12.8.11 Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeetha, Tirupati was declared "Deemed to be University" in 1987 to preserve Shastraic tradition, undertake interpretation of the Shastras, establish their relevance to the problems in the modern as well as shastraic lore for teachers and achieve excellence in these disciplines so that the Vidyapeetha have a distinctive character of its own. The Vidyapeetha has started functioning from the academic year, 1991.

12.8.12 Sanskrit is taught at under-graduate, graduate, postgraduate and doctorate level in this university i.e. Prak-Shastri, Shastri, Acharya, Shiksha Shastri, Shiksha-Acharya and Vidyavaridhi. Teachers training graduate and post-graduate level is imparted in this Vidyapeetha to train competent teachers in Sanskrit for High Schools and colleges. Publication of Sanskrit works edited with critical commentaries and translations is also undertaken in phased manner. Opportunities are also provided to promote inter-action between modern and traditional scholars for mutual enrichment of knowledge.

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12.8.13 There are 31 full time and 4 part-time teachers on the rolls undertaking the teaching and research work.

Central Sanskrit Advisory Board/Committees

12.8.14 The Central Sanskrit Board is an advisory body to advise the Government of India on matters of policy pertaining to the propagation, promotion and development of Sanskrit in the country.

Scheme for Development of Sanskrit

12.8.15 This is Central Plan scheme operated through the State Governments. Financial grants are provided by Government of India on 100 per cent basis for the following five major programmes:-

(a) Financial assistance to eminent Sanskrit scholars in indigent circumstances

Under this scheme about 1450 eminent scholars whose income is less than Rs.4,000/- p.a. are receiving financial assistance upto the maximum limit of Rs.4,000/- p.a. About fifty more scholars are expected to be added to this list by 1993-94.

(b) Modernisation of Sanskrit Pathshalas

To bring about a fusion' between the traditional and modern systems of Sanskrit education, grants are provided to facilitate appointment of teachers for teaching selected modern subjects in the traditional Sanskrit Pathshalas.

(c) Providing facilities for teaching Sanskrit in High and Secondary Schools

Grants are given to meet the expenditure on salary of Sanskrit teachers to be appointed in Secondary and Senior secondary schools where the State Governments are not in a position to provide facilities to teach Sanskrit.

(d) Scholarships to students studying Sanskrit in High and Higher Secondary schools

In order to attract students for studying Sanskrit in the secondary and senior secondary schools, merit scholarships are given to Sanskrit students. For classes IX to XII General scholarship @ Rs.25/- p.m. for students of classes IX & X and @ Rs.351- p.m. for students of classes XI and XII are also provided. About 3,000 students are benefited under this scheme annually.

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(e) Grants to State Governments for their own schemes for promotion of Sanskrit

State Governments are free to chalk out for implementation their own programmes for development and propagation of Sanskrit like upgrading the salary of teachers, honouring Vedic Scholars, conducting Vidwat Sabhas, holding of evening classes for Sanskrit teaching, celebrating the Kalidasa Samaroh etc. Assistance under this scheme is under consideration to three States/UTs during 1992-93. In 1993-94 more State Governments are likely to take up these programmes for grants.

Preservation of Oral Tradition of Vedic Studies/All India Elocution Contest

12.8.16 As a special incentive to preserve the Oral Tradition of Vedic studies, a scheme was introduced in 1978 under which each swadhyayain is required to train two students each below the age of twelve in a particular shakha of any Veda. During 1991-92 fourteen such units received assistance. Seven more Units have been selected during 1991-92. Under this scheme the scholar gets honorarium of Rs.1250/- p.m. and two students receive a stipend of Rs.175/- p.m.

12.8.17 All India Elocution contests are organised to encourage oratorial talents in the students of traditional Sanskrit Pathshalas in various branches of Sanskrit learning. A team of eight students alongwith a teacher from all State Governments are invited to participate in the this. Last year's contest was held at Gurukula Mahavidyalaya, Jwalapur, Haridwar from 21st to 23rd February, 1992 in which students from thirteen States participated. This year's contest was held at Calcutta from 19th to 21st January, 1993.

Financial Assistance to Voluntary Organisations engaged in the Propagation and development of Arabic and Persian

12.9.0 Under this scheme, registered voluntary organisations working for the promotion of Arabic and Persian, are given financial assistance towards salary of teachers, scholarship, furniture, library books, etc., and other activities which are conducive for development of Arabic and Persian. Financial assistance is available to the extent of seventy-five percent of the approved expenditure. About two hundred voluntary Arabic and Persian Institutions were given financial assistance during the year under report.

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