 PROMOTION AND DEVELOPMENT OF LANGUAGES

To facilitate the effective implementation of the Three-Language Formula the following schemes are being implemented:

(i) A 100 per cent central assistance to non-Hindi speaking States/UTs for appointment of Hindi teachers upto the secondary level. During 1988-89, financial assistance for about 2,000 additional teachers will be sanctioned to various non-Hindi speaking States/UTs.

(ii) Financial assistance is also given to Hindi Teacher Training Colleges in non-Hindi speaking States is being continued in 1988-89.

(iii) Central Assistance is also given to Hindi Teacher Training Colleges run by voluntary organisations. The three colleges benefitting under the scheme have an annual capacity of training 650 Hindi teachers.

(iv) A proposal to appoint Modern Indian Language teachers in Hindi speaking States is under consideration.

9.1 Improvement in the Language Competencies of Students

This scheme includes English and Modern Indian languages. The designing of tests for English proficiency at the school level has been entrusted to the Regional Institute of English, Bangalore and H.M Patel Institute for English Training and Research, Vallabh Vidya Nagar, Gujarat. The Central Institute of Indian Languages, Mysore is looking after improvement of language competencies of students in Indian Modern Languages.

9.2 Translation of Books and Preparation of Bilingual and Multi- Lingual Dictionaries

The feasibility of establishing a Central Translation Bureau and a National Institute of Translation is being examined. The work relating to production of dictionaries, glossaries, conversational guides and so on are being under-taken by the Central Hindi Directorate, the Commission for Scientific and Technical Terminology and the Bureau for Promotion of Urdu.

The Central Hindi Directorate has published 9 Bilingual, 5 Trilingual and Multi-lingual directories. One more bilingual and 2 trilingual dictionaries are under print at present. The bureau for Promotion of urdu had planned to compile an English-Urdu dictionary and Urdu-English dictionary. The English-Urdu dictionary has been compiled and the first volume of the dictionary is in the Press.

9.3 Development of Hindi as a link language

The review Committee on Hindi set up in January 1987 has presented its reports and its recommendations are being processed for implementation. Learning of Hindi is being intensified through -

- Organising correspondence courses;

- Organising study tours in Hindi speaking areas of non-Hindi speaking areas; and

- Organising lecture tours of scholars.

9.4 Promotion of inter-disciplinary research in Sanskrit and Indology

A proposal has been formulated to set up an International Institute of Indology to promote Sanskrit, allied languages and inter- disciplinary studies with a view to synthesizing ancient knowledge with modern knowledge. In this connection a Memorandum for the Expenditure Finance Committee has been prepared for obtaining necessary approval.

9.5 Policy Planning for the promotion and development of Languages

A Committee of the Central Advisory Board of Education on Development of Languages and Language Teaching, including implementation of Three Language Formula', has been constituted under the Chairmanship of the Minister of Human Resource Development. So far, the Committee has met twice on 31.12.87 at New Delhi and on 21.8.88. at Mysore. Some of the important decisions taken by the Committee in its two meetings are:-

- Competencies to be achieved in languages at different stages of education should be defined and the materials prepared and methods evolved accordingly;

- Bridges between home language and standard language should be provided through bilingual instructional materials;

- Facilities for language learning should be increased;

- Optional language learning should be treated as an extracurricular activity;

- Criteria for identifying minor and minority languages for use in education and also criteria for selection for their gradual introduction over a period of time should be evolved;

- Speakers of majority language should be encouraged to learn minor languages in such areas where there is a sizeable population of speakers of tribal and other minor languages;

- The core curriculum developed by the NCERT including the content, levels and duration of teaching the three languages of the Three Language Formula should be made flexible to meet the requirements of students from different backgrounds and with different goals;

- The schools under the CBSE should specify that the third language to be introduced shall be the regional language of the States in which the school is located instead of saying that it could be any one of the scheduled languages;

- Teaching of Three Language is the minimum at the school stage; but provision should be made for a fourth language, which may be a classical language or a modern language, on an optional basis in lieu of another subject or as an additional subject;

- Special assistance should be provided to the Hindi speaking States to teach modern Indian language, preferably South Indian languages; and

- Teaching of English as a language should be strengthened to diffuse the growing demand for the English medium schools.