Other Programmes The other programmes of the Institute also continued to make progress. These included the mother-tongue teaching project sponsored by Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan, Socio linguistic survey projects a reading project, a Folk-lore Unit and the programme of linguistic cartography. The library and the language laboratory of the Institute continued to provide useful assistance in the various programmes of the institute.
PRODUCTION OF UNIVERSITY LEVEL BOOKS IN HINDI
AND REGIONAL LANGUAGES
The Main Scheme The aim of the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Book Pro-
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duction at the University level in Hindi and regional languages, launched in 1968-69, is to facilitate the adoption of these languages as medium of instruction for higher education. Keeping in view the progress made by the States during the last Plan, a Fifth Plan provision of Rs. 5 crores has been made for providing financial assistance to the State Governments participating in the Scheme. It has been decided that funds within this plan allocation will be made available to the participating States during the Fifth Plan towards the implementation of the scheme, provided the total grants made available to any particular State since 196869 do not exceed the sum of Rs. 1 crore.
By the end of March, 1974 grants amounting to Rs. 572.32 lakhs had been released to the 15 participaitng States. According to the reports received from the State Governments about 2500 books have been produced under the Scheme in Hindi, Urdu and regional languages. Of these, about 500 are translations and about 2,000 original writings. Another about 1,000 books are reported to be in press. Work is reported to be in progress on another 3500 books which are in different stages of writing. The investment made in the Scheme is beginning to give returns and the sale proceeds of books produced under the scheme are expected to reach a figure of Rs. 200/- lakhs soon.
CENTRAL SUB-SCHEMES
Taraqqi-e-Urdu Board-Production of Books in Urdu The Taraqqi-e-Urdu Board was set up in June, 1969 to advise Government regarding the production of academic literature in Urdu with a view to making modern knowledge available in the language. To streamline arrangements for obtaining expert advice, this Board was reconstituted in January, 1974 with a whole time Chairman. The Board comprises the Chairman, the Vice-Chairman, 12 Urdu knowing specialists in various branches of modern knowledge and 4 other members. An allo- cation of Rs. 75 lakhs has been proposed for the production of books in Urdu and Sindhi. The Board has set up a Standing Committee to look to details of the programmes. It consists of seven members of the Board and is presided over by the Board's Chairman. Secretariat assistance to the Board is provided by the Bureau for Promotion of Urdu, a Government organisation.
So far, 57 titles have been published and it is expected that by the end of 1974-75, the Board would have brought out about
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75 books. The preparation of reference books which include an Urdu Encyclopaedia in 12 volumes and an Urdu-Urdu Dictionary in 5 volumes, and an English-Urdu Dictionary in 5 volumes has also been undertaken. In the field of terminology, about 90,000 Urdu technical terms have been finalised. The working terminology in the subjects of Physics, Chemistry, Philosophy, Psychology and Education, History and Political Science Geography and Geology, Statistics, Economics and Commerce has been completed. Three Calligraphy Centres have been established for the training of calligraphers at Delhi, Bombay and Hyderabad.
Production of Books in Sindhi Like Urdu, Sindhi is not confined to any one State. It has therefore, been decided to undertake the production of Books in Sindhi as a Central Scheme, the choice regarding the script in which the books should be written being left to the authors. In the initial stages, the implementation of the Scheme has been entrusted to the Central Hindi Directorate.
Production of Core Books The programme aims at producing standard books suitable for university studies which could be published initially in English, and subsequently in Hindi and regional languages according to the need. Under this programme, the National Book Trust in collaboration with the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi has initiated production of a number of medical books. The National Book Trust has also undertaken publication of authoritative books on Science.
The Indian Council of Historical Research under this programme has taken up translation of a set of selected titles in History in different Indian languages; preparation of a series of a source volume in History to give the necessary source orientation to the teaching and study of history in India and publication of six volumes on the history of India, emphasing the interpretational and analytical aspects of history.
Award of Fellowships for Writing Manuscripts The Scheme, which is being implemented by the University Grants Commission aims at promoting Indian authorship in the field of university level books by providing fellowships to young subject experts to work under the guidance of senior Professors for producing authoritative manuscripts in different disciplines.
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The number of on going projects so far approved by the University Grants Commission is 262. Manuscripts of 26 projects are likely to be completed shortly.
National Award of Prizes to Authors for Writing Original Standard
Works of University Level The Scheme has been launched to confer honour on and recognition to writers of outstanding books of the university level which are conceived and are written in Indian languages. The Scheme envisages conferment of awards of the individual value of Rs. 10,000/- on each such author. The first batch of awards under the Scheme is likely to be made some time in 1975. The subjects and the languages in which the awards will be made have already been announced by the University Grants Commission which is implementing this Scheme.
Book Production in Hindi in Agriculture, Medicine and Engineering
Subjects Since the production of University level books in technical subjects, such as medicine, agriculture and engineering requires specialised knowledge, the work of production of such books in Hindi has been undertaken cetrally. So far, 46 books in Hindi have been produced, 45 books are in press and another about 547 books are at various stages of preparation.
IMPROVEMENT OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE TEACHING
IN THE COUNTRY
Central Institute of English & Foreign Languages, Hyderabad The Institute, an institution of higher learning deemed to be a university under the UGC Act, pursued vigorously during the year its programmes of research, porduction of teaching materials, provision of extension services, training of English and foreign language teachers, and strengthening of foreign language units in universities. Its Regional Centre in Shillong also continued its work vigorously. Besides departments of English, the Institute has set up departments of German, Russian and French and is receiving academic cooperation from the German Democratic Republic, USSR and France in the programmes of these departments.
During the year, the institute conducted courses of postgraduate certificates in the teaching of German, French and
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Russian and also evening courses leading to certificates of pro- ficiency in these languages. A new German radio course has been started for beginners, while a special ten week intensive course in spoken Russian was held for engineers and computer programmers at the Administrative Staff College of India, Hyderabad. A four week intensive course in spoken French for engineers of the Electronics Corporation of India was held in addition to a four month course for the engineers of the Defence Metallurgical Research Laboratory, Hyderabad.
In the field of English teaching in India, the Institute under-, took, inter alia, the following activities :
(a) The expert deputed by the Institute to assist the Department of English in the University of Kabul, Afghanistan continued to assist that University in its English language teaching programmes.
(b) A three week workshop in modern English structure was held at the University of Poona. This included one week's intensive course in Intonation Theory and Practice.
(c) A 9-week course in English composition and Func- tional Grammar was given at the Hyderabad SubCentre of the Indian Institute of Bankers, Bombay to prepare candidates for the Associateship Examination of that Institute.
(d) Lessons were prepared and produced by the Radio and Television Unit of the Institute and were broadcast by AIR Hyderabad for VII, VIII, IX and X classes. A number of lessons in spoken English have also been recorded by the Language Laboratory of the Institute and are available $or distribution to Educational Institutions.
(e) 2 Workshops on testing under the Bureau of Tests and Examinations of the Institute were conducted at Marathwada University and Andhra University as a part of the Summer Institute Programme.
(f) A Book of Prose Selections for Degree classes was sent to the press for publication and an Annotated Bibliography on designing Language Syllabuses was also prepared.
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(g) A two-week course in the Phonetics of English was given to M.A. (English) students of Dibrugarh University.
(h) A 10-day course in English was given to lecturers (other than English) at the Agricultural College, Poona.
(i) A 3-week course was organised at Hyderabad Public School for teachers of English.
(j) The various post-graduate diploma courses and spe- cial short courses in English for foreign students were organised.
(k) The Institute continued to coordinate the activities of the State and Regional Institutes of English located in the different parts of the country.
PROMOTION OF SANSKRIT
Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan More than 1500 students appeared for the various examinations of the Sansthan. A total number of 1323 students have been admitted into the Vidyapeethas, under the Sansthan for various courses besides 204 students who have enrolled themselves for the Correspondence Course. The Journal of the Sansthan 'Sanskrit Vimarsha', was continued. Sixteen new publications from the Sansthan as well as from Vidyapeethas were published during the year. More than 875 scholarships were awarded to the students of the, Vidyapeethas under the Sansthan.
Sanskrit Dictionary on Historical Principles at Deccan College
Post-Graduate and Research Institute, Poona A sample, fascicule with an introduction to the proposed dic- tionary circulated to scholars all over the world evoked good response. Editorial work progressed further during the current year and a grant of Rs. 3.75 lakhs was given to the Institute during the year under review.
Scholarships Research scholarships to 51 products of Sanskrit Pathshalas were awarded during the year, besides 90 scholarships to Shastri
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and Acharya students and more than 180 scholarships to the students in the Post-matric classes.
Financial Assistance Grants amounting to about Rs. 20.00 lakhs are likely to be released to about 600 Voluntary Sanskrit Organisations and 17 Gurukulas by the end of the current financial year.
Centrally Sponsored Schemes Central Assistance amounting to Rs. 15 lakhs was released to different State Governments and Union Territories for the 5 Centrally Sponsored Schemes, namely :
(1) Grant of financial assistance to eminent Sanskrit Pandits in indigent circumstances;
(2) Award of scholarships to students of High and Higher Secondary Schools studying Sanskrit;
(3) Providing facilities for teaching of Sanskrit in Secondary Schools;
(4) Modernisation of Sanskrit Pathshalas;
(5) Promotion of Sanskrit covering different schemes initiated by the various State Governments.
Sanskrit Literature Financial assistance to the, tune of Rs. 4.00 lakhs was given to individuals/voluntary organisations for publication of original Sanskrit works, commentaries and translations of important Sanskrit texts, compilation and publication of catalogues of Sanskrit manuscripts, editing and publication of rare Sanskrit manuscripts and Sanskrit journals/periodicals. Besides this, published literature relating to Sanskrit language and literature worth Rs. 2.00 lakhs was purchased and distributed to different educational institutions and universities.
All India Elocution Contest for Sanskrit Students and
Vedic Convention The thirteenth All India Elocution Contest for the students of Sanskrit Pathashalas and the fifth Vedic convention were held
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from 19th to 22nd December, 1974 at Kendriya Sanskrit Vidyapeeth, Tirupati. More than 50 students from different States participated in the contest. Individual prizes were also given to the first three contestants in each of the eight events. The Vedic convention was attended by nearly 60 scholars.
Sanskrit Day Celebrations The Ministry in cooperation with the Sansadiya Sanskrit Parishad and the Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan celebrated Sanskrit Day on Shravani Poornima in August 1974 in Delhi. Encouraging reports about the celebrations of Sanskrit Day all over the country were, received.
Kendriya Sanskrit Parishad and its Committees The Visheshagya Samiti of the Kendriya Sanskrit Parishad met twice in the year and gave expert advice.
Arabic and Persian The Ministry launched during the year, two schemes for the preservation and promotion of classical languages other than Sanskrit like Arabic and Persian. The schemes are:
(i) Financial assistance to Voluntary Organisations working in the field of classical languages other than Sanskrit including Arabic and Persian, and
(ii) Research scholarships to the products of traditional institutions. A provision of Rs. 0.60 lakhs was made available for the two schemes.