Extension, the process of extending the knowledge of recent advances in science and technology to the people who need it, has been emphasized in India since the introduction of the Community Development Programme in 1952. Community development involves two distinct processes--extension education and community organization--and has had four phases--the official phase (1952-55) in which the objectives and methods were publicized, the advisory phase (1955-58) in which staff undertook pilot programs to encourage people to take on extensive projects, the representative phase (1959-62) in which people's institutions were developed to continue community development activities, and the voluntary phase (1962) in which villagers continued development activities primarily on their own. The extension worker in India is the professional change agent at the village level, living and working with the people to promote community improvements. A strong feature of the Indian community development program is the training programs which have been organized for administrators, technical personnel, gram sevaks (village level professional workers), and local leaders. (The document includes three tables and a bibliography). (aj)