Question : POPULARISATION OF SANSKRIT

(a) the Action Plan drawn up by National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) to popularize Sanskrit in schools;

(b) the benefits likely to accrue to the students and teachers by implementing this Action Plan;

(c) whether NCERT has revised the text books, teaching methods, training courses to teachers to re-vitalise teaching of Sanskrit in schools;

(d) if so, the details thereof;

(e) the funds earmarked for this purpose; and

(f) the success achieved so far by NCERT in the project `Sanskrit through Sanskrit`?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT(SMT. D. PURANDESWARI)

(a) National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has prepared the following Action Plan for popularization of Sanskrit in schools:

(i) Preparation of audio material based on Sanskrit textbooks.

(ii) Preparation of audio-video material based on Sanskrit stories in the textbooks.

(iii) Preparation of audio-video materials of Sanskrit songs at school level.

(b) The audio and audio-video materials are expected to enable students to learn Sanskrit more joyfully.

(c)&(d) NCERT has prepared new textbooks for Sanskrit on the basis of National Curriculum Framework (NCF), 2005. The new methodology of teaching and the requirement of suitable training courses for teachers to use the methodology are highlighted in NCF,2005.

(e) NCERT has allocated Rs 12.60 lakhs for the purpose during 2009-10.

(f) NCERT has finalized training manual for training of resource persons in Sanskrit, developed video programme for teaching of Sanskrit grammar, organized training programmes for Sanskrit teachers and organized seminars on teaching of Sanskrit.