Annual Report - National Human Rights Commission

Promotion of Human Rights Literacy and Awareness
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by the Government in 2001. As per the action plan, Government has taken steps to reorient
the syllabus so as introduce elements of human rights in school education as well as in
Universities. According to the information with the Commission, so far 35 Universities/Colleges
have introduced Certificate, Diploma and PG courses on Human Rights with financial
assistance from the University Grants Commission.
13.4 With a view to assess the level of Human Rights Education at the School level, the
Commission took up an in-house study to prepare a Status Paper on Human Rights Education at
School in 2004-2005. The textbooks prescribed for schools brought out by the
NCERT and the SCERT were analyzed with regard to the human rights component being
taught in schools with possible suggestions to enhance the quality of human rights education
in schools.
13.5 The study revealed that Human Rights Education is not taught as a separate subject.
However, the NCERT and the SCERT, Delhi have integrated human rights concepts in
various subjects from the primary level to the higher secondary level. The Study also revealed
that wide ranges of issues related to Human Rights are covered in the school
curriculum. The focus needs to be on the methodology of imparting the concepts to the
students and an analysis of the perception and understanding of the human rights issues by
the students.
13.6 In order to assess the position prevailing in the various states in the field of human rights
education a questionnaire was also sent to all the States/Union Territories to indicate the steps
being taken by them to promote Human Rights Education in Schools. The information has been
received from 17 States and is under compilation.
C] Rights Education for Youth
13.7 With a view to spreading an awareness of human rights issues among university students,
the Commission conducts internship programmes during summer and winter vacations
every year.
13.8 During the internship, the students are apprised of the working of the Commission. They
are also made aware of the provisions of the Constitution and the main institutions and international
instruments relevant to an understanding of human rights. The interns are provided an opportunity
to interact with NGOs working in the field of human rights and are also taken to field visits. In
addition the students are assigned research topics to work on.
D] Human Rights Training
13.9 The Commission is deeply concerned about human rights awareness, literacy and
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