Running Trophy.-A new scheme, viz., award of a running Trophy to the university that produces the largest number of players participating in national and international tournaments was initiated during the period under review. The Trophy for the academic year 1956-57 was awarded to the Bombay University.

Raising the Standard of Performance in Sports and Games.Taking into account the concern expressed in the country with the results of the Asian Games held at Tokyo, the Government of India appointed in July, 1958, an ad hoc committee with the Maharaja of Patiala as chairman, to enquire into the persistence of low standards of performance by Indian teams and athletes in the Asian and Olympic Games and to suggest ways and means for improvement. This Committee is reviewing the 'entire position of games and sports in the country. The report of the Committee is awaited.

Programme for January to March 1959, and 1959-60.-All schemes involving large expenditure for the promotion of sports and games have been held in abeyance pending the receipt of the report of the Ad Hoc Enquiry Committee on Sports. It is hoped that the report of the Ad Hoc Committee will be available by the end of

January, 1959. An effective programme for the remaining period of 1958-59 and for the next year will then be chalked out. There laid on providing facilities in educational institutions such as acqui- sition of playing fields, purchase of sport equipment etc. The coaching programme needs to be intensified to make it really effective. The All-India Council on Sport is also proposed to be reconstituted on receipt of the Committee's report. It was prorogued in November, 1957.

Rajkumari Sports Coaching Scheme.-The Scheme's policy during 1957-58 has been to give undivided attention to sports coaching including coaching for school and college students., An attempt to establish coaching schools in the various States by appointing local coaches as to provide year-round coaching for the youth has been made. To keep interest alive in all the State centres and also to serve as a testing ground for the efficiency of individual coaching methods and measure the progress made by juniors, a start was made in organising inter-State tournaments and camps for juniors. Further, foreign experts in football, tennis, track and field, table tennis and gymnastics were invited for short periods to train more coaches and train selected players and athletes of real promise.

A grant of Rs. 5 lakhs was paid towards the running of the Scheme during 1957-58. During 1958-59 a budget provision of Rs. 5 lakhs exists for the implementation of the scheme. Out of this provision a grant of Rs. 1 lakh has been paid so far. Another request for a further grant of Rs. 2 lakhs from the Committee administering the Scheme is under examination.

The camps organised under the Scheme during 1957-58 were as follows : Athletics-31, Tennis-10, Football-6, Hockey -11, Badminton- 12, Table Tennis-9, Swimming-5, Volleyball-9 and Basketball-12.

Youth Welfare

Students' Tours.-Tours to places of historic importance, scientific and cultural interest and to places where big national projects are being undertaken, serve a recognised educational purpose. They also serve an equally important purpose of building up national morale. Such tours have become popular with the student-youth of the country.

In order to encourage our students to undertake such tours in greater numbers the grant has been raised to meet full third class railway/bus fare at students' concession rates. The assistance is given to educational institutions for manageable batches consisting,

of not more then 32 students and three teachers. During the cur rent year about Rs. 6 lakhs have been sanctioned to over 500 educational institutions throughout the country and over 15,000 students and teachers have benefited by these grants. About 100 more grants are expected to be released during the period between January-March, 1959.

Youth Leadership Training Camps.-The Ministry of Education has been conducting youth leadership training camps with the idea of helping college teachers to organise better the various youth welfare activities in their institutions. In June 1958, a camp of this type was conducted at Taradevi in which 31 teachers from the universities of Calcutta, Bombay, Poona, Madras, Kerala, Delhi and Panjab partici- pated. A sum of Rs. 9,418 was spent for the purpose. In addition to the above, a sum of Rs. 2,100 was sanctioned to the University of Kerala for organising a camp.

Youth Festival.-The annual, Inter-University Youth Festival is meant mainly to encourage the cultural and artistic activities of the students. This helps them to bring to the forefront their latent talents in the field of dance, drama, music, debates and art. The V Delhi from 27th October to 5th November, 1958. One thousand six hundred and seventy one students from 34 universities of India participated in the Festival that was inaugurated by the Prime Minister on 27th October, 1958.

The items of competition in the Festival were Painting and Draw- ing, Photography, Handicrafts, Drama, Classical Dance, Vocal Classical Music, Instrumental Music, Group Dance, Group Singing and Hindi Elocution. A sum of Rs. 3 lakhs was sanctioned for the purpose.

Inter-Collegiate Youth Festival.-Prior to the Inter-University Youth Festival, the universities conduct Inter-Collegiate Youth Festi- vals for selecting participants for the Inter-University Youth Festi- val.

A sum of Rs. 42,757 was sanctioned for the purpose to the follow- ing universities during the current financial year :-Rajasthan, Andhra, Kerala, Calcutta, S.N.D.T., Mysore, Karnatak, Nagpur Osmania, Utkal and Vallabhbhai Vidyapeeth.

Youth Hostels.-To provide cheap food and accommodation to students undertaking educational tours or going out for trekking or hiking, it is intended to set up a number of youth hostels in the country. This work is carried out in cooperation with the Youth Hostels Association of India and State Governments.

It has been decided to raise the amount of Central assistance to State Governments so as to meet the entire expenditure on the con- struction of the youth hostels, subject to a maximum of Rs. 40,000 per hostel.

An amount of Rs. 15,000 was sanctioned during the current year to the Youth Hostels Association of India to meet a part of their ad- ministrative and organisational expenditure.

Survey of Living Conditions of Students.-In order to scientifi- cally assess the living conditions of youth in colleges and univer- sities in regard to their socioeconomic conditions, facilities for curricular and cocurricular activities and cultural interests, the Government of India decided to undertake a pilot survey of living conditions of students in the Universities of Kerala, Lucknow and Bombay.

Grants amounting to Rs. 13,139 have been sanctioned to the Universities of Lucknow and Kerala during the current financial year for carrying out the survey work. Reports on the survey in these two universities are expected by February, 1959,

Youth Welfare Boards and Committees.-To promote youth welfare work in a planned and coordinated manner, the Government of India have been, giving grants to the State Governments and the universities to meet 50 per cent of the administrative expenditure on setting up Youth Welfare Boards. During the current financial year administrative approval has been accorded to the State Government of Bihar, and the University of Nagpur for setting up these Boards.

In the approved programme for youth welfare for the current year there are other schemes like, Holiday Camps, Children's Festival and the Non-Student Youth Club and Centres. They are at the initial stage and not much progress has been achieved in the implementation of these schemes.

It is proposed to continue all the schemes mentioned above during 1959-60 and a sum of Rs. 8 lakhs for the general Youth Welfare activities and another amount of Rs. 8 lakhs for the Bal Bhavan have been provided in the budget for 1959-60.

Bal Bhavan.-A sum of Rs. 3,75,000 was sanctioned to the Bal Bhavan for meeting day-to-day expenditure and also towards the construction of buildings for Bal Bhavan, that is in progress.

Children's Museum.-The plans for the proposed buildings of the Children's Museum as prepared by the C.P.W.D. were approved by the Ad Hoc Committee on Children's Museum. The working drawing have also been finalised and the estimates are being prepared. The construction of building will be taken up as soon as the plans and estimates are finalised.