mogal Jadhav,
Prof. Sadhana Kulkarni, Member Special Officer, M/s.Mohak Printers,Pune.
History and Civics
Dr Mohan Kashikar, Member
Shri. Vaijnath Kale, Member Varsha Sarode
Shri. Mogal Jadhav, Member-Secretary Assistant Special Officer,
History and Civics
History and Civics Study Group Coordination
Shri. Rahul Prabhu Dr Raosaheb Shelke Dhanavanti Hardikar
Shri. Sanjay Vazarekar Shri. Mariba Chandanshive Academic Secretary for Languages
Shri. Subhash Rathod Shri. Santosh Shinde
Smt Sunita Dalvi Dr Satish Chaple Santosh J. Pawar
Dr Shivani Limaye Shri. Vishal Kulkarni Assistant Special Officer, English
Shri. Bhausaheb Umate Shri. Shekhar Patil
Dr Nagnath Yevale Shri. Sanjay Mehta Production
Shri. Sadanand Dongre Shri. Ramdas Thakar
Shri. Ravindra Patil Dr Ajit Apte Sachchitanand Aphale
Shri. Vikram Adsul Dr Mohan Khadse Chief Production Officer
Smt Rupali Girkar Smt Shivkanya Kaderkar Prabhakar Parab, Production Officer
Dr Minakshi Upadhyay Shri. Gautam Dange
Smt Kanchan Ketkar Dr Vyankatesh Kharat Shashank Kanikdale,
Smt Shivkanya Patve Shri. Ravindra Jinde Asst. Production Officer
Dr Anil Singare Dr Prabhakar Londhe
Publisher
Vivek Uttam Gosavi, Controller
Maharashtra State Textbook Bureau,
Prabhadevi, Mumbai - 400 025.
Preface
Dear students,
We have great pleasure in offering to you this Std IX textbook of History which
deals with the period from the year 1961 to 2000. This textbook is a part of the
efforts being made to modernise the history curriculum.
The book reviews the development that has taken place in India in the social,
cultural and other areas since 1961. It needs to be remembered that this review is
by no means detailed or complete. In fact, compelled by the limit on the number
of pages in this textbook, it is a rather cursory overview of approximately forty
years. It takes note of the economic policies of India which relate to industry and
agriculture, of the empowerment of women and of development-related events connected
with the weakest sections of society. It throws some light on the progress of the
education sector and the changing ways of life of Indians. To help you understand
the subject well, maps, pictures, statistical figures and extra information in separate
boxes have also been given. In addition, a variety of activities have been suggested.
This textbook will help you lay the foundation for the competitive exams you might
take in the future or for higher education in history. Your parents have been witness
to the history discussed here. They could help you expand your understanding of
this textbook.
As part of the Political Science syllabus, you have to study the main currents in
world events since 1945, the evolution of India’s foreign policy, our security systems
and the challenges before them today. We also discuss diplomatic relations between
India and other countries, the United Nations, India’s contribution to the peacekeeping
efforts of the United Nations, etc.
Certain problems faced by the international community, such as protection of human
rights, protection of the environment, and terrorism have been introduced through
this textbook. You will find this textbook of help in your efforts to understand all
kinds of happenings at the international level.
The study of history helps us understand the past and develop an awareness of the
present. The study of political science helps us see the way forward into the future.
The present textbook is meant to help you do all these things.
Pune (Dr Sunil Magar)
Date : 28 April, 2017 Director
Akshayya Tritiya
Indian Solar Year : Maharashtra State Bureau of Textbook
8 Vaishakh 1939 Production and Curriculum Research, Pune.
- For Teachers -
First of all, you are to be congratulated that you are a teacher and also a student
of History. This year, using this textbook, we have to teach the period of years from
1961 to 2000. You will especially enjoy dealing with this textbook because you have
been a witness to several of the events mentioned here. This book includes the very events
that have taken place around you. You will, in a way, re-live those times.
This is the history of the whole of India. In view of the limited number of pages
in the textbook, it is a difficult task to present the entire account of these years with
any continuity. We have tried to include those events which would most appeal to students
of Std IX at their age. Taking some important events as a framework, it will be possible
to help students to learn about the intervening events using the Internet.
The central theme of this book is ‘How a newly independent State sets itself on the
road towards development’. This is a country which has the largest democratic system in
the world. An attempt has been made to highlight the role played in the progress of such
a country by the political and the administrative leadership, as well as by scientists,
educationists and artists. Complementing this, is the other important part of this book,
namely, the faith of the citizens of India in democracy and the fight put up by the general
public in its defence. That every individual has a social responsibility and that the nation
is bigger than the political leadership is the message that the public has always sent out
in the post-independence period. To acquaint students with the meaning underlying the
bare events is a big challenge before us. However, we believe that teachers will be able
to shoulder this responsibility with ease with the help of the modern technology we have
at our disposal today.
This is the first time that teachers will be teaching about the very period that they
have themselves experienced. Hence, this itself is a historic task. This book will be of
use to impress upon the students the important principle that every citizen can make a
contribution to shaping post-independence India. Features of the textbook like maps,
pictures, boxes with additional information and the suggested activities are to be used for
this purpose. Our ultimate aim is to communicate effectively to the students the unique
greatness of our country.
In the subject of Political Science in this class, we will review the interactions between
‘India and the World’. In these times, events occurring at the global and international
level have consequences for all countries. Due to the advances in information technology,
interaction and exchanges of many kinds between nations have increased greatly. We
need to make the students aware of these complex international relationships from an
India-centric viewpoint. Naturally, it will be best to make a beginning through building
an understanding of the important international events and currents from recent history.
The content of the present book is new. However, it has been presented with a constructivist
point of view so that it will be easily understood. To arouse interest in the subject, the
content has been presented in a different way. As it will be the first time that students
will be attempting to understand international relations, teachers too should take care to
support their teaching with a variety of non-conventional sources. There is ample scope
in the textbook for the effective application of such methods. It is expected that teachers
will try to strengthen the faith of the students in values such as the preservation of global
peace and security, respect for human rights, peace and mutual trust and the actions that
are taken in accordance with them.
CONTENTS
India after Independence
(1961 ce to 2000 ce)
No. Chapter Page
1. Sources of History........................................ 1
2. India : Events after 1960.............................. 5
3. India’s Internal Challenges.......................... 10
4. Economic Development............................... 15
5. Education .................................................... 23
6. Empowerment of Women and
other Weaker Sections................................. 31
7. Science and Technology.............................. 37
8. Industry and Trade....................................... 43
9. Changing Life : 1........................................ 47
10. Changing Life : 2......................................... 52
S.O.I. Note to the maps : The following foot notes are applicable : (1) © Government of India, Copyright : 2017. (2) The responsibility
for the correctness of internal details rests with the publisher. (3) The territorial waters of India extend into the sea to a distance of twelve
nautical miles measured from the appropriate base line. (4) The administrative headquarters of Chandigarh, Haryana and Punjab are
at Chandigarh. (5) The interstate boundaries amongst Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Meghalaya shown on this map are as interpreted
from the “North-Eastern Areas (Reorganisation) Act. 1971,” but have yet to be verified. (6) The external boundaries and coastlines of
India agree with the Record/Master Copy certified by Survey of India. (7) The state boundaries between Uttarakhand & Uttar Pradesh,
Bihar & Jharkhand and Chattisgarh & Madhya Pradesh have not been verified by the Governments concerned. (8) The spellings of
names in this map, have been taken from various sources.
Competencies
S.No. Units Competencies
1. Sources of History • To be able to classify the sources of history.
• To be able to imagine and speculate about contemporary events
while studying the sources of history.
• To be able to read and interpret references related to history.
• To be able to make a collection of historical objects, documents,
books, coins and electronic information. Also to be able to
classify them in different ways.
• To interpret historical events objectively.
2. The Challenge of • To be able to tell the historical events related to India’s
Nation-building : 1 progress in the post-independence period chronologically.
• To be able to critically analyse India’s internal challenges.
• To be able to explain how India’s economic policies changed
with changing times.
• To be able to summarise the impact of the economic
reforms that came in the wake of globalisation.
• To be able to explain the reasons for changes brought about
in the Indian economy due to privatisation, liberalisation and
globalisation.
3. The Challenge of • To be able to narrate the stages of development of the Indian
Nation-building : 2 education system.
• To be able to tell how education is an important means for
resolving several social problems.
• To understand the efforts made for the development of the
weaker sections of the population and their importance.
• To be able to cite examples of the progress made by post-
Independence India in the fields of science and technology.
• To be able to find out information about the organisations in
the fields of industry and commerce and to be able to narrate
their impact on the economy.
• To feel proud about the progress in science and technology.
• To find out about new inventions with the help of internet.
4. Changing Life • To understand the role and responsibilities of the media in
mobilising public opinion and making the civil society active.
• To be able to compare urbanisation with rural life.
• To develop an understanding about advocating social equality.
• To adopt scientific temper.
1 Sources of History
Till now we have studied the history from 1961 to 2000, we see that in the
of ancient, medieval and modern India. beginning, there was no alternative to the
This year we have to study the history of print media, especially newspapers. With
India in the post-independence era. Sources liberalisation and widespread use of
of modern history are different from those internet in India, an alternative for print
of ancient and medieval history. We can media became available. Yet, the print
study history with the help of various media still continue to be powerful.
sources like written sources, material
sources, oral sources and sources in the Newspapers : Through newspapers,
audio-visual medium. In the modern we can get information about national
period, we have to take note of various and international affairs, politics, art,
sources at the regional, state, national as sports, literature and social and cultural
well as international level. We can write affairs. Newspapers contain matters
history with the help of these sources. related to human life. Most national
newspapers have started their regional
Written Sources : The following editions. They publish supplements that
sources are included in the written sources. give information about various topics.
Newsletters of various movements, the
Newspapers dailies or weeklies of political parties,
monthly and annual magazines are
Encyclopedias Periodicals important among the print media.
Postage Written Diaries Some newspapers produce special
Stamps Sources Reference supplements towards the end of the year
that take an overview of the important
books events of the year. Such supplements help
us understand the important events of the
Government Correspondence year.
Gazettes
Press Trust of India (PTI) : After
Documents in 1953, the Press Trust of India has been
an important source of primary details of
the Archives all important events and of articles on
important subjects. Press Trust of India
Do you know ? has provided reports, photographs and
articles on financial and scientific issues
The place where historical to newspapers. PTI has now started its
documents are preserved is called online service. During the 1990s, PTI
‘Archives’. The main office of the started using the ‘satellite broadcast’
National Archives of India is at New technology instead of tele-printers to send
Delhi. It is the largest among the news all over the country. This material
Archives in Asia. is important for writing the history of
modern India.
Just as newspapers are considered the
fourth pillar of democracy in the modern
period, they are also a major medium of
information. If we consider the period
1
Do you know ? Do you know ?
Among the print media, the The Indian government issued the
information contained in the annual ‘Jal Cooper’ stamp in 1977. Jal Cooper
issues of the Publications Division of the was an internationally acclaimed
Government of India is authentic and philatelist, i.e. an expert on the subject
trustworthy. For example, the of ‘postage stamps’. Born in a Parsi
Information and Broadcasting household in Mumbai, Cooper edited
Department published INDIA 2000, an ‘India’s Stamp Journal’. He was the
annual reference book. This reference founder of the first Philatelic Bureau
book is created under ‘Research, in India, an office that collected
Reference and Training Department’. stamps. He founded the ‘Empire of
India Philatelic Society’. He went on
It contains useful information about to write many books on this subject.
the land, its people, national emblems, He gave a scientific bent to his hobby.
political system, defence, education, He played a pivotal role in taking the
cultural events and an account of the study of Indian postage stamps to the
developments in the fields of science international level. Having started his
and technology, environment, health career as a postage stamp collector,
and family welfare, social welfare, Cooper achieved the expertise of a
media of mass communications along philatelist at the international level.
with basic data, related to economics, The postage stamp on Jal Cooper is
finance, planning, agriculture, water an important source to understand his
conservation, rural development, food significant contribution to this field.
and civil supplies, energy, industries,
trade and commerce, transport, Jal Cooper Postage Stamp
communication, labour, housing, laws
and statutes, youth and sports tercentenary of different events. It is
departments, etc. It is possible for us therefore a valuable repository of history.
to write history with the help of such
information. Material Sources : The following
sources are included among the physical
Website : www.publicationsdivision.nic.in sources.
Postage Stamps : The postage stamps Places of Things in Royal
don’t reveal anything on their own. Yet Coins worship daily use Seals
a historian makes them speak. There have
been several changes in postage stamps Material sources
since India became independent. Postage
stamps reveal a lot to us about changing Ornaments Museums Clothing Modern
times due to the variety in the sizes of architecture
the stamps, the novelty in their subjects
and colour schemes.
The Postal Department issues postage
stamps on a wide variety of themes like
political leaders, flowers, animals, birds,
an event, or the silver, golden, diamond
jubilees or centenary, bicentenary,
2
Coins : We can also understand Try this.
history with the help of coins and the
changes in the printing of currency notes. As an example of how some
Reserve Bank of India prints the notes. It event gets reflected in literature and
has its headquarters in Mumbai. how a poet perceives that event, study
the poem ‘Aavahan’ written on the
backdrop of the Sino-Indian war by
the noted Marathi poet Kusumagraj.
Find pieces of literature based on
contemporary events.
Coins Audio-visual sources : Television,
films, internet are called ‘Audio-visual
The coins from 1950 to those used at media’. Many domestic and foreign
present, the metals used for making them, television channels also come under this
their different shapes, the diversity of head, eg., History channel, Discovery
subjects on them together help us to channel, etc.
understand the important contemporary
issues in India eg., coins to convey the Film and Television Institute of
message of population control and coins India (FTII) : The Government of India
communicating the importance of started the Film and Television Institute
agriculture and of farmers. of India at Pune in 1960 with the purpose
of providing public education. An institute
Museums : All States of India have called Indian News Review has produced
museums that depict the characteristics various newsreels on important events in
and display the cultural and social politics, social issues, art, sports and
heritage of the State. They enable us to culture. This Department has also produced
understand history (eg., the Chhatrapati various documentaries on prominent social
Shivaji Maharaj Museum at Mumbai. leaders, on people who have made major
Apart from the Government Museums, contributions for the country and about
some private collectors also set up their important locations in India. These news
own museums. They are based on releases and documentaries are useful for
distinctive subjects. eg., coins, notes, studying the history of modern India.
lamps and nutcrackers in different shapes,
cricket equipment, etc. FTII Logo
Oral sources : These sources include
folktales, folksongs, proverbs, ballads and
owis (Marathi verses in the oral tradition).
Activists were inspired by the powadas
of Lokshahir Anna Bhau Sathe and
Shahir Amar Sheikh during the Sanyukta
Maharashtra Movement.
3
Try this. gadget called ‘pager’ came up for
contacting people. But it died out as
Which films about patriotism do quickly as it had come up. The huge
you know of ? In your own words, amount of information available on the
write a review of one such film that Internet is used for studying history, but
you have liked. the truth and authenticity of this
information needs to be verified.
Till now we have seen some important
sources for writing the history of modern Now it has become comparatively
India. The times in the 21st century are easy to study history with the all these
changing so rapidly, that even these sources. As these sources are from the
sources will prove to be inadequate. contemporary period, they are easily
However, new sources are coming forth. available. Since a subject like history
For example, during the transformation touches all the aspects of our lives, efforts
from land line telephone to cellphones, a for preservation of such sources are made
at all levels. We should also contribute
to this effort.
Exercises
1. (A) Choose the correct option from the 3. Explain the following statements with
reasons.
given options and complete the (1) The postal department tries to preserve
statements. the heritage and integrity of Indian
culture through postage stamps.
(1) The National Archives of India is (2) Audio-visual media are an important
source for writing the history of
situated at………. modern India.
(a) Pune (b) New Delhi Projects
(c) Kolkata (d) Hyderabad (1) Create a handwritten account or a
documentary about your school.
(2) The …………… is included among
the Audio-Visual media. (2) Watch the different documentaries
available on the official website of
(a) Newspaper (b) Television the Archeological Survey of India,
(c) All India Radio (d) Periodicals an organisation under the Government
of India.
(3) ………. is not included in physical
(3) Which sources would you use to
sources. write the history of your village/
town ? Write the history of your
(a) Coins (b) Ornaments village / town using those sources.
(c) Buildings (d) Proverbs
(B) Identify and write the wrong pair.
Person Specialty
Jal Cooper - Philatelist
Kusumagraj - Poet
Anna Bhau Sathe - A people’s bard
Amar Shaikh - Art collector
2. Write short notes on-
(1) Written Sources
(2) Press Trust of India
4
2 India : Events after 1960
India became independent in 1947 c e. the architect of India’s foreign policy. His
India accepted the constitutional contribution to the social and economic
framework in 1950 and became a development of India
sovereign democratic nation. The Indian is significant.
society is multicultural and people of Jawaharlal Nehru
various languages, religions, ethnicities passed away in 1964.
and castes live together. Lal Bahadur Shastri
succeeded him and
During the initial period after became the next
independence, India needed to solve Prime Minister of
different issues of economic, political and India. During his
social development. The establishment of tenure, India and Lal Bahadur Shastri
the Planning Commission and emphasis on Pakistan went to war over the Kashmir
industrialisation was a means to achieve issue in 1965. The Soviet Russia tried to
economic development and to eliminate mediate between the two countries. Lal
poverty in India. Successful conduct of Bahadur Shastri breathed his last at
elections and faith in democratic traditions Tashkent in 1966. Lal Bahadur Shastri
made it possible for us to achieve political gave the slogan ‘Jai Jawan Jai Kisan’
stability. At the same time, several social with which he highlighted the importance
reforms including policies and programmes of Indian soldiers and Indian farmers.
for the weaker sections of the society were
sought to be implemented. Indira Gandhi
The 1960s (Nineteen-sixties) : In the became the Prime
decade of the 1960s, several events
occurred which had a huge impact on the Minister of India in
political situation in India. The regions of
Goa, Diu and Daman were freed from 1966. Her decision
Portuguese rule and became parts of the
Indian federation. The tensions between making ability was
India and China on the northern border
which had been rising since 1950, admirable. Her
culminated in the war decisions regarding the
of 1962 between two
countries. This war Nationalisation of
was fought in the
region of the banks and cancelling
MacMahon line. Indira Gandhi pensions of Princes had
far reaching effects. During her tenure,
Pakistan’s oppressive policies in East
Pakistan resulted in a big movement
there. This movement was led by Sheikh
Mujibur Rahman and his organisation,
‘Mukti Bahini.’ This crisis in East
After India Pakistan affected India as well, because
became independent, millions of refugees came to India.
Prime Minister Pandit The 1970s (Nineteen-seventies) : The
1971 war between India and Pakistan led
Pandit Jawaharlal Jawaharlal Nehru led to the creation of an independent country
Nehru
the country. He was
5
called Bangladesh. Role of Prime Minister Sikhs in Punjab demanded an independent
Indira Gandhi's strong leadership was
prominent in this issue. As a part of state of Khalistan and began a movement
India’s policy to use atomic energy for
peaceful purposes, India successfully which went on to become violent and
carried out an underground test of an
atomic device at Pokharan in Rajasthan destructive. Pakistan had lent its support
in 1974. In 1975, the people of Sikkim
voted for joining the Indian republic and to this movement. The Indian army was
Sikkim became a full-fledged State in
the Indian federation. sent into the Golden Temple at Amritsar,
During this decade, the government a holy shrine of the Sikhs in 1984, to
declared a state of National Emergency
on the basis of the constitutional evict the terrorists who had allegedly
provisions relating to Emergency. During
this turbulent period, the fundamental taken shelter there. One of the bodyguards
rights of Indian citizens were suspended.
Due to the emergency, the Indian in Indira Gandhi’s personal security
administration became disciplined, but
the human rights were restricted. The assassinated her.
period of national emergency lasted from
1975 to 1977 and after that general During this period,
elections were conducted.
an organisation
On the backdrop of the emergency,
many opposition parties came together called United
and formed a party called the Janata
Party. The Congress party led by Indira Liberation Front of
Gandhi was roundly defeated by this
newly formed ‘Janata Party’. Morarji Assam (ULFA)
Desai became the Prime Minister, but
under his leadership the Janata Party carried on a major
government couldn’t last long due to
internal differences. Charan Singh movement in North-
succeeded him, but even his government
was a short-lived one. Elections were east India.
conducted once again in 1980 and the
Congress party under the leadership of Rajiv Gandhi Right after
Indira Gandhi came to power again.
Indira Gandhi’s assassination in 1984,
The 1980s (Nineteen-eighties) :
During this decade the Indian political Rajiv Gandhi became the Prime Minister
system faced many new challenges. The
of India. He tried to make several reforms
in the field of Indian economy and that
of science and technology. He took the
lead in solving the issues of the Tamil
minority in Sri Lanka. He promoted the
idea of a united Sri Lanka with internal
autonomy to the Tamil community, but
his efforts in this regard proved to be in
vain.
The Congress party was defeated in
the general elections held in 1989.
Several political parties formed a
coalition called the Janata Dal and
Vishwanath Pratap Singh became the
next Prime Minister of India. The policy
for providing reservations for other
backward classes (OBC) is considered to
be his most important contribution. He
could not continue as Prime Minister due
6
to internal differences in the party. In Atal Bihari Vajpayee tried to establish
1990, Chandra Shekhar became the a dialogue with Pakistan but was not
Prime Minister of India. His government successful. India conducted a number of
was also short-lived. In 1991, during the nuclear tests in 1998 and declared herself
election campaign, the terrorist as an atomic power. In 1999, there was
organisation in Sri Lanka, Liberation war between India and Pakistan in Kargil
Tigers of Tamil Eelum (LTTE), region over the Kashmir issue. India
assassinated Rajiv Gandhi. defeated Pakistan in this war.
Towards the end of the decade of Indian economy : Right from
1980s, the unrest in Jammu and Kashmir independence, the modernisation of
had begun. This problem grew serious economy, economic self-sufficiency and
day by day and today it has taken the social justice have been the characteristics
form of terrorism. The terrorist activities of Indian economy. India wanted to
there forced the Kashmiri Pandits to leave acquire modernity and self-reliance by
the valley. establishing industries. We wanted to
establish an economy based on social
The changes after 1991 : The year justice through planning. For this, the
1991 is held to be very important in the National Planning Commission was
history of the world as well as India. established that would coordinate
The Soviet Russia disintegrated into development through the policy of Five
several different small countries and the Year Plans.
Cold War came to an end. In India, the
Government under the leadership of The Narasimha Rao Government
Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao started economic reforms from 1991.
initiated many changes in the Indian These economic reforms are called as
economy. economic liberalisation. The Indian
economy flourished as a result of the
In the elections implementation of this policy. The foreign
conducted between investment in India increased. Skilled
1996 and 1999, no Indian professionals helped reform the
political party got a Indian economy. The field of information
clear majority in the technology opened several avenues of
Lok Sabha. Atal employment in the country. The changes
Bihari Vajpayee, after 1991 are also described as
H.D. Devegowda and ‘globalisation’.
Inder Kumar Gujral
Atal Bihari Vajpayee worked as Prime Science and technology : Two major
Ministers in this period amongst them. events must be mentioned while describing
Finally, in 1999 the ‘National Democratic India’s efforts towards self-reliance. Dr M.
Alliance’ came to power under the flag of S. Swaminathan is known as the father of
Bharatiya Janata Party and Atal Bihari
Vajpayee became India’s Prime Minister.
7
the Green Revolution in 1965. He Indian society were deprived of dignity
implemented new scientific agricultural and equal opportunities due to the caste
techniques and increased the production of system. The ‘Kakasaheb Kalelkar
foodgrains. The experiment in co-operative Commission’ was set up in 1953 to make
dairy movement by Dr. Verghese Kurien recommendations so as to improve their
led to increase of milk production in India. condition. In 1978, a commission was
This is called as ‘White Revolution’. constituted under the chairmanship of B.
P. Mandal to study the issue of the other
India had also made a lot of progress backward classes. The policy of reservation
in the fields of atomic energy and space was adopted in order to strengthen the
research. Dr. Homi Bhabha laid the representation of backward sections in
foundation of the Indian atomic power various services and institutions. The
programme. India insisted on using atomic Government passed the Prevention of
energy for peaceful purposes like generation Atrocities Act in 1989 to enable those
of electricity, pharmaceuticals and defence. belonging to the Scheduled castes and
India has achieved considerable success in tribes to live with dignity and respect,
space technology as well. In 1975, the first free from fear, violence and oppression of
satellite ‘Aryabhatta’ was launched. Today, the upper classes.
India has a successful space programme
and many satellites have been launched Globalisation : Globalisation brought
under this programme. India has also about many changes in different fields like
made considerable advancement in the economy, politics, science and technology
telecom sector. and society and culture. We have discussed
some of these changes in the above
Changes in social field : During this paragraphs. India has emerged as an
period, there were several major changes important country on the global scene in
in the social field in India. different spheres. India is an important
member of international organisations like
Some of the changes are related with G-20 and ‘BRICS’ (Brazil, Russia, India,
the issue of the empowerment of women, China, South Africa). India has experienced
and the others are related with the policies an important revolution in the field of
regarding the uplift of the deprived sections telecommunication technology.
of the society. To promote the all-round
development of women and children, a Mobile phones, internet and the
separate ‘Department of Women and Child communication facilities based on satellite
Development’ was created in 1985 under have spread all across the country. In the
the Ministry of Human Resource political field, India has demonstrated to
Development. Some laws were made to the world how a stable democracy can
ensure social justice to women and to help function successfully. All this has resulted
the implementation of various schemes in in a total transformation in the lifestyle
this direction. They include the Prohibition of Indians and especially the youth. These
of Dowry Act, Equal Remuneration Act. changes are visible from their dietary
As per the 73rd and 74th Constitution habits, clothing, language and beliefs.
Amendments, seats were reserved for
women in the local self-government bodies. In the next chapter, we are going to
study some internal challenges before
According to the makers of the Indian India.
Constitution, some constituents of the
8
Exercises
1. (A) Choose the correct option from the 4. Answer the following questions in detail.
given options and complete the (1) How was 1991 a year of important
statements.
changes in the history of the world
(1) The Prime Minister of India who and of India ?
took an initiative in resolving the (2) What are the characteristics of the
question of the Tamil minority in Sri Indian economy?
Lanka was ………… .
5. With the help of the information in the
(a) Rajiv Gandhi chapter, complete the list of the
(b) Indira Gandhi challenges before India and the
(c) H. D. Devegowda strengths of India.
(d) P. V. Narasimha Rao
The challenges in Strengths
(2) ………. is the father of the Green front of India
Revolution in India. Unity in
For example, diversity
(a) D. R. Verghese Kurien India-Pakistan war
(b) Homi Bhabha ....................
(c) M. S. Swaminathan ....................
(d) Dr Norman Borlaug. .................... Nuclear
preparedness
(B) Identify and write the wrong pair. Separatism
(1) Indira Gandhi – National ....................
Emergency Projects
(2) Rajiv Gandhi – Development in
(1) Find some information about Indian
science and technology soldiers who bravely fought in the
(3) P. V. Narasimha Rao – Economic India-Pakistan war of 1965.
improvements (2) Collect pictures of the brave soldiers
(4) Chandrashekhar – Mandal of Kargil war.
Commission. (3) Collect pictures of all the Indian
Prime Ministers till date.
2. Complete the activity as per given
instruction. (4) Collect some information about
Dr Homi Bhabha Atomic Research
(A) Based on the information in the Centre.
chapter, prepare a chronological chart
of Prime Ministers and their tenure. (5) Get some information along with
pictures about the various businesses
(B) Write short notes on- based on dairy products.
(1) Globalisation
(2) White Revolution
3. Give reasons.
(1) The Morarji Desai government
lasted for short while.
(2) The army had to be sent into the
Golden Temple in Amritsar.
(3) The National Planning
Commission was set up in India.
9
3 India’s Internal Challenges
In this chapter, we are going to learn barricade of sand bags over there. The
about some internal challenges that India area looked like a fort. This greatly
faces. We shall see some internal disturbed the peace in Punjab. It was a
challenges like separatist movements, major challenge to Indian democracy.
issues of north-east India, naxalism,
communalism and regionalism. Operation Blue Star : The main
task of getting the terrorists out of the
The Unrest in Punjab : Akali Dal Golden Temple was entrusted to Major
was the major political party in Punjab. General Kuldeep Singh Brar. On the
In 1973, the Akali Dal passed the morning of 3rd June 1984, the mission
‘Aanandpur Sahib Resolution’. The ‘Operation Blue Star’ started. The
following demands were made in this Operation ended on 6th June. In this
resolution: Chandigarh should be made military operation, the Indian army
part of Punjab, the Punjabi speaking parts functioned with great restraint. The
in other States should be included in the operation ended with the death of
State of Punjab, recruitment of Sikhs in Bhindranwale and other terrorists. In
the Indian army should be increased, and 1986, an operation had to be conducted
more autonomy should be given to the against terrorists in the Golden Temple
State of Punjab. Akali Dal came to power once more. It was called ‘Operation Black
in Punjab in 1977. While taking charge, Thunder’. After this action was taken, the
they asked for a larger share of river process of establishment of peace in
waters for Punjab, ‘holy city’ status for Punjab picked up momentum.
Amritsar, etc. along with their old
demands. Do you know ?
In 1980, the movement for A military expedition taken up with
‘Independent Khalistan’ took root in a particular objective is called an
Punjab. During that period, the leader of operation. Operation Blue Star was an
the Akali Dal was Sant Harcharan Singh operation undertaken to evict the
Longowal. He used to direct his activists terrorists hiding in the Golden Temple.
from the Golden Temple to stage protests.
On the other side of the Golden Temple, Issues concerning North-east India
armed followers started gathering around
the staunch Khalistan supporter Sant North-east India consists of the eight
Jarnailsingh Bhindranwale. During that States of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh,
period, terrorist activities had begun. Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland,
Bhindranwale was arrested in 1981, Sikkim and Tripura. International borders
accused of the murder of newspaper of India touch each of the States to
editor, Lala Jagatnarayan. After this varying extents. These States are different
incident, the situation worsened. Due to with respect to ethnicity, language and
these developments, President’s rule was cultural diversity. The first Prime Minister
imposed in Punjab in 1983. Bhindranwale of independent India took the lead in
went to stay at a religious place called bringing the tribes living in these areas
Akal Takht. Bhindranwale’s followers into the mainstream of the country.
captured the Golden Temple and built a
10
In 1954, he formed the North-East Frontier of a full-fledged State. Laldenga became
Agency (NEFA) area, comprising of the the Chief Minister of the State.
territories on the Sino-Indian border and
the tribal areas towards the north of Nagaland : The Naga tribe in north-
Assam. Nehru took the position of east India is known as a martial tribe.
bringing about the development of The Naga tribe had settled in Eastern
hundreds of tribes in these parts while Himalayas, the Naga hills, border areas
preserving their culture. Special provisions of Assam and Myanmar. In 1946, some
have been made with respect to these educated Naga youth established an
areas in the VI Schedule of the Indian organisation called Naga National Council
Constitution. In 1965, the responsibility of (NNC). Later they made a demand for
administering this area was given to the an independent State of Nagaland. They
Ministry of External Affairs. The were led by Angami Zapu Fizo. In 1954,
Northeastern Council Act of 1971 was the Naga National Council announced the
supposed to advise the Central Government establishment of an independent federation
regarding aspects of common interest in of Nagaland. In 1955, skirmishes happened
economic and social spheres, inter-state between local Nagas and the soldiers of
transport, electricity, flood control, etc. the Assam Rifles. Military action was
taken to suppress the skirmishes.
Mizoram : The tribes in north-east
India have an ancient history. When India Several rounds of discussions took
became independent, the government gave place between the Central Government
administrative autonomy to the districts of and the Naga National Council. Central
Mizo majority areas of the Lushai hills. Government decided to give the Naga
When the States Reorganisation majority territory the status of a Union
Commission was appointed in 1954, the Territory. Nagaland was made a full-
expectations of the people in this area fledged State on 1st December 1963 by
grew. Mizo leaders started demanding an putting together the Naga majority territory
autonomous ‘Mizo’ province. In 1959 the and part of Tuensang.
territory of Mizoram experienced severe
drought. During this famine, Mizo leader Assam : In 1983, there was an
Laldenga served the common people a lot. intense agitation staged by All Assam
Students Union and Assam Ganasangram
In 1961, Laldenga established an Parishad over the question of the
organisation called Mizo National Front dominance in Assam of Bengali migrants.
(MNF). He asked for ‘Greater Mizoram’, In 1985, Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi,
an independent nation carved out of Central Home Minister Shankarrao
Tripura, Manipur and Mizo majority Chavan and Assamese leader
areas from the Lushai hills. In March Prafullakumar Mohanto signed an Accord.
1966, Mizo National Front announced the It was decided to send the Bangladeshi
emergence of Independent Mizoram. Prime citizens who had infiltrated in Assam
Minister Indira Gandhi handled the back to their original places. In 1986,
situation firmly and suppressed the elections were held for Assam Legislative
rebellion. When the situation calmed Assembly and Prafullakumar Mohanto, of
down in 1972, the Mizo majority area the Asom Ganaparishad became the new
was given the status of a Union Territory. Chief Minister. Due to this democratic
In 1985, Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi process, it became possible to establish
had an agreement with the Mizo National peace in Assam.
Front and Mizoram was given the status
Arunachal Pradesh : In 1954, NEFA
was created. In 1972, it began to be called
11
Arunachal Pradesh (region of the rising Communalism
sun). On 20th February 1987, it got the
status of a constituent State. Communalism is a serious threat to
the unity of our country. Communalism
During the period from 1960 to 2000, emerges out of narrow religious pride. The
North-east India has progressed towards British sowed the seeds of communalism
a more matured democracy. This area is in our country. People of different religions
on the path of progress through have happily lived together since many
industrialisation, spread of education, etc. centuries. There is nothing wrong in people
of different religions living together in a
Naxalism country while being duly proud of their
own religion. But when this pride becomes
Naxalite Movement : This movement excessive, then it turns into bigotry. Each
started at Naxalbari in Darjeeling district one then begins to consider their religion
in West Bengal. The Naxalites organised superior and others’ inferior. This leads
the small land holding farmers and land to religious fanaticism.
labourers and took charge of their lands,
put up red flags and declared that area Fanaticism is the base of communalism.
as free territory in 1967. All those It makes one oblivious of national interest.
movements that took inspiration from this People of different religions don’t trust
rebellion are called Naxalite movements. each other. They become suspicious of
each other. Compatriots following different
The movement had the objectives of religions are looked at as enemies. Even
establishing Action Committees to raise a commensality or coming together on
voice against the exploitation of the festivals becomes rare. As a result, it
farmers by the landlords and confiscate becomes difficult for everybody to come
the land of the landlords and distribute it together and get organised for their
among the tenants. Later, the movement demands and rights as citizens. Fanaticism
strayed away from its objectives. It took makes the perspective of looking at events
recourse to terrorism to prevent any and people prejudiced. Some people begin
government schemes and welfare policies to think of economic and social questions
from reaching the common people. The also in the framework of their own
Naxalites started a parallel system by religion. Some people of all religions think
rejecting the democratic system. This that since they belong to a particular
made Naxalism a serious challenge to religion, they have no influence in politics.
India’s internal security. They begin to believe that they are being
treated unjustly. They hold the idea that
The movement was mainly located in government is partial against their religion.
West Bengal. Later the movement spread In such a condition, they become too
to East Godavari in Andhra Pradesh, sensitive about their religion and their
parts of Vishakhapattanam, Karimnagar co-religionists. If anybody speaks about
in Telangana, Adilabad, Bastar, the people of their religion or insults the
Rajnandangaon and Sukma in religious symbols knowingly or
Chhattisgarh, Gadchiroli, Bhandara and unknowingly, riots break out because of
parts of Chandrapur in Maharashtra, this kind of thinking. Hundreds of innocent
Balaghat and Mandala in Madhya Pradesh people are killed. Public property worth
and Koraput in Odisha. In order to crores of rupees is damaged. Public
maintain their influence, the Naxalites peace is destroyed. Due to the bitter
established an organisation called People’s memories of the riots, people are estranged
Liberation Guerilla Army (PLGA). This
conflict is still going on.
12
from each other and mutual trust receives achieve progress in other areas like
a setback. education, health and culture. The States
which have not developed in this manner
Trust between people is the basis of remain backward in education and civic
coexistence. If trust breaks, social unity amenities. The opportunities of
receives a blow. How can national unity development available to people in
be achieved without social unity? Hence developed States are not possible for
it is necessary that we all counter this people in backward States. They are
religious communalism with all our harassed by problems of education,
strength. For this we should mix with backwardness, unemployment, poverty,
people of different religions. We should etc. They begin to think that they are
accept the good practices and ideas of being cheated; they are being kept away
each other. We should be able to look at from the benefits of development. Because
and understand our economic and social of this, the understanding between States
problems rationally. We should not mix is broken. This in turn has a negative
these questions with religion. We should impact on national unity. The economic
search for the economic, political or imbalance that has endangered this
historical reasons that are responsible for understanding needs to be set right. Our
disturbing religious harmony. This is the government makes efforts in that direction.
only way to put an end to communalism
and strengthen national unity. Regionalism can affect developed as
well as undeveloped States. The people
Regionalism of developed States begin to believe that
they are superior due to their superior
Regionalism means having excessive history and culture and hence they have
pride about one’s region. It is one thing developed that much. Then they begin to
to introduce oneself as a Bengali or a look down upon the people of
Marathi person. But if I think that because underdeveloped regions. They are not
I am a Bengali or a Marathi, I am willing to share the benefits of development
superior to others from other provinces; it with the backward States. On the other
can be termed as excessive regional pride. hand, the people from backward areas
The love for one’s province turns morbid need to arouse their regional identity to
due to this kind of an excessive regional organise themselves. For this, they try to
pride. It is natural to feel love for one’s unnecessarily glorify local traditions and
province, but it should not become culture to prove their uniqueness. This
abnormal. leads to regionalism. It endangers national
unity. The evil of regionalism can be
Regionalism thrives on regional tackled by reducing the imbalance in
imbalance in development. In the post- development.
independence period, some States achieved
more progress, while some States remained We have studied a few challenges
backward. For example, States like that India is facing. Apart from these,
Maharashtra, Gujarat, Punjab, Tamil there are several problems like
Nadu developed economically and overpopulation, cleanliness, agriculture
industrially; whereas States like Odisha, and the problems of the farmers, poverty,
Bihar, Assam, remained undeveloped housing and food. We are trying to
economically and industrially. Economic overcome these and move forward. We
development and reforms are the are progressing steadily. In the next
foundation of progress. As a result, the chapter, we shall learn about progress in
States that develop economically can also
the economic field.
13
Exercises
1. Answer the following questions in detail. (2) We should fight communalism with
all our strength.
(1) Which demands were put forward
through the ‘Anandpur Sahib 4. Write the full forms.
resolution’ by the Akali Dal? (1) MNF (2) NNC (3) PLGA
(2) What can we do to end communalism? Projects
(3) When does regionalism become strong? 1. Make a chart of States / Union
Territories and their Capitals. Mark
2. Write short notes on- them on the outline map of India.
(1) Communalism (2) Regionalism
2. Get information on Manipur,
3. Explain the following statements with Meghalaya, Tripura and Sikkim from
reasons. the internet.
(1) It became necessary to carry out the
‘Operation Blue Star’.
14
4 Economic Development
We are going to study India’s For mixed economy to run smoothly
economic policy in this chapter. That there is a need for coordination between
includes a study of the mixed economy, the private sector and the public sector.
five year plans and their successes and This system aims at maximisation of
failures, nationalisation of banks, 20-point production and popular participation on a
programme, mill workers’ strike and large scale. An effort has been made in
especially the New Economic Policy of this system to bring together the good
1991. aspects of both the capitalist and the
socialist systems. A mixed economy
Mixed Economy : Brainstorming cannot ignore the profit motive,
about the kind of economy we would entrepreneurship, discipline, time bound
adopt after independence started much planning, etc.
before India got independence. Our Prime
Minister Pandit Nehru adopted the middle A mixed economy also naturally
path rather than taking recourse to any tends to give priority to national interest.
extremes. Some countries had adopted Long term development is stressed upon
capitalism, while some had adopted with priority. The industries like defence,
socialism. Each type of economy had its scientific research, education, roads,
own advantages. railways, waterways, sea port and airport
development require huge capital
In a capitalist system, the means investment but the returns in these areas
of production are privately owned. In a are delayed. Not many private industrialists
socialist economy, the means of production are keen to invest in these areas. In such
are owned by the State in the name of a situation, the government has to take
the society. A mixed economy works both the initiative.
in the private and the public sector. In
order to achieve economic development of Thus, India adopted the mixed
modern India, we gave preference to a economy model and five year plans and
model of ‘mixed economy’. We can see started off on its path of development.
three parts in this kind of economy : The industrial policy of 1973 increased
the speed of development. Priority was
(1) Public Sector : The industries in given in this policy to control the influence
this sector are completely under the of heavy industries, industrial families
control and management of the and foreign industries and remove the
government. For example, production of imbalance in regional development. The
defence equipment. government focused on the development
of small scale industries and cottage
(2) Private Sector : The industries in industries. Government also started paying
this sector are owned by private more attention to the cooperative sector.
industrialists. Of course, the government
supervises and controls them too. For Five Year Plans
example, consumer goods.
The colonial power had exploited India
(3) Joint Sector : In this sector, some economically. The country faced severe
industries are owned by private problems like poverty, unemployment,
industrialists, while some are run under population growth, low standards of living,
government management.
15
low productivity of agriculture and industries First Five Year Plan (1951-1956) :
and backwardness in the fields of knowledge, The expenditure in this plan was primarily
science and technology. Planning was on agriculture, social development,
essential to solve these problems. irrigation and flood control, sources of
energy, rural and small industries, heavy
India established the Planning industries and minerals, transport and
Commission in 1950 with Prime Minister communication, education and health.
Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru as its Chairman. This plan consisted of measures to lay
the foundations of planned economic
It formulated India’s five year plans development.
that included rural and agricultural
development, balanced industrialisation, Second Five Year Plan (1956-1961) :
provision for a minimum standard of This plan had ambitious goals of
living and economic development industrialisation. Iron and steel industries
consistent with democratic ideals. It at Durgapur, Bhilai and Rourkela;
focused on people’s participation and Chemical fertilisers plant at Sindri; rail
individual development in the formulation engine factory at Chittaranjan; factory of
and implementation of the five year plans. railway bogies at Perambur; Ship building
factory at Vishakhapattanam and other
Fundamental Principle of planning : heavy industries were set up in the Public
A general principle of planning is the Sector. Huge dams like Bhakra- Nangal,
proportionate distribution of the resources Damodar, etc. were built to make water
of a country and the appropriate use of available for agriculture. It led to increase
the human resources to fulfil the needs of in the national income.
the people.
Bhilai Steel Plant
Goals of Plans
Third Five Year Plan (1961-1966) :
The general goals of the economic This plan was aimed at bringing about a
planning of India are as follows: balance in industries and agriculture. The
other goals of the plan included increase
(1) Increase in the national income. in national income, heavy industries,
development in transport and mineral
(2) Bring about rapid industrialisation by industry, alleviation of poverty and to
focusing on the basic industries. expand the opportunities for employment.
(3) Bring about an increase in agricultural
production so that the country becomes
self-sufficient in food grain production.
(4) Use the human resource in the country
optimally by making increasing
employment opportunities available.
(5) Remove the inequality in earnings
and wealth.
(6) Maintain stable prices of commodities.
(7) Bring the growth in population under
control by family planning.
(8) Improve the standards of living by
eradicating poverty.
(9) Develop social services.
(10) Make the economy self-sufficient.
16
After the third five year plan, three During the fifth plan, it was not
one year plans were implemented (1966 possible to achieve the goals of removal
to 1969). This was a period of intense of poverty and increase in employment.
famine. Due to the invasion by China and
war with Pakistan, the government had to In the 1977 general elections, the
focus on defence rather than development Congress Party was defeated. The Janata
related tasks. Also the famine required Party came to power. The new government
the government to undertake measures to ended the fifth plan towards the end of
tackle the effects of famine. All these March 1978 and started the Rolling Plan
issues stressed the Indian economy greatly. from April 1978, but it failed. In 1980,
general elections were held for Lok
Fourth Five Year Plan (1969-1974) : Sabha. The Congress party came to
The intentions behind setting the goals of power. The Congress government closed
this plan were that India should become the system of the Rolling Plan and again
self-reliant, government should develop started planning like before.
the basic industries, increase the speed of
economic development and pay attention Sixth Five Year Plan (1980-1985) :
to establishing a socialistic pattern of This plan also stressed upon alleviation
society. 14 major banks in the country of poverty and employment generation.
were nationalised. This plan did not This plan had the following objectives :
succeed as expected. The economy had to significantly increase the growth rate in
bear the burden of the Bangladesh War. the economy, reduce the rate of poverty
The expenditure over the refugees had to and unemployment, shape and implement
be borne as well. The Indian economy a population policy so that people adopted
suffered due to the pay raise of government the small family norm voluntarily and
and railway servants and rise in the prices thus keep the population under control.
of petrol in the international markets.
The following programmes were
Fifth Five Year Plan (1974-1979) : implemented in the sixth five year plan :
This plan was designed with the goal of
making India economically self-sufficient * Integrated Rural Development
by alleviating poverty. The objectives of Programme (IRDP).
the Fifth Plan were as follows : increase
the national income, make large scale * Rural Landless Employment Guarantee
employment available, supply education, Programme (RLEGP).
nutritious food and drinking water, to
make facilities of medical treatment * National Rural Employment
available in rural areas, to supply
electricity and means of communication, Programme (NREP).
implement social welfare schemes on a
wide scale, bring about the development * Salem Steel Plant.
of agriculture, increase the basic industries,
purchase food grains and other life Seventh Five Year Plan (1985-1990) :
sustaining goods by monopoly purchase This plan laid stress on food, employment
and make them available to the poor at and productivity. The objectives of the plan
reasonable prices through a public included : Development, modernisation,
distribution system. self-reliance, social justice, improving the
techniques of production, to achieve an
yearly increase in national income of 5%
and increase food grain production.
The following programmes were
started in this plan :
17
* Jawahar Rojgar Yojana * India In this plan, the progress of
Awaas Yojana * Scheme of 10 lakh communication system and service sector
wells. was achieved as per the expectations.
There was a growth in the fields of
The Seventh plan proved to be construction and communication.
important from the point of view of
employment generation. Nationalisation of Banks
Eight Five Year Plan (1992-1997) : During the tenure of Prime Ministers
This plan gave a lot of scope to the Pandit Nehru and Lal Bahadur Shastri,
private sector. banking was a monopoly of the private
sector. These banks represented different
The plan had the following features : industrial groups. The Directors of these
to maintain the rate of growth in national banks were working towards developing
income at 6.5%, to control the growth of industrial sector and increasing its profits.
population, to encourage the programme In order to stop this, the government
of family planning, to remove illiteracy nationalised the ‘Imperial Bank’ in 1955
by expansion of primary education. and it got converted into State Bank of
India. This Bank opened several branches
The following programmes were all over the country in a short while and
started during this plan : played a major role in development.
* Pradhanmantri Rozgar Yojana Background of Nationalisation :
* Mahila Samriddhi Yojana * Rashtriya India had adopted a mixed economy after
Samajik, Arthik Sahayya Yojana independence. Nationalisation of banks
* Midday Meal Scheme * Indira Mahila was essential to cover the deficits if they
Scheme * Ganga Kalyan Scheme occurred while implementing different
schemes. Also the profits of these banks
During the eighth plan, the importance
of the private sector grew. This plan is a Do you know ?
reflection of the liberalisation and free
market policy adopted in 1991. Prime Minister Indira Gandhi
nationalised 14 banks on 19th July
Ninth Five Year Plan (1997-2002) : 1969. These include : Allahabad
This plan focused on agriculture and rural Bank, Bank of Baroda, Bank of
development. The objectives of this plan India, Bank of Maharashtra, Canara
were : to increase the rate of growth of Bank, Central Bank of India, Dena
the economy, create healthy competition Bank, Indian Bank, Indian Overseas
in the infrastructure sector, give a new Bank, Punjab National Bank,
direction to industrial policy for ensuring Syndicate Bank, United Bank of
foreign investment. India, United Commercial Bank
(UCO Bank), Union Bank of India.
The following schemes were started In 1980, six more banks were
during this plan : Swarna Jayanti Shahari nationalised.
Rozgar Yojana, Bhagyashree Child
Welfare Policy, Rajrajeshwari Mahila
Kalyan Yojana, Swarnjayanti Gram
Swarozgar Yojana, Jawahar Gram
Samruddhi Yojana, Antyodaya Anna
Yojana, Pradhanmantri Gram Sadak
Yojana, etc.
18
would come into the government treasury Textile Mill
once they were nationalised. Along with
this, the policy of developing small came to be known as Girangaon or ‘town
industries and pharmaceutical industries of mills’.
had to be implemented. Lal Bahadur
Shastri undertook the experiment of the In the 1980s, the increasing unrest
Green Revolution in order to overcome among workers was due to the economic
food shortages and drought. During the conditions in other sectors. In some
tenure of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, industries the wages of the workers were
‘Congress Forum for Socialist Action’, a increasing. They were also getting more
group in the Congress party inspired by amounts as bonus. They were getting more
socialist ideas made a demand for facilities than the textile mill workers.
nationalisation of commercial banks. Even
the Communist Party supported this Do you know ?
demand.
Mahatma Jotirao Phule’s associate
20-Point Programme : Prime Minister Narayan Meghaji Lokhande’s efforts
Indira Gandhi announced the 20-point resulted in the weekly Sunday holiday
programme on 1st July 1975 and resolved for mill workers from 1st January 1882.
to make efforts towards rapidly becoming
a developed nation. The main provisions In the Diwali of 1981, the workers
of the 20 point programme are as follows : expected to get a bonus of 20%. The
Rashtriya Mill Mazdoor Sangh, which was
(1) Land ceiling for cities and negotiating with the employers, agreed
agricultural land, equal division of wealth, upon 8 to 17% bonus without taking the
minimum wages for workers, increase in workers into confidence. The cut in the
water conservation schemes. bonus proved to be the cause of unrest.
Some workers went to Dr Datta Samant.
(2) Workers’ participation in industry, They asked him to accept their leadership.
national training scheme, freeing bonded Workers of 65 mills came together and
labour. Dr Datta Samant led the strike. On 18th
January 1982, two and a half lakh workers
(3) Prevention of tax evasion, went on a strike. Girangaon mills stopped
economic crimes and smuggling. running making it seem like Mumbai’s
heart stopped throbbing.
(4) Regulation of prices of basic
necessities, improvements in the public
distribution system.
(5) Improvement in the textile industry
by developing handloom sector, waiving
loans for weaker sections, housing,
communication facilities, making
educational equipment available to
schools.
Issues of workers : The first textile
mill was started in Mumbai on 11th July
1851 by Kawasjee Dawar. Eventually,
mills started in Dadar, Paral, Bhaykhala,
Shivdi, Prabhadevi and Worli. This part
19
Do you know ? 13 textile mills. Appointment of arbitrators
The working class has contributed did not help to resolve the issue.
culturally as well through folk theatre,
folk art and literature. Anna Bhau New Economic Policy : The year
Sathe, Shahir Amar Sheikh, Shahir
Sable were popular for their programmes 1991 is very important in the history of
aimed at public education. Poets like
Narayan Surve, Namdev Dhasal, etc. modern India. After the 10th General
portrayed the real life of the workers
through their poems. Elections, P. V.
The Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Narasimha Rao
Barrister A. R. Antulay set up a committee
to solve this issue. Later Babasaheb became the
Bhosale became the Chief Minister of
Maharashtra State. He insisted that as per Prime Minister
law, he would talk only with the Rashtriya
Mill Mazdoor Sangha. Dr Datta Samant of India. With
demanded that the law be revoked.
In the beginning, the striking workers Dr Manmohan
received help from their native villages.
It was also not very difficult for them to Singh as Finance
help each other. They set up departmental
committees and distributed food grains, Minister, he
assistance in the form of funds, etc. The
left parties had supported the strike. As P. V. Narasimha Rao adopted the new
the strike dragged on, efforts were made
to split the striking workers' ranks. Even economic policy of linking India’s
as the strike completed 6 months, the
central government completely ignored it. economy with the global economy. For
The workers started a ‘Jail Bharo
Agitation’. In September 1982, one and a this, fundamental changes were brought
half lakh workers took a march on the
Legislative Assembly of Maharashtra about in the Indian economy. Indian
State. It didn’t help at all. The strike
completed a year. This was the first strike economy was brought in tune with the
to have gone on for a year. In this period,
about one and a half lakh workers became global mainstream.
unemployed.
During this period, Indian economy
As polyester had come into greater
demand than cotton cloth, the sale of mill was in a crisis situation. Before the P. V.
cloth had already got affected. The mills
moved from Mumbai to Surat in Gujarat. Narasimha Rao government took charge,
The Central government nationalised
Chandra Shekhar was the Prime Minister.
During his tenure the rate of inflation
was 17%.
Economic growth rate had gone down
by 1.1%. India had foreign exchange
reserves only enough to last for imports
for a week. It had become difficult to pay
back its loan and even give the interest
on it. In May 1991, the government had
tried to control the situation by selling
some of its gold reserves and by
mortgaging some. Before the Chandra
Shekhar government, the V. P. Singh
government had incurred a liability of
over 10 thousand crore rupees on the
economy by waiving off the loans of all
farmers. The Proportion of internal loans
of central and state governments together
to the gross Domestic Product was 55%.
In 1980-81 foreign loan was 2350 crore
dollars. It increased to 8380 crore dollars
in 1990-91. At this time, India had foreign
20
exchange reserves of only 100 crore organisation had the following objectives :
dollars. This also had the background of to free trade between countries, to put to
the increased oil prices due to the invasion an end all those discriminatory laws,
of Kuwait by Iraq. It became difficult for restrictions, rules and policies that are
India to raise a loan. Even the non- hurdles in the way of international free
resident Indians started withdrawing their trade, and to regulate global trade with
deposits in foreign currency from India. the help of a formal multi party
mechanism.
Remedies :
P. V. Narasimha General Agreement on Tariffs and
Rao appointed Trade (GATT) existed at the international
Dr Manmohan level before the World Trade Organisation
Singh as Finance came into being. It regulated commerce. In
Minister in order India there were opposed, extreme views
to find a way out about the World Trade Organisation. Yet
of this situation. Dr Manmohan Singh India decided to take its membership. The
Dr Singh undertook many corrective provisions of the World Trade Organisation
measures. The situation began to change. are regarding grants, import-export, foreign
investment, agriculture, technology and
He removed the restrictions on foreign services. The sectors of electricity, water
investments. He restricted the licence transportation, education and health rapidly
system to 18 industries. In view of the commercialised since India became a
increasing losses in the public sector member of the World Trade Organisation.
industries, he opened up the public sector As per the various reports of the World
for investment by private industries. In Trade Organisation, India has made a
order to bring the share market under considerable improvement in different areas
control, he established the Securities and like reduction in the below poverty line
Exchange Board of India (SEBI) in 1992. (BPL) population, decline in infant mortality,
National Stock Exchange was availability of facilities regarding drinking
computerised. He gave priority to remove water and waste water management.
the spectre of recession.
India signed the South Asian
Foreign Investment in India grew Preferential Trade Arrangement (SAPTA)
during the first tenure of Dr Manmohan along the lines of the World Trade
Singh as Finance Minister. India could Organisation. India removed the import
recover the gold mortgaged with the Bank restrictions on several commodities for
of England. The government got the SAARC countries. India also gave
support of the capitalist class as well as discounts on import duties. India opened
the middle class. As the government up the insurance sector to private and
opened up the telecom sector, mobile foreign investment.
phone services started all over the country.
Dr Manmohan Singh signed the agreement In this way, we have learnt about
with the World Trade Organisation and the journey of India’s economy. We have
launched the policy of privatisation, come a long way from mixed economy
liberalisation and globalisation. to globalisation. In the next chapter, we
are going to study India’s progress in
World Trade Organisation : In other fields.
1995, India became a member of the
World Trade Organisation (WTO). The
21
Exercises
1. (A) Choose the correct option from (B) Write short notes on-
the given options and complete the (1) Mixed Economy
statements. (2) 20-point Programme
(1) On 19th July 1969 .......... major banks 3. (A) Explain the following statements with
in India were nationalised. reasons.
(a) 12 (b) 14 (c) 16 (d) 18 (1) Independent India opted for mixed
(2) ............... declared a 20 point economy.
programme. (2) Banks were nationalised in 1969.
(a) Pandit Nehru (b) Lal Bahadur (3) Mill workers went on strike.
Shastri (c) Indira Gandhi (d) P. V. (B) Answer the following questions in
Narsimha Rao detail.
(B) Identify and write the wrong pair. (1) Which programmes were started in the
(1) Kavasaji Davar - Iron and Steel 8th five-year plan ?
factory (2) Which projects were started in the 2nd
(2) Dr Datta Samant - Leadership of mill five-year plan ?
workers Projects
(3) N. M. Lokhande - Holiday for mill
(1) With the help of the internet, get the
workers following information about the World
(4) Narayan Survey - Depiction of lives of Trade Organisation - logo, member
countries, aims, programmes, etc.
workers through poems
(2) Visit a nationalised bank / branch
2. Complete the activity as per given and get to know about the work of
instruction. nationalised banks.
(A) Complete the following chart.
Five- Duration Purposes
year .........
plan Agriculture,
Social
First development
Industrialisation
Second 1956-1961 Elimination
of inequality,
Third ......... increasing the
opportunities
......... 1969-1974 for employment,
increase in
Fifth ......... national income
Scientific
research, health
and family
planning
......................
22
5 Education
In this chapter, we shall review the Do you know ?
main stages and schemes in the
development of the educational system in After the formation of Maharashtra
India. We shall take into consideration State in 1960, the government took the
primary, secondary as well as higher decision to implement a common state-
education and besides, research institutes wide curriculum for Stds I to VII.
in some representative areas. This will Principal Sayyad Rauf of S.T. College,
give us an idea of the educational system Mumbai was assigned the task of
throughout the country. preparing the draft of this curriculum.
The first Census of independent India In 1994, this scheme was expanded
in 1951 revealed the extreme complexity and provision was made for one additional
and intractability of the educational issues classroom and for appointing one more
in the country. In the first Census, the teacher in schools with an enrolment of
literacy level was 17%. It rose as shown more than 100 students, with priority
below. given to girls’ schools, schools with a
majority of scheduled caste and tribe
Census Year Literacy students and schools in rural areas. It was
1971 34% also made binding upon the State
1981 43% government to appoint female teachers to
1991 52% fifty percent of the posts in schools. Again
2001 64% in 1994, the District Primary Education
Programme (DPEP) was started with the
Improving this percentage was a objective of universalisation of primary
serious challenge for the government of education. It was implemented in seven
India. Several remedial schemes were put States including Maharashtra. The plan
in place to deal with it. envisaged 100% attendance in primary
schools, arresting student drop-out,
Primary education : Primary education for girls and for the physically
education refers to the schooling given to handicapped. It included programmes such
children in the 6 to 14 year age-group. as research on and evaluation of primary
In 1988, the central government started a education, alternative education, creating
scheme for the spread of primary education societal awareness, etc. The ‘mid-day
and to improve educational standards. It meal’ scheme was started in 1995 to
is known as Operation Blackboard. The provide proper nourishment for students.
government made funds available to help
improve the standard of the schools and Can we achieve this ?
to fulfil minimum educational needs such
as at least two proper classrooms, toilets, In 1991, Kerala became a fully
one of the two teachers to be female, literate State. What steps must be
a blackboard, maps, laboratory apparatus, taken to achieve 100% literacy in
a small library, a playground, sports Maharashtra as well ?
equipment, etc. This scheme helped
the primary education system to gain
some momentum.
23
Do you know ? was found difficult to implement it all
over the country.
Tarabai Modak began work in the Do you know ?
field of education in Bordi and Kosbad.
She started Anganwadis for Adivasi The Maharashtra State Board of
children. She worked hard to bring in Secondary and Higher Secondary
the ‘learning by doing’ method, to start Education was established on the
kuranshalas (meadow schools) and to 1st of January 1966 at Pune. This
spread vocational technical education. Board conducts the school leaving
examinations of Std X and Std XII.
Anutai Wagh established an The Board also publishes a periodical
institution at Kosbad for the progress called ‘Shikshan Sankraman’.
of Adivasis in Thane district. It is
known as the Kosbad Project. She The Kothari Commission : In 1964
started crèches, nurseries, primary
schools, adult education classes, a Commission was appointed under the
balsevika training schools, etc. for the
education of Adivasis. Chairmanship of Dr D. S. Kothari.
Dr J. P. Naik made valuable contributions
to the work of this Commission. The
Secondary education : After Commission also
independence, recommended the
Education Minister
Maulana Abul Kalam 10+2+3 pattern for
secondary, higher
Azad decided to bring secondary and
about fundamental
changes in the field university education.
of education. The
University Education This system was
implemented from
1972. The
Commission also
Commission was set Dr D. S. Kothari suggested a uniform
up for this purpose.
This Commission national system of education, the inclusion
Maulana Azad of the mother tongue, Hindi and English
recommended the appointment of a in education, as well
separate Commission for secondary
education. Accordingly, in 1952-53, the as continuing
education, adult
Mudaliar Commission was appointed. At education, education
that time, the pattern of education
consisted of 11 + 4 years for the first by correspondence
degree or of 11+1+3 years.
and open universities
to make education
The work of the Commission : The trickle down to the
Commission studied secondary education,
the nature of the curriculum, medium of lowest rungs of
instruction, teaching methodology and
made certain recommendations. This society. It also
Commission proposed the concept of
Higher Secondary Education. However, it recommended J. P. Naik
increased provision in the government’s
budget for expenditure on education of
neglected sections like the scheduled
castes and tribes.
24
Maharashtra government adopted the studies for post-graduate education,
10+2+3 pattern in 1972 and conducted establishing new universities. After the
the first Std X Board exam in 1975. advent of television in India, it initiated
the ‘Countrywide Classroom’ programme
Objectives of education according which is telecast by Doordarshan on
to the Kothari Commission behalf of the Commission.
Modernisation Do you know ?
of Education
The Art Department was
Securing and Objectives Social and established in 1965 in
strengthening of of national Maharashtra, to frame the policy
for Art Education and for its
democracy Education Integration implementation by institutes of
art. This Department undertook
Education and Nurture of social, the responsibility of organising
Productivity moral, spiritual the drawing grade examinations
values at school level.
Higher education
Education in the post-independence National Council of Educational
era : After independence, in 1948, the Research and Training (NCERT) : This
Central Government body was established in Delhi on the
appointed the 1st of September 1961. Its main objective
University Education is to help the Central Government in
Commission whose matters of school education in the context
Chairman was of a comprehensive policy and in
Dr Sarvapalli implementing educational schemes. The
Radhakrishnan. Its NCERT was given the responsibility of
functions included educational research and development,
financial grants, the training, extension, educational
Dr Sarvapalli standard of the programmes, restructuring of school
Radhakrishnan universities and their
co-ordination. curriculum and textbooks. It has played a
Method of functioning : The central role in designing school curricula
Commission accepted the Five-Year Plans
method. It began to sanction and disburse and textbooks with the cooperation of the
grants to the universities on behalf of the
government. The Commission undertakes Central Board of Secondary Education
planning of university education, co-
ordination of syllabii, giving primacy to (CBSE). It provides guidance and
national needs through education and the
planning and implementation of various cooperation in the area of primary and
schemes of higher education. It has done
valuable work in establishing university secondary education to the state
development councils, centres for advanced
governments. It has been involved in
designing workbooks and handbooks for
teachers, in teacher training, in developing
teaching-learning techniques and
conducting talent search examinations at
the national level.
25
SCERTs were established in all States The ‘Primary Education Curriculum
on the lines of the NCERT. 1988’ was prepared on the basis of the
plan of action designed at the national
The Maharashtra State Council of level for the effective implementation of
Educational Research and Training was the National Policy on Education 1986.
established in Pune in 1984. This institute
performs various functions such as Do you know ?
improving the standard of primary
education, in-service training of teachers, The Competency based Primary
training in the areas of syllabii and Education Curriculum 1995 : Even
evaluation, vocational guidance for students as the Primary Education Curriculum
after Std X and Std XII exams and other 1988 was being implemented, a
educational functions. This institute is Committee was formed at the national
known as the academic authority. It brings level with Dr R. H. Dave as its
out a periodical called Jeevan Shikshan. Chairman, to determine minimum
levels of learning. The Dave Committee
Do you know ? developed charts of minimum levels of
learning in language, mathematics and
The Maharashtra State Bureau of environmental studies up to Std V.
Textbook Production and Curriculum The charts showed the sequence of
Research (Balbharati) was established learning of the competencies meant
in Pune on 27 January 1967. for each class.
Balbharati prepares textbooks for
school children of 1st to 12th Use of a satellite : In 1975, India
standards. Textbooks are made in met with success in its attempt to use a
eight languages, namely, Marathi, satellite for the purpose of education.
Hindi, English, Urdu, Kannad, Sindhi, Eknath Chitnis, a scientist with ISRO,
Gujarati and Telugu. ‘Kishor’, a played an important role in it.
monthly magazine for children, is
also published by Balbharati.
National Policy on Education 1986 : ‘Edusat’ Satellite
According to this policy, certain changes
of a fundamental nature were brought SITE (Satellite Instructional Television
about in primary, secondary and higher Experiment) was undertaken for
secondary education in keeping with the educational purposes under the leadership
changing needs of society. Under this of the Space Applications Centre at
policy, a common core curriculum was Ahmedabad. The concept of satellite
framed for all States. The expectation is
that, by this means, all students in India
will get equal educational opportunity.
There is scope in the national curriculum
for individual States to bring in flexibility
in accordance with their cultural,
geographical and historical needs.
26
education came out of this experiment. thousand curricula of various branches. It
America had helped India in this provides facilities for education through
programme. The programme helped to 58 training centres in the country and 41
make provisions for a good standard of centres in foreign countries.
education in rural areas.
Research institutes - science
Indira Gandhi National Open
University (IGNOU) : This Open In the post-independence period in
University was established with the 1950, the Council of Scientific and
objective that the stream of education Industrial Research (CSIR) was established
should make its way into every average with the objective to promote scientific
household of the country. The United research in the country and to take the
Nations had declared 1970 as the benefits of the research to all the people.
International Education Year. In the same Research began in fields like physics,
year, a seminar was organised in New chemistry, pharmaceuticals, food
Delhi on the subject of Open University processing and mining. In order that
by the Government of India Departments industry benefits from this research,
of Education and Social Welfare, contracts were signed with industrial
Information and Broadcasting, University institutes. That helped to reduce our
Grants Commission along with UNESCO. imports and save foreign currency. This
The idea of establishing an open university institute also motivated fundamental
evolved in this seminar. research. The Laboratories of the Council
also played an important part in bringing
In 1974, the government appointed a back to the country students who had
committee under the chairmanship of gone abroad for higher education.
P. Parthasarathy and the Open University
took shape on 20 September 1985 in The achievements of the CSIR include
accordance with its recommendations and making the ink used for marking voters’
suggestions. It was named after Prime fingers during elections, medicines for
Minister Indira Gandhi. malaria, elephantiasis and tuberculosis,
water purification technology, reduction in
Find out : the time required for bamboo production.
It also used DNA fingerprinting for the
The Yashwantrao Chavan first time in India, conducted a genetic
Maharashtra Mukta Vidyapeeth was study of the Adivasis of the Andamans
established in Nashik in 1989. Find and proved that those tribes are 60,000
out about this open university with years old and developed the earthquake
the help of the Internet. early warning system.
Those who are unable to get a college It has also played an important role
education in the formal way are given in the use of neem as a pesticide, use of
concessions in eligibility criteria, age and turmeric for healing wounds and in the
other conditions for admission to this case of the patents for varieties of rice.
university. In 1990, the IGNOU started The CSIR has prepared a digital
an audio-visual distance education encyclopaedia of Indian traditional
programme through Akashvani and knowledge and made it available in eight
Doordarshan. It conducted more than one international languages.
27
Mathematics : The ‘National Institute into IITs. The Soviet Russia, America,
for Research in the Mathematical and Germany and the UNESCO all extended
Physical Sciences’ in Tamil Nadu was help to set up these institutes.
established in 1962. It encouraged the
highest level of research in mathematics. The IITs in India were given the
status of deemed Universities and BTech
Computers : In 1969, we made the and MTech courses were started there.
first indigenous computer named the ISIJU Admission through entrance exams,
computer as this was achieved by the nominal fees and reservations for students
Indian Statistical Institute and Jadavpur are the special features of the IIT
University working together. In 1974, institutions. In the decade from 1970 to
Tata Consultancy Services, (TCS), 1980 a large number of IIT students
obtained an American contract in the began to leave for foreign countries
area of software production and that was causing the Brain Drain crisis. However,
the beginning of the software industry in this situation changed after 1990. IITs
India. Computers also helped to step up were also established at Guwahati (Assam)
the speed of scientific research. in 1994 and in Roorkee in 2001.
In 1987, America refused to allow Indian Institute of Management :
India to get a supercomputer. The Rajiv As high quality engineers were graduating
Gandhi government decided to develop a from the IITs, the Centre and the Gujarat
supercomputer indigenously. In 1988, the government started the Indian Institute of
Central Government established the Centre Management to mould skilled managers.
for Development for Advanced Computing Harvard Business School in America
(C-DAC) in Pune and in 1991 the Centre helped to set up IIM Ahmedabad. Other
under the leadership of Dr Vijay Bhatkar IIMs have been set up at Kolkata,
developed the Param-8000 supercomputer. Bengaluru, Lucknow, Kozhikode, Indore
and Shillong.
Bhabha Atomic Research Centre
(BARC) : This institute has conducted Do you know ?
valuable research in the fields of nuclear
physics, solid state physics, spectroscopy, Systematic training in any aspect
chemical and life sciences. It also started of film making is given at the Film
a school to train scientists for setting up and Television Institute of India.
nuclear reactors. Facilities were made available for
imparting scientific training at this
Engineering Institute in all aspects of film-making
such as direction, editing and acting.
Indian Institute of Technology This Institute inherited the legacy of
(IIT) : India’s first IIT was set up at the Prabhat Film Company of Pune.
Kharagpur in West Bengal in 1951. The
objective of this institute was that higher National Institute of Design : This
and advanced education in all branches institute was established in Ahmedabad in
of engineering should be available in 1961 for the purpose of imparting training
India and meet the country’s needs. The in industrial design. Courses in basic
engineering colleges at Powai, Chennai,
Kanpur and New Delhi were converted
28
design, graphic design, product design These institutes have the responsibility
and visual communication were started in of conducting research on various diseases,
1963-64. The work done by this institute developing tests and standardisation of
includes designing of the transistor radio medicines.
and the calculator and the logos of Indian
Airlines and the State Bank of India. Do you know ?
Research institutes - medicine In 1969 the Central Council for
Research in Indian Medicine and
In the post-independence period in Homoeopathy was established to
1949, the Indian Council for Medical conduct research and bring about
Research (ICMR) was established for development in the Ayurvedic,
conducting research in the medical field. Naturopathy, Unani and Homoeopathy
It was given the responsibility of systems of medicine. In 1979, this
cooperating with universities, medical institute was dissolved and replaced by
colleges, government and non-government three others, namely, the (1) Central
research institutes and giving them Council for Research in Unani Medicine
guidance and financial support for research (2) Central Council for Research in
activities. Twenty-six centres were started Homoeopathy and (3) Central Council
in different parts of the country for for Research in Yoga and Nature Cure
research on various diseases. Their in accordance with their respective
research has made it possible to control clinical methodologies.
tuberculosis and leprosy.
Cancer Research : The Advanced
The All India Institute of Medical Centre for Treatment, Research and
Sciences (AIIMS) was established to give Education in Cancer is a branch of the
further impetus to advanced education Tata Memorial Centre. It functions as the
and research in medicine. It was given national centre for treatment, research
the responsibility of undergraduate and and education in relation to cancer.
postgraduate courses in medicine. Colleges
for undergraduate and postgraduate Research institutes - agriculture
education in most branches of medicine,
good research facilities and well-equipped In India, research in agriculture had
hospitals are the significant features of begun as early as 1905. The Indian
this institute. The institute also provides Agricultural Research Institute was given
medical treatment to the common people the status of a University in 1958 and
at nominal rates. It has established special work began in departments such as
colleges for training in nursing, and super- development of the agriculture sector,
speciality centres for treatment of disorders research, well-equipped laboratories, soil
of the heart, brain and eyes. For further science, agricultural sciences, economic
development of the medical field, the botany and other departments. Research
Medical Council of India was restructured also began on wheat, pulses, oilseeds,
in 1958 and was entrusted with the task vegetables and many other problems. Its
of determining criteria for quality of most significant achievement is the
medical education, its supervision and fundamental research it has conducted on
inspection. the methods of taking multiple crops in
29
a year, which has been of great benefit In the next chapter, we shall study
to farmers. laws related to women, women’s
contributions and the role of the
This Institute maintains a library at government with respect to other weaker
its head office in Delhi which is the sections of society.
biggest agriculture-related library in the
country.
Exercises
1. Choose the correct option from the 3. Explain the following statements with
given options and complete the reasons.
statements.
(1) The District Primary Education
(1) The scientist who developed the Programme was undertaken.
Param-8000 supercomputer -
(2) The NCERT was established.
(a) Dr Vijay Bhatkar (3) The farmers were benefited by the
(b) Dr R. H. Dave
(c) P Parthasarathy Indian Agricultural Research
(d) None of the above Institute.
(2) The magazine Jeevan Shikshan is 4. Write short notes on-
published by the following institute - (1) Indira Gandhi National Open
(a) Balbharati (b) University University
Education Commission (c) MSCERT (2) Kothari Commission
(3) Bhabha Atomic Research Centre
(3) The educational institution called (4) Balbharati
IIT is famous for education in the
area of - 5. Answer the following questions in detail.
(1) Which programmes were included in
(a) Agriculture (b) Medicine
(c) Skilled managers (d) Engineering the Operation Blackboard scheme?
(2) What role do the agriculture schools/
2. Complete the activity as per the given
instruction. colleges play in the development of
agriculture?
(1) Complete the table below with (3) Describe with examples the progress
details about individuals in the that India has made in the field of
education field and their work. medicine.
(4) Write a note on the curricular and
Individual Work co-curricular activities conducted in
First education your school.
minister of India Chairman of the
University Education Project
Prof Sayyad Rauf Commission
Organise a Science Exhibition in your
Kosbad Project school. Include some activities in it to
raise awareness about ‘water purification’.
(2) Obtain information about the National
Council of Educational Research
and Training, from the internet, and
present it in the form of a timeline.
30
6 Empowerment of Women and
other Weaker Sections
Women had participated extensively Manifestation of woman power :
in the freedom struggle. Women have also
made important contributions in all fields Women, who have to face the brunt of
in the post-independence period, too. That
is what we will study in this chapter as scarcity of
also the laws enacted for women and other
weaker sections. supplies and rising
prices, gave a
show of their
Know this. strength as an
organised entity
in 1972. Under
the leadership of
Number of women per one thousand men Mrinal Gore the socialist leader
No. Year of Census Number of women Mrinal Gore, women in Mumbai
1. 1951 946 participated in a demonstration which
2. 1661 941 came to be known as the laatne morcha
3. 1971 930 (the rolling pin demonstration).
Commodities like oil, ghee, rava, maida,
4. 1981 934 would become scarce just as Diwali was
5. 1991 927 near at hand. Kerosene had become very
expensive. Women came together
6. 2001 933 brandishing their rolling pins and took part
Find out the reasons why the number in the demonstration. This movement met
of women per one thousand men in the with success and the public got a glimpse
population has been decreasing. of the united power of women.
When we study the condition of The Chipko movement : Another
women in India we realise that the roots show of constructive woman power was
of several of the problems they face lie in
the mentality of men. Even in the twenty- seen during the Chipko movement in 1973.
first century, we have not been able to rid Trees from the forests in the foothills of
ourselves of this male-centred mentality. the Himalayas were to be cut down for
commercial purposes. Chandiprasad Bhat
Vinoba Bhave made use of woman and Sunderlal
power in the Bhoodan Movement which
he had started placing his faith in Mahatma Bahuguna had
Gandhi’s philosophy. Women volunteers started a
carried the message of Bhoodan to all movement to
parts of India. Women played a significant
role in the Telangana Peasants Armed prevent this.
Struggle which challenged the rule of the
nizams and the feudal system. As their Women followed
region became free from bonded labour,
women also found freedom from this the strategy of
torment.
holding hands and Sundarlal Bahuguna
encircling each
tree. As their
method consisted
of protecting the
31
tree by embracing it, villages. The movement spread to the entire
State and the government had to adopt a
the movement came strict policy against the sale of alcohol.
to be known as the International Women’s Year : The
United Nations had declared 1975 as the
Chipko movement. International Women’s Year. The three
aspects of this programme were peace,
Women took part in development and equality between men
and women. In 1975, the government of
it in large numbers. India constituted the
Committee on the
Women had a big Status of Women and
appointed Dr Phulrenu
role to play in the Guha as its Chairman.
A comprehensive
agricultural economy survey was conducted
of several issues such
of this region. Gaura as the social position
of women, their status,
Gaura Devi Devi was the activist the consequences of Dr Phulrenu Guha
the constitutional provisions made for
who created this awareness among the women as also education of women and
its percentage, their progress due to
women with the help of Sudesha Devi and education, difficulties faced by working
women, the position of women with respect
Bachani Devi. to work /livelihood, their wages (relative to
men’s wages), the female-male ratio, birth
Anti-liquor movement : In 1992, in and mortality rates and the role of women.
Andhra Pradesh, a movement was started
against the drinking of alcohol. It received Taking into consideration this entire
a good response in other States too. When background, a State-wide conference for
the head of the household dies an untimely women was held in 1975 organised by
death due to addiction to alcohol, the family the Stree-mukti Sangharsha Samiti. Women
faces a serious crisis which affects women from all walks of life / regions participated
the most. Due to alcoholism, they have to in it. The Samiti published its manifesto
deal with extreme sorrow and poverty. This in 1978. The policy of a struggle against
movement got the support of the anti-arrack discrimination on the basis of gender, caste
movement in Andhra Pradesh. and varna was adopted.This gave rise to
a collection of songs called Streemuktichi
As a result of a government policy, Lalkari, a street play called Mulgi Jhaali
arrack (a locally produced alcohol) dealers Ho by Jyoti Mhapsekar and a periodical
set up shop in every town and village. The called Prerak Lalkari which became their
poor labouring people began to get addicted mouthpiece, and other such programmes.
to alcohol. At the same time, a literacy In 1977, groups like the Streemukti Andolan
programme was being run in the villages Samiti established by Soudamini Rao in
of the State. The Sitama Katha (Sita’s
story) was narrated as a part of this
programme. It was a story about Sita who
creates awareness among the people of a
village and gets alcohol to be banned from
the village. In 1992, three youths of
Dubuganta village of Nellore district in
Andhra Pradesh drowned in a lake, in a
state of inebriation, and died. At this
instance, the women of the village came
together and forced the closure of arrack
shops. The report of this news in the local
newspapers had its effect on many other
32
Pune, Bayaja a fortnightly, as also Stree played an important role in critical analysis
Uvach, Maitrin and Stree Anyayavirodhi and in developing a vision on women’s
Manch in Aurangabad, Mahila Dakshata issues.
Samiti in Kolhapur, Mahila Hakka in
Nashik and Nari Prabodhan Manch in Laws for women : The law enacted
Latur were formed. Anti-dowry protection in 1952, recognises women’s right to
committees were formed all over alimony and their share in the father’s
Maharashtra. A conference to protest property. Her right to streedhan was
against oppression of women was organised recognised. Polygamy was made illegal
in Dhule city. and women, just like men, got the right to
sue for divorce. It was a law that took
Vidya Bal’s periodicals, Nari Samata one step forward concerning women’s
Manch, and Milun Saryajani, as also the issues over the following decade. The
work of the Samajwadi Mahila Sabha and Dowry Prohibition Act of 1961 made both
the Krantikari Mahila Sanghatana were of giving and taking of dowry a cognizable
great help in dealing with women’s issues. criminal offence. This dismantled the
The Employment Guarantee Scheme in dowry tradition by its roots and further
Maharashtra also helped to empower encouraged the social movement. The law
women. alleviated the distress to women caused by
the undesirable tradition of dowry. The
Pramila Dandavate established the Maternity Benefit Act which gave women
the right to get leave from work at
Mahila Dakshata the time of child-birth also came into force
Samiti in Delhi in in 1961.
1976. Branches of
Awareness against the dowry
the Samiti came up tradition : Even after the enactment of the
anti-dowry law, incidents like ‘Woman
in the States of burns to death as sari pallu catches fire
while cooking’ and ‘Woman slips into well
Andhra Pradesh, while washing clothes, drowns and dies’
continued to be reported. Investigations
Tamil Nadu, Kerala, still revealed dowry to be the most frequent
cause of such deaths. The role of the
Odisha, Madhya police, the administration and judiciary
were highlighted. This created greater
Pradesh, Uttar awareness. As a result, the Dowry
Prohibition (Amendment) Act came into
Pradesh and Punjab. force in 1984. In 1988, 2209 women died
Pramila Dandawate The victim to the dowry tradition. In 1990 the
Communist number of dowry deaths was 4835 and in
1993, it was 5377. These numbers will
Party established the Akhil Bharatiya impress upon you the seriousness of the
issue.
Janavadi Mahila Sanghatana in 1980.
Family Courts (1984) : Family courts
Efforts were made to start branches of this were established to resolve conflicts arising
Organisation in all parts of India. The
Sanghatana started a struggle against
issues like dowry, female foeticide,
domestic abuse. Research on women‘s
issues was undertaken at various levels.
Women’s Studies Centres were started at
the first women’s university, the Shrimati
Nathibai Damodar Thakersey (SNDT)
Women’s University, Mumbai, and at Tata
Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai,
Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune and
Shivaji University, Kolhapur. These Centres
33
out of differences within marriage and Reservation for Women : The 73rd
domestic problems as well as issues such and 74th amendments to the Constitution
as alimony, single parenthood, separation, provide for reservation of one-third of the
care of children and ownership which are seats for women in Gram Panchayats,
all related to the family situation. These Panchayat Samitis, Zilla Parishads,
family courts give priority to mutual municipalities and municipal corporations
understanding over witnesses and evidence as well as for the posts of Sarpanch,
and to counsellors over lawyers. Emphasis Chairman and Mayor. Maharashtra and 15
is on resolving issues quickly but justly. other States have reserved 50% seats for
women. This provision provides women
Trial involving alimony (1985) : A the opportunity to participate in the
fixed amount paid to a married woman business of the community.
for her upkeep by the husband who has
divorced her, is called alimony. In the case In the post-independence period, the
of Mohammad Ahmed Khan vs Shah Constitution of India accepted the principle
Bano Begum, the Supreme Court gave the of equality of men and women. Hence,
verdict that Shah Bano Begum had the women got the important political right to
right to alimony. However, religious vote. Women got equal rights to education
organisations protested vociferously against and work on par with men. Inhuman
the verdict. As a result, the ‘Muslim practices like sati, dowry and polygamy
Women’s Act’ (Protection of rights on were banned by law. Women’s right to sue
divorce) was passed by Parliament. for divorce was recognised. They got a
lawful share in property. In local self-
The Commission of Sati (Prevention) government bodies, seats were reserved for
Act : On 4th September 1987, Roop Kanwar, women so that they would have their just
a married woman, committed sati. She did
not do this of her own free will; she was Do you know ?
coerced into doing so. Committing sati,
glorifying the practice of sati were all Women Chief Ministers in India
illegal acts. The women activists and
journalists, Meena Menon, Geeta Seshu, Sucheta Kripalani (Uttar Pradesh),
Sujata Anandan, Anu Joseph and Kalpana Nandini Satpathy (Odisha), Jayalalitha
Sharma investigated the case. In 1988, the (Tamil Nadu), Mayawati (Uttar
government passed the Sati (Prevention) Pradesh), Vasundhara Raje (Rajasthan),
Act with very stringent provisions. Mamata Banerjee (West Bengal),
Rabdi Devi (Bihar), Anandiben Patel
Protection of Human Rights Act : In (Gujarat), Sheila Dixit (Delhi),
1993, this law was enacted to prevent Mehbooba Mufti Sayeed (Kashmir),
injustice to men and women. The National Uma Bharati (Madhya Pradesh),
Human Rights Commission was also Rajendra Kaur Bhattal (Punjab),
formed for this purpose. In some States, the Sushma Swaraj (Delhi), Shashikala
State Human Rights Commission was also Kakodkar (Goa), Sayeeda Anwar
formed on the same lines. This law which Taimur (Assam), Janaki Ramachandran
deals with collective oppression, the social (Tamil Nadu), are all women who have
conditions of divorced women, women and led their States as Chief Ministers.
secure work places, played an effective
role in mitigating injustices to women.
34
Do you know ? Adivasis who live in remote parts of the
country also face several difficulties. As
A demonstration was held in New they have lived far away from the progress
York on 8 March 1857. It was the first made in modern times, they are
demonstration by working women and economically and socially backward. Even
its demands were for fewer working though their conditions have seen some
hours, proper remuneration, provision improvement in recent times, they do not
of crèches, etc. On 8 March 1909 have any means of livelihood other than
women went on strike for the very agriculture and forest produce. Modern
same demands. That is why, this day farming implements have not yet reached
was declared as the Women’s Struggle them. Hence, their income from agriculture
Day at the Women’s Socialist is very small. Besides, their fields are on
International, a conference held in hillsides and not fertile. They are
Denmark. The year 1975 was observed malnourished due to insufficient and poor
as the International Women’s Year and quality of diet. Adivasis in remote areas
in 1977, 8 March was declared as find it difficult to get medical attention in
International Women’s Day by a time. For all these reasons, there is a need
resolution passed in the General to give special protection to Adivasis.
Assembly of the United Nations.
In the Indian Constitution, Adivasis
share of political power. We see today that, have been enumerated as Scheduled
due to these provisions, women have begun Tribes. They are getting given
to get education and to earn. Also, due to representation in law boards, education,
ideas of women’s liberation, women are government service, etc.
developing a sense of self. They have begun
to participate enthusiastically and with Nomadic and De-notified Tribes :
determination in all fields of education, Castes and tribes that move from place to
earning money, administration, politics, place for a livelihood, are included under
etc. Nomadic Tribes. They live by rearing
animals and engaging in some other
Scheduled Castes : In the post- occupations. The British had declared
independence period, our Constitution some of them as criminal tribes. In the
adopted the values of freedom, equality, Law of 1871 to curb crimes, some of the
fraternity and social justice. In accordance main groups were mentioned as criminal
with his, the practice of untouchability was tribes and their occupations and movements
banned by law. Untouchability was were banned.
removed by the 17th paragraph of the
Constitution and this class was included This unjust law was repealed in the
in the Scheduled Castes. In view of the post-independence period. And the curbs
educational and social backwardness of on these tribes were lifted. They were
scheduled castes, they were given included under De-notified Tribes. Special
reservations in education as well as jobs efforts are made by the government for
to facilitate their development. the purpose of their social and economic
development. These tribes have been given
Scheduled Tribes : Just like the representation in educational institutions
Scheduled Castes, the Scheduled Tribes or and the government sector.
35
Minorities : In any society, a group have the right to protect and conserve their
of people of a particular religion, language language, culture and traditions. For this
or race who are few in number are termed purpose they have the right to set up
a minority. As there are various religions, separate educational institutions. The
sects and languages in our country, we see government implements various schemes
great cultural diversity. There is variation for their progress.
in cultural traditions, too. In order to
preserve their cultural traditions and In the next chapter, we shall learn
develop their own language, the about the progress that India has made in
Constitution gives the citizens certain the field of Science and Technology in the
educational and cultural rights. Minorities post-independence period.
Exercises
1. Choose the correct option from the (3) The practice of untouchability was
given options and complete the banned by law.
statements.
(4) The Constitution gives cultural and
(1) In 1992, a movement against drinking educational rights to minorities.
alcohol was started in
4. Write short notes on-
(a) Maharashtra (b) Gujarat
(c) Andhra Pradesh (d) Uttarakhand (1) Chipko movement
(2) Protection of Human Rights Act.
(2) In 1975, the government of India
formed the Committee on the Status 5. Answer the following question in detail.
of Women under the chairmanship of Explain with examples how the united
(a) Dr Phulrenu Guha strength of women can bring about
(b) Uma Bharati constructive changes in various fields.
(c) Vasundhara Raje
(d) Pramila Dandavate Projects
2. Identify and write the wrong pair. 1. Obtain some information about the work
(1) Saudamini Rao - Stree-Mukti Andolan of the Mahila Sabhas in rural areas.
Samiti 2. Prepare a portfolio about women who have
(2) Vidya Bal - Nari Samata Manch achieved notable success in various fields.
(3) Pramila Dandavate - Mahila
3. Obtain some information and write a note
Dakshata Samiti about Women’s Micro - credit Groups.
(4) Jyoti Mhapsekar - Women’s
Commission
3. Explain the following statements with
reasons.
(1) The women’s liberation movement
began.
(2) The Prohibition of Dowry
(Amendment) Act was enacted in
1984.
36
7 Science and Technology
In this chapter, we shall study India’s Heavy Water Projects was set up to carry
achievements in the areas of science and out research on manufacturing heavy
technology. Also, we are going to learn water within the country. It was later
about the important institutions in the renamed ‘Heavy Water Board’.
areas of science and technology and their
contribution. Let’s Find Out !
Indian Atomic Energy Commission : 28th February is celebrated all
over the country as ‘Science Day’.
India’s first Prime
What activities do you run in
Minister Pandit your school on this day ?
Jawaharlal Nehru
wanted to nurture a
scientific temper Dhruva Nuclear Reactor : In 1985,
a completely Indian made nuclear reactor
and bring about the called Dhruva was started at Trombay
near Mumbai. The Dhruva nuclear reactor
nation’s progress. uses uranium as fuel. At this center, 350
radioactive substances are produced. They
From this are used in industry, agriculture and
medicine.
perspective, he set
Nuclear Power Corporation of India
up the Indian Atomic Ltd. (NPCIL) : This Company was set up
Dr Homi Bhabha Energy Commission in 1987 to generate electricity from atomic
energy. The objective of the company is
on 10th August 1948. Dr Homi Bhabha to master and develop the technology to
generate safe, cheap and environmentally
was appointed as the first Chairman of profitable power and make the country
self-sufficient.
the Commission. The objectives of the
commission were to produce electricity
from atomic energy, increase the yield of
food grains and make them last longer,
set up the technology for achieving this
and develop nanotechnology. In 1956, the
Department of Atomic Energy set up
‘Apsara’, a nuclear reactor functioning on Nuclear tests
atomic energy. First nuclear test at Pokharan :
In 1969, an atomic power station was India successfully
set up at Tarapur. A Reactor Research
Centre was set up at Kalpakkam in Tamil performed her first
Nadu to successfully use Thorium for
generating atomic power. The role of nuclear test at
reactors is important in developing atomic
power. Pokharan in
Rajasthan on 18th
May 1974 in
Factories manufacturing the heavy consonance with the
water needed for the generation of atomic
power were set up at Vadodara, Talcher, policy of using
Tutikorin, Kota, etc. An institution called
nuclear energy for
Dr Homi Sethna peaceful purposes
37
and for self- assured that there would be no first use
of nuclear weapons by India. But the
sufficiency. The USA imposed economic sanctions on
India immediately.
reason why India
took this decision
was China’s nuclear Missile development
capability and Prithvi : In
Pakistan’s desperate 1988, India
efforts to acquire successfully tested
nuclear weapons the missile Prithvi
Dr Raja Ramanna with China’s help. and in 1989, the
Dr Homi Sethna, the chairman of the missile Agni. The
Indian Atomic Energy Commission and entire world took
Dr Raja Ramanna, Director of the Bhabha note of India’s
Atomic Research Centre played a major programme of
role in conducting this nuclear test. Prime developing nuclear
Minister Indira Gandhi took the decision missiles indigenously.
of carrying out a ‘nuclear explosion’. Dr APJ Abdul Kalam
Pokharan was chosen on the basis of the Integrated Guided Missile
required criteria for the location of the Development Programme (IGMDP) was
nuclear tests : far away from human conceived by and carried out under the
settlement and no ground water reserves. leadership of Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam.
Defence Research and Development
Do you know ? organisation (DRDO) undertook the task
In 1974 when India carried out her of building the missiles.
first nuclear tests at Pokharan, the
U.S.A. refused to give India the Prithvi-1, a surface to surface ballistic
technology for defence related fields missile was given to the Army, Prithvi-2
such as space research, communications
and missile development. As a result, Do you know ?
India adopted a policy of developing
its own missile development programme In 1958, Defence Research and
without depending upon the U.S.A. Developement Organisation (DRDO)
Thus, India joined the rank of nations was established under the Department
like the U.S.A, the U.S.S.R, France, of Defence of the government of India.
China and Germany who had their own The objective of this organisation was
missile programmes. to make India self-sufficient with respect
to means, equipment and weapons
Second Nuclear Test : On 11th May required for defence. After 1983, this
1998, India carried out its second nuclear organisation developed several missiles
test to prove its nuclear preparedness. under the leadership of Dr A.P.J. Abdul
Three tests were done on this day. One Kalam. Dr Kalam has made a great
of them was of the Hydrogen Bomb; contribution in the production of missiles.
Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee Dr Kalam is known as the father of
India’s missile programme. He is also
refered to as the ‘Missile Man’ of India.
38
was given to the Air Force while Prithvi-3 related project, Indian Space Research
was given to the Navy. Prithvi had the Organisation was established on 15th
capacity to carry nuclear weapons of August 1969 in order to carry out further
500-1000 kg. Prithvi could travel a space research. The headquarters of
distance of 150-300 km due to the nuclear ISRO are at Bengaluru. ISRO activated
ballistic missile. the space station at Sriharikota in
Andhra Pradesh for launching our satellites
Agni : In order that China and in space.
Pakistan get an idea of India’s missile
strength and India’s borders remain secure, Bhaskar-1 : India launched remote
Agni-1 was tested. This military missile sensing experimental satellite Bhaskar-1
had a range of 700 km. Later Agni-2 and from the Soviet Russia in 1979 in order
Agni-3 were also produced. to observe various things on the surface
of the earth by remote sensing technology.
Akash and Nag missiles : In 1990, This remote sensing technology would be
the missile Akash was developed to fire useful for India’s development by regarding
from land into air. This missile has a water bodies, mineral deposits and
capacity to carry 720 kilogram explosives forecasting weather. The photographs
at supersonic speed and a range of 30 taken with the help of this technology
kilometres. The missile Nag was made in about the bowels of the earth, environment
order to destroy the tanks of the enemy. and forests were important. Another area
It is of the ‘fire and forget’ type. India in which the information from this satellite
has militarily become secure due to the was useful was oceanography. In 1981,
production of missiles. ‘Bhaskar-2’ was launched from Soviet
Russia.
Space research : In 1961, Indian
National Committee for Space Research APPLE (Ariane Passenger Payload
(NCSR) launched India’s first research Experiment) : The first completely
rocket from Thumba Equatorial Launch indigenously built satellite by ISRO in
Center in Thumba in the State of Kerala. India, APPLE was launched on 19th June
1981 from the French Guiana. ‘APPLE’
In 1969, our indigenously built rocket was beneficial in the field of education.
Rohini-75 was successfully launched. The The objective of providing emergency
next stage was the successful launch of telecommunication services was successful.
the first Indian satellite Aryabhatta in
1975 with help from the Soviet Russia. Indian National Satellite (INSAT) :
In August 1983, the satellite INSAT 1-B
This success proved that Indian was launched in space. Because of this
scientists can indigenously build and satellite, a major revolution came about
launch a satellite. Indian scientists were in the areas of telecommunication,
confident that they could acquire the television, radio, weather forecasting and
technology for sending a message from space research in India. Due to INSAT,
the Earth Station and to assess the 207 Akashwani or Radio stations could
working of the satellite. be connected to each other. This
mechanism was also useful for search
Indian Space Research Organisation and rescue of people caught in some
(ISRO) : After the success of the basic
programme in space research and rocket-
39
disaster like a shipwreck or an air plane for international telecommunication service.
crash, for forecasting weather, to look for
and follow cyclones or storms, in the Pincode : From 15 August 1972, the
fields of telemedicine and educational Post and Telegraph Department started the
institutions. The telemedicine service six digit Pincode system in the country.
enabled the population from remote areas The Postal Index Code is intended to bring
to get advice and treatment from expert efficiency in distributing the mail. In this
doctors. Public Primary Health Centers in system the country was divided into nine
villages have been connected with regions. The first digit of the Pincode
superspecialty hospitals through INSAT. indicates the region, the second digit
indicates the Sub-region, the third digit
Technological progress : A factory shows the main disbursement district while
the remaining three digits show the location
manufacturing railway engines, of the local post office. For Maharashtra,
40, 41, 42, 43, 44 are the first two digits.
Chittaranjan Locomotive Works was set In 1986, the speed post service was started
to send postage rapidly.
up at Chittaranjan in Bardwan District in
International Subscriber Dialling
West Bengal. Steam engines, electric Telephone Service (ISD) : In 1972,
Overseas Communication Service was
engines and engines running on diesel established in Mumbai for the management
of international telecommunication service.
were manufactured here. The first diesel In 1976, the International Subscriber
Dialled Telephone Service was started to
engine was manufactured at the Diesel connect Mumbai and London directly on
phone. Alongside the telephone service,
Locomotive Works at Varanasi. India services like telex, teleprinter and radio
images were started. In 1986, Videsh
started exporting railway engines to Sri Sanchar Nigam Limited (VSNL) took a
big leap in this field. Before that,
Lanka, Bangladesh, Tanzania and Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited
(MTNL) was a public sector company for
Vietnam. giving telephone service in big cities. In
the 1990s, Videsh Sanchar Nigam Limited
Telex service : The Department of held the distinction of being the main
telecommunications under the ministry of internet service provider in India. The
Communications started the telex service contribution of Sam Pitroda in this field
in 1963 to transmit typed messages from is significant.
one part of the country to another rapidly.
In 1969, the telex service started in Mobile : On 22nd August 1994, the
Devanagari script in Delhi. Later it spread mobile phone service started in India. At
all over the country. This service began this time a mobile handset cost Rs.45,000
to be used in different fields. With the and calling was at ` 17 per minute. By
rise of internet after 1990, the significance 1990, many private companies came in
of this service reduced. this field. This made the service cheaper.
Satellite Communication Centre : In
order to establish satellite communication
with the help of an artificial satellite, a
domestic satellite communication earth
station was established in 1967 at Jodhpur
Tekra near Ahmedabad. This made it easy
to train scientists and technicians in setting
up and running an Earth Station within
the country. In 1970, a centre was
established at Aarvi near Pune, equipped
40
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