PROMOTION OF LANGUAGES
12. 1.0 Languages being the most important medium of communication and education, their development occupies an important place in the National Policy on Education and Programme of Action. Promotion and development of Hindi and other languages listed in the VIII Schedule of the Constitution including Sanskrit and Urdu on the one hand and English as well as foreign languages on the other hand, have received due attention. In fulfilling the constitutional responsibility, the Department of Education through its Languages Institutes, autonomous organisations and subordinate offices, namely, Kendriya Hindi Shikshan Mandal, Agra, with its five centres, Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan (RSKS), New Delhi with its seven Vidyapeethas; Central. Institute of Indian Languages (CIIL), Mysore, with its four regional centres, one Extension Centre and two Urdu Training and Research Centres, Central Hindi Directorate (CHD), New Delhi, Commission for Scientific, and Technical Terminology (CSTT), New Delhi and Bureau for Promotion of Urdu (BPU). Non-governmental agencies have evolved a variety of schemes and programmes and other developmental activities. Financial assistance is provided to NGOs for implementing various schemes/programmes. During the year under report, the Department continued its ongoing schemes and programmes. Some of the following major activities pertaining to promotion and development of languages were undertaken during 1993-94.
Promotion and Development of Hindi 12.2.1 For the development of Hindi as a, link language, a scheme of financial assistance to Voluntary Hindi organisations for promotion of Hindi was continued. To encourage voluntary organisations engaged in promotion, development and propagation of Hindi, the Central Government has been providing them financial assistance since the First Five Year Plan. Over the years, the number of organisations seeking financial assistance under this scheme have progressively been increasing and in 1993-94 about 200 voluntary Hindi Organisations were financially assisted. Financial assistance is also being extended to voluntary organisations as well as individuals for translation, publications and purchase of books with a view to promoting and propagating Hindi. This is an ongoing scheme.
Appointment and Training of Hindi Teachers in Non-Hindi, Speaking
States/UTs 12.2.2 With a view to assisting the non Hindi speaking States/UTs for promotion and propagation of Hindi in pursuance of the provisions contained in Article 351 of the Constitution of India, the Central Government had started, during the Second Plan, the schemes of (i) Appointment of Hindi teachers; and (ii) Opening/strengthening of Hindi Teachers Training Colleges. Under these schemes central assistance was provided to the non-Hindi speaking States/UTs on 100% basis. These scheme were implemented
179
upto the Seventh Plan as two separate schemes. Since the objectives of these schemes are similar, these have been merged together into a single scheme entitled "Appointment and Training of Hindi Teachers in non-Hindi speaking States/UTs" in the Eighth Plan and central assistance on the same pattern has been continued in 1993-94. During 1993-94 central assistance to the order of Rs. 2.5 crore is being provided to various non-Hindi speaking States/UTs under this scheme on the approved pattern for appointment/maintenance/training of about should be 1000 Hindi teachers.
Propagation of Hindi Abroad 12.2.3 This scheme was started in the Fourth Five Year Plan with the objective to promote and propagate Hindi abroad. The specific programme/activities under the scheme are (i) Award of scholarship to about 50 foreign students for study of Hindi in India for a period of one year (ii) supply of Hindi books and other equipment for propagation of Hindi to Indian missions abroad (iii) Deputation of Hindi teachers to Surinam, Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago; (iv) Appointment of' Hindi Librarian and part-time Hindi Lecturers in the Embassy of India, Kathmandu and High Commission of India, Srilanka. The scheme has been continuing in the Eighth Plan also. The foreign students are provided with the scholarships @ Rs.1200/- p.m. and book grant of Rs.400/per annum respectively. The programme of teaching Hindi to foreign students is being conducted at the headquarters of the Kendriya Hindi Sansthan at Agra.
Establishment of International Hindi University 12.2.4 A Committee was set up under the Chairmanship of Dr. Shiv Mangal Singh 'Suman' to advise the government about the nature, structure, location, financial requirements and other related matters in respect of the establishment of an International Hindi University. The Committee has submitted its report on 1.5.1993 which is being examined in consultation with other concerned Ministries/Organisations.
Commission for Scientific and Technical Terminology 12.3.1 The Commission for Scientific and Technical Terminology (CSTT) was set up in October, 1961 for evolution of Scientific and Technical Terminology in Hindi and other Indian languages, production of university level books and reference literature in all disciplines to facilitate smooth change over of media of instruction in universities.
Terminology 12.3.2 The Commission has so far evolved and published five and half lakhs terms belonging to all major disciplines namely Sciences, Social sciences, Humanities, Engineering, Medicine Agriculture and Departmental Terminology like Defence, Revenue, Railways, Post and Telegraphs, Space Science, Computer Science
180
etc. During the period under review a revised and enlarged edition of the Comprehensive Glossary of Technical terms of "Humanities and Social Sciences" was published from the computerised database and the national terminology bank set up in the CSTT. A Glossary of Linguistics (English-Hindi, Hindi-English) and Commerce Glossary (English-Hindi) were also brought out. The second enlarged edition of the Comprehensive Glossary of Medical Sciences was also published. Besides, a re-print version of the third revised and enlarged edition of the Comprehensive Glossary of Administrative terms (English-Hindi) and its counter part (Hindi-English) version was also published from the Computer Data Base. Two glossaries namely Consolidated Defence Glossary and Comprehensive Glossary of Technical Terms (Sciences) are under print. Glossaries of terms pertaining to Veterinary Science, Computer Science, chemical Engineering, Leather Technology, Mining, Geological Survey, Aeronautical Engineering are under various stages of Production. Besides, about 17,000 terms pertaining to Departmental terminology received from various Government Departments were also finalised.
Definitional Dictionaries 12.3.3 The CSTT has brought out 46 definitional dictionaries which contain the definitions in Hindi of the Scientific and Technical terms evolved in Hindi. These Definitional Dictionaries cover almost all basic sciences, Social Sciences, Humanities and many specialised subjects like Fluids, Mechanics, Surgery, Electrical Engineering, Political science, Palaeo-Botony, Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Management Sciences etc. Two dictionaries namely definitional Dictionary of Petrology and Definitional Dictionary of Archaeology are under print. Other definitional dictionaries which are under various stages of preparation include dictionary of International Law, Public Administration, Plan Pathology, Genetics, Cytology, Mechanical Engineering (Volume II), Electrical Engineering, etc.
Pan-Indian Terminology 12.3.4 So far eighteen Pan-Indian Glossaries have been Published for free distribution among scholars. Writers, translators and journalists. One Pan-Indian Glossary is under print.
University Level Book Production 12.3.5 The CSTT has brought out, in collaboration with the Hindi Granth Academies, State Text-Book Boards and University Cells, 10,999 university level books in Hindi and regional languages. The Commission has also produced 375 books in the field of engineering, medicine and agriculture. The CSTT also brings out a quarterly journal "Vigyan Garima Sindhu".
Terminology Orientation Workshop 12.3.6 With a view to promoting and popularising appropriate use of the terminology evolved by the Commission, the CSTT organ-
181
ises workshops for university/college teachers in diverse, disciplines of basic sciences. Annually 12-15 of such workshops are organised. So far, more than 2930 university/colleges/teachers/ official Language Officers have received terminology orientation.
Computerisation of Terminology 12.3.7 With a view to facilitating affective coordination, updating and printing of comprehensive subject group-wise and subject-wise glossaries and creating database for setting up a computer based national terminology bank, The CSTT launched this project in 1989 and under this project, all the five and a half lakh technical terms evolved by the CSTT are being fed into the database out of which about 4 lakh terms have already been keyed in.
12.3.8 From this computerised data base, the following glossaries were laser-printed during this period: Linguistics, Humanities and Social Sciences, Administration, Science, Veterinary science, Computer Science and Space Science.
Central Hindi Directorate 12.4.1 The Directorate is compiling Thirteen Hindi and thirteen regional languages based bilingual dictionaries. so far thirteen dictionaries viz. Hindi-Assamese, Hindi-Gujarati, Hindi-Kashmiri, Hindi-Marathi, Hindi-Malayalam, Hindi-Oriya, Hindi-Sindhi, Hindi- Tamil, Hindi-Telugu, Hindi-Urdu, Oriya-Hindi, Malyalam-Hindi and Urdu- Hindi dictionaries have- been published. The Directorate has brought out thirteen trilingual dictionaries, while twelve Hindi based and twelve regional languages based trilingual dictionaries are being compiled. The Directorate has also published one multilingual dictionary and the 'Tatsam Word Dictionary' besides compiling "Bharatiya Bhasha Parichay Kosh". Under Cultural Exchange Programme, Czech-Hindi and German-Hindi (Vol. I & II) dictionaries have been published. Under the UN Languages Dictionaries Programme, Hindi- Chinese, Hindi-Arabic, Hindi-French and Hindi-Spanish dictionaries have been published. Besides these, Hindi-Kashmiri and Hindi-Assamese Conversational Guides have been published during the current year. Work on one trilingual and two bilingual dictionaries is in an advanced stage. A project for preparation of bilingual dictionaries of Hindi and languages of neighbouring countries has been undertaken. Out of ten such dictionaries, work on Hindi-Persian, Hindi-Sinhalese and Hindi-Indonesian is in progress.
12.4.2 The Directorate also brings out Hindi journals like "Unesco Doot" (Hindi version of the English Magazine entitled "Unesco Courier"). "Bhasha" (quarterly which is being published bimonthly w.e.f. Jan. '93), "Sahityamala". 'Who is who of Hindi Writers' and 'Bharatiya Natak Evom Rangamanch' have also been published during the year.
12.4.3 The Directorate is implementing a scheme of teaching Hindi through Correspondence Courses in the media of English,
182
Tamil, Malayalam and Bangala. So far approx. 2.98 lakh persons have availed of this facility. The enrolment in these courses during the current year is around 14,674. Some self-teaching records and cassettes have also been prepared for the purpose. 17 Personal Contact Programmes have also been organised for removing the difficulties of the students.
12.4.4 The Directorate has organised two Study Tours of Non-Hindi- speaking areas' Postgraduate students of Hindi language and literature to Hindi speaking areas' Universities, and selected twenty research students of non-Hindi-speaking areas for travel grants to visit Hindi- speaking universities for research purpose. Eight Neo-Writers Workshops have been organised to encourage non-Hindi writers to write in Hindi during the year under report. Sixteen writers of Hindi from non-Hindi speaking areas were give awards this year. Two national symposiums were also organised in Cochin and Bombay to discuss various aspects of oneness of Indian literature. Eight scholars, (four from Hindi areas to give lectures on students' interest subjects in non- Hindi speaking areas' universities and four from non-Hindi speaking zones to give lectures on students' interest subjects in Hindi- speaking areas' Universities) were nominated by Central Hindi Directorate.
12.4.5 A number of books have been sent free of cost to the non- Hindi States for the propagation of Hindi. Exhibition of Hindi books is another activity of the Directorate. The Directorate is also conducting a survey, of spoken language as Official language in various units of Central Government spread over the country. It is also engaged in propagation of Sindhi language. The Directorate is working as Secretariat of 'Hindi Shiksha Samiti' and 'Shiksha Award'.
Kendriya Hindi Sansthan (KHS) 12.5.1 In pursuance of the objective of training Hindi Teachers in non-Hindi speaking States, the Kendriya Hindi Sansthan (KHS) with its Headquarters at Agra and five Centres located at Delhi, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Mysore and Shillong has been conducting many important programmes such as training courses for Hindi Teachers in their respective States and adjoining areas etc. They are also conducting extension programmes for Hindi teachers in tribal areas. The Sansthan has also developed text books and instructional materials for teaching Hindi in non-Hindi speaking areas.
12.5.2 A full-fledged academic course for teaching Hindi to foreigners is being conducted by the Sansthan under the scheme. "Propagation of Hindi Abroad". During the current year, the Government of India has awarded scholarships to forty four fresh students from various foreign countries along with four extensions, thus making a total of forty eight students for academic year 1993-94.
12.5.3 Under the scheme entitled "Hindi Sevi Samman Yojna", awards were given to twelve eminent Hindi Scholars for their
183
distinguished contributions in the field of development and propagation for Hindi, Hindi journalism, creative literature, scientific and technical Hindi literature etc.
Promotion And Development of Modern Indian Languages (XIL) 12.6.1 Central Institute of Indian Languages (CIIL), Mysore With a view to training teachers in Modern Indian Languages for implementing the Three Language Formula, is running full academic year course for school teachers from different State and Union Territories at their Regional Language Centres and two Urdu Teaching Research Centres. Around 258 teachers are undergoing language training through regular classes and about 486 adult learners from different walks of life have been enrolled in the certificate course through correspondence in Tamil, Telugu and Bengali in the current year.
12.6.2 Language teaching material for teaching major Modern Indian Languages in the voluntary sectors of U.P. Government, teaching aids, language games, skillwise work books in Bengali and Urdu, nursery rhymes in Tamil and Telugu, manual to use mass media in teaching Kannada were prepared. College teachers of Mizo language were given training in Linguistic and socio-linguistic aspects of language teaching. After studying the tribe 'ONGE' in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, primary and video programmes were prepared to teach this language to tribal children.
12.6.3 The Institute has also prepared 100 audio cassettes in four South Indian Languages to teach them as first and second languages in the schools to supplement the textbooks. In the areas of computer application, an IBM version of utility software with BHASHA to use Indian languages for programming to produce softwares was completed.
12.6.4 Financial assistance is being provided to voluntary organisations as well as individuals for bringing out publications as well as purchase of books with a view to promoting and propagating modern Indian Languages. Similarly, voluntary organisations engaged in promotional activities in various Modern Indian Languages and in English also receive central assistance.
12.6.5 A new scheme for Appointment of Modern Indian Language teachers in the Hindi speaking States and UTs has been approved and circulated in the States/UTs for implementation from the year 1993-94.
Taraqqi-e-Urdu Board 12.7.1 Taraqqi-e-Urdu Board which was constituted in 1969. is an apex advisory body to advise the Government on promotion and development of Urdu language. The Minister of Human Resource Development is Chairman of the Board and it consists of Urdu scholars, representatives of language institutions/organisations, State Governments and other concerned Government organisations.
184
12.7.2 The Bureau for Promotion of Urdu executes and implements recommendations of the Board, and also functions as its secretariat. The main activities of the Bureau during the year are expected to be as under:-
* About 22 books are expected to be published.
* Four volumes of Urdu Encyclopaedia are planned to be sent to press.
* One volume of English Urdu Dictionary has been sent to the press.
* 4th and 5th issue of Half-yearly research journal called 'Fikr-o-Tahqeeq' will be brought out.
* Financial assistance is being given to forty three Calligraphy Training Centres all over India. Out of these, six are exclusively meant for ladies.
* Financial assistance to organisations and individuals for publication of books in Urdu including by way of bulk purchase of books was provided. Financial assistance to recognised institutions for language promotional activities was also provided.
12.7.3 Committee to examine implementation of recommendations of Gujral Committee for Promotion of Urdu.
12.7.4 The Government had set up in February, 1990, a Committee of Experts under the Chairmanship of Shri Ali Sardar Jafri to examine implementation of recommendations of Gujral Committee for promotion of Urdu. The Committee submitted its Report to the Government on September 18, 1990. The report of the Committee is under consideration.