school children with particular reference to an understanding of the basic scientific concepts, principles and processes. With the assistance of Unesco, a Central Science Workshop is being set up in the Department to develop new experiments, apparatus and equipment for the teaching of science subjects and also to develop prototypes of experimental sets to be produced on a mass scale for use in schools.

27. Science Talent Search.-The Science Talent Search scheme was extended to cover the whole country during the year under report. Out of 7,000 students who took the test, about 1,200 were called for interview and 345 students were finally selected for the awards of scholarships and certificates of merit. Five regional workshops were organised for the selected students to provide them an opportunity to know and to work with university professors and research scientists. Extension Services were organised in the form of science clubs, science fairs and seminars at various centres. During the year under report, assistance was given to 100 secondary schools to establish science clubs.

28. Teaching of General Science.-A comprehensive scheme for the teaching of general science as an integral part of school curriculum was formulated. An Instructional Materials Centre was set up to, prepare literature and teaching aids in science. A critical study was initiated on the training of science teachers.

29. Special Planning Mission.-Under the Unesco programme of assistance, a Special Planning Mission visited India to study the problems of science and mathematics education in secondary schools. The Mission submitted a detailed report on the present position of science teaching in the country and on the lines along which science and mathematics education should be improved and developed.

G. TEXTBOOKS

30. One of the major activities of the National Council is to prepare model textbooks in different subjects for all stages of school education. For this purpose, panel of experts for individual subjects have been set up. During the year under report, model Hindi textbooks in prose and poetry for classes IX to XI were prepared, printed and widely circulated. These model textbooks have been approved for use in its schools by the Central Board of Secondary Education. Hindi textbooks for classes VI, VII, and VIII are under preparation.

31. Model Textbooks.-Model textbooks in history, geography, Sanskrit, social studies, mathematics, physics, chemistry, general science, commerce, technology and agriculture are in various stages of preparation. Some are expected to be ready either by the end of the current year or in the early part of 1965-66. The first two sections of the textbooks in biology for classes IX to XI were completed and printed. The textbook has been prescribed for schools under the Central Board of Secondary Education.

31.1. Textbooks in Hindi and Other Regional Languages.-These textbooks when published are being sent to the State Governments for adoption or adaptation and translation into regional languages. The translation into Hindi will be done by the Council.

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H. PUBLICATIONS

32. During the year under report, the National Council undertook preparation and publication of the following works :

(i) Educational Studies and Investigations-Vol II.

(ii) Examinations and Evaluation in Education

(iii) The First Year Book of Education 1947-61-Revised Edition

(iv) Year Book on Secondary Education

(v) Year Book on Educational Research

(vi) Research Symposia-Adolescence

(vii) Source Books on Indian Education

(viii) Low Cost Reprints of Foreign Textbooks-PSSC Physics; CHEM Chemistry; BSCS Biological Sciences

(ix) Supplementary Reading Material-On Science, Social Studies and other topics.

(x) Directory of Training Colleges in India-Revised Edition

32.1. Periodicals.-The Council continued the publication of its journals, School Science; Teacher Education, Audio-Visual Education, The Child, Buniyadi Talim; Guidance Review and Basic Education Abstracts. The Council has decided to bring out a half yearly journal entitled, The Indian Educational Review. A list of the publications of the Council for the year 1964-65 is given at Annexure V.

32.2. Low-priced Reprints.-The Council has undertaken a programme of bringing out low-priced Indian Reprint editions of outstanding U.S.A. publications. The programme is being assisted by the U.S.I.S. under the Joint Indian-American Started Works Programme. The entire series of PSSC Physics text materials, CHEM Study materials have been already reprinted. The BSCS Biology materials and three books of the Educational Testing Service are in press. Negotiations are under way for the reprinting of the off-prints of Scientific American and the series of SMSG Mathematics materials.

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