Question : MAKING HUMAN RIGHTS AND DUTIES A COMPULSORY SUBJECT

(a) whether the Justice Verma Committee have recommended to make the Human Rights and Duties a compulsory subject in schools and at the higher education level; and

(b) if so, the progress made so far in the implementation of these recommendations?

THE MINISTER OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (DR. MURLI MANOHAR JOSHI)



(a) & (b) : A statement is laid on the Table of the House.


STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO THE LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 19 FOR 20.02.2001 ASKED BY SHRI HARIBHAU SHANKAR MAHALE AND KUMARI BHAVANA PUNDLIKRAO GAWALI REGARDING MAKING HUMAN RIGHTS AND DUTIES A COMPULSORY SUBJECT


(a) & (b) : The Justice Verma Committee has recommended that there is need for a fundamental transformation in the direction and approach to curricula for teaching Fundamental Duties in schools and teacher education institutions. The Committee has also made recommendations for incorporating Fundamental Duties in the courses/programmes for higher & professional education. The Government is examining the Report and the process is at final stage. However, certain initiatives already taken in this regard are as follows :-

- Preamble and Article 51A of the Constitution is being printed in NCERT publications.

- The New Curricular Framework brought out by the NCERT highlights the need for teaching Human Rights and Duties to students at all levels.

- UGC has decided that Human Rights Education Scheme of University Grants Commission be renamed as “Human Rights and Duties Education.”

- Curriculum Development Committee has been constituted by UGC to prepare model curriculum in various courses in Human Rights and Duties Education.

- UGC has identified Seventeen Universities for inclusion of Post-Graduate Degree/Diploma/Certificate Courses on Human Rights and Duties Education.

- Modules of Fundamental Rights and National Values have been made available to Teacher Education Institutions.

- The Report has been circulated to all Ministries of the Central Government and all State Governments for follow-up action. Most of the Ministries have accepted the recommendations and have started implementation also.