 EDUCATIONAL INNOVATIONS

The National Council of Educational Research and Training brings out school level textbooks, teacher guides and supplementary readers. These publications are models of their own kind and emerge from the research and development work conducted by its more than 25 departments, 4 Regional Colleges of Education and 17 Field Units. The Council has developed about 400 textbooks and over 100 supplementary readers during 1962-83 pertaining to class I to XII in sciences (physics, chemistry, mathematics, life-sciences); and social sciences and humanities ('economics, political science, civics, history, geo- graphy, commerce, social studies, Hindi, Urdu, English, etc.). In addition, about 30 teachers' guides and about 20 workbooks have also been developed during this period.

The Council has been working in audio-visual teaching aids with special reference to graphics and low-cost materials. It has developed textbooks illustrations, charts, models, flashcards, flannel graphs, film stencils, etc. It promotes the use of dioramas and study-kits to enrich teaching-learning processes. Integrated science kits and electronic kits have been designed. Learning cards have been evolved. During 1981-83, it has produced 40 educational films, 30 filmstrips, 200 audio-tapes, and 30,000 kits. On an average, about 10,000 educational films are lent to 0.2 million schools every year by the Central Film Library maintained by NCERT.

Examination Reform Project seeks improvements through research, studies, training and extension programmes and production of sample education materials. National Test Development Library is being developed in the Council to serve, as a good reference library for use in educational measurement. National Talent Search Examination of the Council aims at

identifying talented students in various subjects at school stage so that they could be provided with scholarships for enabling them to complete their education up to Ph.D in sciences, mathematics, and social sciences or take up professional courses in areas like engineering and medicine.

Twelve national integration camps and community singing for students and teachers are organised every year at different places to foster, in the participants, spirit of national integration as they become familiar with each other's life and culture. During this period, thirteen songs of different languages with national integration theme have been recorded on cassettes to be made available to the 22 States and 9 Union Territories for duplication and distribution amongst schools.

The University Grants Commission is implementing the following innovative programmes for improvement of quality :

(i) Assistance to selected Centres of Advanced Study and Departments of Special Assistance in Science, Engineering, Technology, Humanities and Social Sciences.

(ii) Support for Departmental Research Projects in Science, Humanities and Social Sciences.

(iii) Assistance for (a) College Improvement Programme, (b) College Humanities and Social Improvement Programme, and (c) University Leadership Programme.

(iv) Setting up of special committees and working groups to prepare detailed curricula including modernisation of laboratories, and development of innovative courses in Electronics, Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics and Biology.

(v) Assistance to support research activities of) University scientists for undertaking an integrated Indian Scientific Programme called the "Indian Middle Atmosphere Programme", as a multi-department/agency activity.

(vi) Special Programme relating to development, research and extension work, in Enviromnental Engineering and Pollution.

(vii) A minimum Programme of examination reforms in universities, and introduction of Mini-computers in selected colleges.

(viii) Setting up of educational media and audio- visual Research Centres to improve the quality of educa- tion. Production of balanced and effective programmes of higher education for broadcast through INSAT-I-B.