these disciplines so that the Vidyapeethas have a distinctive character of its own. The Vidyapeethas have started functioning from the academic year, 1991-92.

Scheme for Development of Sanskrit through State Governments/Union Territories

12.5.8 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 seventy scholars are expected to be added by 1992-93.

(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 subject in the traditional Sanskrit Pathshalas.

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.35/- p.m. for students of classes XI and XII are also provided. About 3,000 students are benefited under this scheme annually.

(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

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to three States/UTs during 1991-92. In 1992-93 more State Governments are likely to take up these programmes for grants.

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

12.5.9 As a special incentive to preserve the oral tradition of Vedic studies, a scheme was introduced during 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 1990-91 fourteen such units received assistance. Eight 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.

All India Elocution contests are organised to encourage oratorial talents in the students of traditional Sanskrit Pathshalas in various branches of Sanskrit learning. Every state is invited to send a team of eight students alongwith a teacher to participate in the contest. Last year's contest was held at Bombay from 26th to 28th December, 1990 in which teams from twelve States participated. This year's contest is likely to be organised sometime in February, 1992.

Rashtriya Veda Vidya Pratishthan

12.5.10 Rashtriya Veda Vidya Pratishthan (RVVP) was set up in August, 1987 as an autonomous body. Preservation of oral Vedic tradition, research into the content of the Vedic lore and exploration of the relevance of the Vedic knowledge to the modern scientific, technological and cultural developments are some of the principal objectives of the pratishthan. The following activities were undertaken by RVVP during the year under report:-

- An All India Vedic Sammelan was organised in February, 1991.

- Four regional Vedic Sammelans were held during the year at Shimla (H.P.), Hyderabad (A.P.), Mainpuri (U.P.) and Puri (Orissa).

- An All India Seminar on Veda & Jyotisha was organised at Delhi in collaboration with the Sahitya Academy.

- A conference-cum-workshop on Vedic Mathematics was held at Bangalore in collaboration with Abhinav Vidya Bharati Trust and others.

- A seminar on Vrishti Vigyan was held by Vrishti Vigyan Mandal at Mathura.

- The mantras of Rigveda, addressed to Agni were tape recorded on audio cassettes. 762 tapes of Vedic recitation were dubbed from those available at Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeetha, Tirupati.

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- The first publication of the Pratishthan, viz., "Jyotisham Jhotish" written by Shri Jagan Nath Vedalankar was released.

- Vedic Classes were organised for young Sanskrit teaches of Delhi in which some eminent scholars also gave lectures on topics concerning Vedas.

Financial Assistance to Voluntary Organisations Engaged in the Propagation and Development of Arabic and Persian

12.5.11 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 to 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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