Mathematics, Chemistry, Physics, and Biology were conducted and reports of the studies were prepared. A training package for the English teachers of Mysore city is being developed and tried out.

As a part of the pre-service training programmes, research studies in the areas such as (i) Attainment of MLLs, (ii) Competency Based Teaching, (iii) Curriculum Transaction and Classroom Practices, (iv) In-Service Education of Teachers, and (v) Learning Difficulties/Deficiencies of Children were carried out. In-service training programmes for capacity-building for IACEs, CTEs and DIETs faculty were organised.

The ET Cell of RIE, Mysore is developing audio programmes in Kannada and Tamil which include themes such as (i) Protection of Environment, (ii) Removal of Social Barriers, and (iii) Indian Cultural Heritage. Fifty audio programmes and 17 poems in Tamil were recorded at the request of Tamil Nadu/ Pondicherry.

The RIE, Mysore assisted the Government of Karnataka in their evaluation study 'Utilisation of Radio-cum-Cassette Players in Primary Schools of Karnataka'. Materials for use by the states/UTs in organising Population Education related activities were developed. Secondary school teachers and teacher educators were oriented in Population Education. A source book on 'Environmental Orientation to School Education' was developed and hard spots in Environmental Stud- ies of Class III were identified with a view to enhancing achievement levels of primary school children through developing training materials.

A 15-month training course specially designed for the Head Teachers of Maldives is being organised in RIE, Mysore. A bridge course in English was offered wherein special training was provided in phonetics, basic linguistics, grammar and development of reading and writing skills. The teachers are now being exposed to courses in different pedagogical areas including planning and management of education.

The RIE, Bhubaneswar developed an ML_ competency-based Test Item Pool (TIP) in Environmental Studies (I and II) for Classes III and IV. Learner-centred activities for the first language(Oriya) to achieve MLLs in Classes I and II have been designed in an implementable and sustainable form. A composite group of teachers and teacher educators was oriented with regard to importance of Physical Education and planning, focus and structure of curriculum activities in Physical Education at the primary level.

Under the aegis of DPEP, the RIE, Bhubaneswar under-took a broad spectrum of research studies with teachers as the clientele. These studies include: (i) Preparation of motivational package to promote teacher effectiveness, (ii) Development of local-specific activity- based resource material for promoting learner-centred MLL-based teaching of Environmental Studies, (iii) identification of minimum support facilities for the effective implementation of competency- based MLL approach, (iv) Formulation of intervention strategies for the management of multi-grade setups and large class-size situations, and (v) Preparation and administration of a diagnostic tool to identify intervention areas for improving teaching efficiency of Environmental Studies (11). Besides these, with pupils as the clientele, the mathematical language needs of students of Classes I and 11 were identified, and innovative instructional strategies to help the pupils learn solution processes were field-tested. The studies conducted under the DMP Curriculum and Training Component include: (i) Development of workbook and teachers' handbooks in Language and Mathematics with textbooks as the reference frame, (ii) Development and try-out of supplementary reading materials in Mathematics, (iii) Development and try-out of Reading Skills and Comprehension Enhancement (RACE) package, and (iv) Development and finalisation of exemplar training materials for field staff. Steps were taken to evaluate instructional materials developed by the various DPEP states of the eastern region; and locate, analyse and field-test innovative in-service training practices in operation in various state educational institutions and organisations. A study on teaching English using communicative approach was completed. A training package for teaching mathematics was developed and tried out. A Resource Book in Economics was developed. A package was developed to teach Science through interesting and inspiring experiments. Critical analysis of common errors in mathematics committed by students at Class X Boards' examinations was completed. The common errors committed by pupils in Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Mathematics at Senior Secondary Stage conducted by CHSE, Orissa were identified,

mapped and categorised. Based on the findings, drafting of remedial materials has been planned. A training package for three-week course for enhancing the content and methodological base of teachers was developed and tried out. Five capacity-building programmes for the faculty of DIETs of Assam, Bihar and Orissa were conducted. An orientation programme for key functionaries of these states on the issues, trends and implementation strategies of Vocationalisation of Education was conducted. A paper-setters' workshop of the Board of Secondary Education, Orissa was organised.

The North-East Regional Institute of Education (NERIE) was set up on 27 December 1995 at Shilling to provide academic support system to assist and advise the state governments of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura and Sikkim on policies and programmes on all aspects of school education. Primarily the institute aims at capacity-building of the state and district level institutions for promotion of teacher education in the region. The long-term role of the NERIE would be to facilitate human resource development in the region to enable the states to provide quality inputs in school education. The institute has been designed keeping in view the demographic socio-educational and cultural variations of the region. It would pay attention on the special problems of the region including those of unqualified and untrained teachers, high rate of drop-outs and low level of pupil's achievement. Among other things, it will give appropriate inputs to promote educational technology and develop research based interventions for the improvement of school education.

The NERIE, Shillong continued liaisoning with the states, MERD and other constituents of the NCERT. A one-day seminar on 'Burning Issues and Concerns in Education' was organised. In the seminar, information and ideas were exchanged on topics like Value Education, Mathematics Education, Environmental Education, Guidance and Counselling, Universalisation of Education and NERIE Requirements for the NE Region. A brochure on 'Perspective of School Education in NorthEast States with, Special Reference to Meghalaya' containing topics on different dimensions of school education was brought out. A workshop-cum-training in mathematics for the key persons of Meghalaya was organised. The NERIE provided academic support and consultancy to the states. It is represented on several state-empowered and task force committees constituted to prepare plan proposals for centrally sponsored schemes. In the context of identification of educational needs of the states requiring inputs from the constituents of the NCERT, the State Coordination Committees (SCCs) have been set up in Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura and Sikkim.

Special Orientation Programme for Primary Teachers (SOPT)

The NCERT has been en-trusted with the responsibility of planning, programming, organising, conducting and monitoring of the centrally sponsored scheme SOPT, that was launched in 1993-94 on a massive scale to cover about 18 lakh teachers in the country. The cascade mode of training has been adopted to provide training to different levels of functionaries. The state nodal agencies have established training centres. A special self-instructional package containing 16 modules of different contextual themes and curricular areas, specific to primary stage, to exemplify demonstrative task and a skill-oriented teaching-learning situation was developed in Hindi and English. The printed material is supplemented by ETV package consisting of 41 video programmes and user's guide for effective use of ETV programmes in the transaction of printed material. The training package has been adopted/adapted by the states/UTs in regional languages. A study on 'Impact of SOPT Training' is in progress.

An experiment on the use of interactive communication technology to provide in-service training to teachers was conducted under SOPT. The training methodology of this teleconferencing programme involved two way audio and one-way video interactions. The course design for interactive in-service training programme was developed on the basis of SOPT self-instructional package. An interactive in-service training experiment under SOPT was conducted in Madhya Pradesh in August 1996 involving 1,336 primary school teachers in 45 training centres. Another interactive 'Tele-Maths' programme was organised in Karnataka in February 1997 involving 700 participants and 20 DIETs. The interactive in-service training experiment was implemented in collaboration with ISRO,

IGNOU, SCERTs and concerned constituents of the NCERT.

Vocational Education

Curricula in Library and Information Science, Marketing and Salesmanship, Plant Protection, Clothing for Family, Sericulture, Travel and Tourism Techniques and Plastic Technology were revised. New curricula for vocational counselling and guidance, processing of agro-forest produce and watershed management were developed. Instructional materials for Vocational and Pre-vocational courses for neo-literates and adults in the areas of Entrepreneurship Development, Crop Production, Bakery and Confectionery, Food Preservation, Mechanical Engineering Technology, Inland Fisheries, Sericulture and Vocational Guidance and Counselling were developed. Instructional materials for Pre-Vocational courses in Nursery Raising, Aquaculture, Weed Technology, Bio-fertilisers, Handicraft, Designing and Making of Children Garments, Retailing and Shorthand have also been prepared. Thirty-one manuscripts in various vocational courses developed during 1996-97 have been/are being sent to the states for taking further necessary action.

Four video films on popularisation of vocational courses in the area of Agriculture (Horticulture), Home Science and General Foundation courses were developed. Some of these films were telecast on the Doordarshan network. Nine teacher training programmes in the areas of Entrepreneurship Development, Building Maintenance, Inland Fisheries, Bakery and Confectionery, Computer Science, Office Management, Guidance and Counselling and Accountancy were organised.

Three national meetings on vocational education for the employers in Agricultural Production, Food Processing and Industries, and Information Technology were organised. A national seminar on Apprenticeship Training for Self-Employment, Support and Placement' was also organised and for providing apprenticeship training draft guidelines were prepared. Eight orientation programmes on vocational education for 327 key functionaries of eight states/UTs were organised. Orientation programmes on pre-vocational education for the north-eastern states were also organised. The first issue of bi- annual Indian Journal of Vocational Education was brought out. Three issues of a quarterly bulletin Vocational Education were published.

Joint Evaluation Teams (JETs) for evaluation of the work of voluntary organisations were constituted by the MHRD which visited NGOs in 12 states. The PSSCIVE as the UNEVOC Centre for India has been actively participating in the network of national institutions and centres through bilateral cooperation and exchange of information in the programme areas of system development, infrastructures and information communication networking. During 1996-97, the PSSCIVE brought out six general publications, developed/revised vocational education curricula in 12 vocational courses, brought out five reports of national meetings/seminars, and developed 46 textbooks/practical manuals and five pre-vocational exemplar materials.

Educational Technology

A major area of work of the NCERT is to promote educational technology, particularly the mass media for improvement and spread of education in the country and for development of alternative system of education. As a premier institution in educational technology, the Central Institute of Educational Technology (CIET) of the NCERT is concerned with the development of video and audio programmes, 16 mm films and other learning materials, training of personnel in educational technology, media planning, script writing, programmes production and technical operation. The CIET feeds a daily satellite educational television service Tarang in Hindi at primary level for students and teachers. The institute is providing audio programme Umang (broadcast once every week) to 10 stations of Akashwani under a Memoradum of Understanding (MOU) with the Akashwani.

During 1996-97, 83 ETV programmes for teachers and students of the primary stage were produced. Scripts are also requisitioned in various areas of the curriculum from outside script writers. The ETV programmes are largely aimed at supplementing the primary school curriculum with focus on achieving the MLLs by the children. A series of programmes for use in the pre-service primary teachers' training programmes are being developed. About I 10 audio programmes were produce during 1996-97 which inter alia include series for educable mentally handicappe children, programmes on ancient and medieval history, a series of 24 programmes to encourage Sanskrit learning, and Gyan Vigyan

for primary school children.

Films on 'Coronation of the Sun' and its Hindi version Suraj Ki Tajposhi (solar eclipse), 'Vibrant Ranges' and its Hindi version Samvedansheel Parvatmala on the Aravalli ranges, 'Tribes of Garhwal', and its Hindi version Garhwal Ki Janjatiyan, 'Lutyen's Dream-Mughal Gardens' and Techniques of Photography' were completed. The films 'Vir Bhoomi', 'Dev Bhoomi', 'Coimbatore Plains', and 'Princess and the Moon', are at various stages of completion.

During 1996-97, the CIET organised the Eighth Children's Video Festival at Ahmedabad in which video and audio programmes for teachers and students were included. An educational television programme titled Ek Jatan Aur was nominated for the 23rd Japan Prize instituted by the NHK and got a special commendation award. The programmes Ghar and Kenchua were awarded third prizes at the Eighth Children's Video Festival held at Ahmedabad in October 1996. Programme briefs in Mathematics, Language, Environmental Studies, Art Education and Work Experience, based on MLLs, were prepared for the primary stage. Programme briefs in the areas of Special Education (for educable -mentally handicapped), Teacher education (multi-grade teaching and integration of women's issues) and Environmental Education were also developed.

Under the SOPT, innovative teleconferencing mode of training involving two-way audio and one-way video networking of training centres through satellite was undertaken. A series of 13 short video programmes was developed. A training programme in the 'Use of Computers' for the ET faculty of DIETs in Madhya Pradesh was organised. Training programmes in 'Concepts and Application of Educational Technology' for IASEs, CTEs and DIETs were also organised.

Computer Education and Technological Aids

A CAL package on Separation of Substances was developed and tried out in schools. A similar package on Measurement is being developed. A seminar on Computer and the Educational Processes' was organised to identify priority areas of research and development. A Compute Resource Centre is being set up. Facilities for Web Surfing (Internet) have been opened up. The Home Page of the NCERT was composed and given to the NIC for preparation of the Web Site. Work on micro proces- sor-based experiments was initiated and suitable probes for measuring voltage and temperature were developed. A project on 'Learning Disabilities through Computer' has been undertaken. The book Computer Literacy was tried out.

The existing Science Kits developed by the NCERT are being continuously reviewed and several kit items have been refined. A manuscript of the Teacher's Handbook of Science Activities for Classes VI to VIII was developed. During 1996-97, 186 Integrated Science Kits, 29 Primary Science Kits and 9 Mini Tool Kits were despatched to various demanding states. Seven hundred Integrated Science Kits are under production.

Population Education

The first draft of the reconceptualised framework of Population Education was developed. Two issues of Population Education bulletin were brought out. An intensive training programme for state project personnel was organised. Two regional seminars of Adolescence Education were organised. One of the Indian entries won global award under the national component of the International Poster Contest on Population Education. The World Population Day was observed on 11 July 1996 by organising lectures and exhibitions.

In the context of need for development of future strategies for Population Education, a status study was conducted. Three research studies in Population Education were sponsored. Of these, one study was completed. An evaluation study of Population Education activities in four RIEs was conducted. Work plans of the implementing agencies of NPEP for 1997 were finalised. Quarterly reports from the states were -reviewed, consolidated and sent to the concerned agencies. Monitoring of implementation of the project activities was also done through visits. A bibliography on Adolescence Education was prepared.

National Talent Search

The purpose of this scheme is to identify brilliant students at the end of Class X and give them financial assistance toward getting good education so that their talent may develop further. Seven hundred and fifty scholarships, including 70 scholarships for SC and ST can- didates, were awarded during 1996-97. The

selection for the award was done in two stages. The first stage selection was done by the states through written examinations. The second stage selection was done by the NCERT.

Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas Selection Test (JNVST)

During 1996-97, two selection tests for admission to the JNVS were conducted. In the first selection tests for the states of Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Jammu and Kashmir, Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, 23,752 candidates were registered. Of these, 18,629 candidates appeared at various centres. In the second JNVST, conducted in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Orissa, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and UTs of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chandigarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu, Lakshadweep and Pondicherry, 3,69,568 candidates were registered. Of these, 3,41,632 candidates appeared in the selection tests.