The Government implements several schemes for the promotion and development of Urdu language.

The National Council for Promotion of Urdu Language (NCPUL) has been established as an autonomous body exclusively for this purpose. The Council impiements several schemes, such Computerised Urdu Calligraphy and Multilingual Desk Top Publishing (DTP), Financial assistance to voluntary organisations for engaging part-time Urdu teachers and financial assistance for publications, bulk purchase and distribution of Urdu books.

Besides, the Central Institute of Indian Languages (CIIL), Mysore undertakes Urdu research and training programme.

A Centrally sponsored Scheme for the Appointment of Urdu Teachers in Schools is also being implemented through the State Governments.

(Source: LSUQ No.4678 dated 25 April, 2000 by S. Roy)

Place of Urdu in CBSE Syllabus Shahabuddin's Letter to Anjuman Taraqqui Urdu, Bihar, 23 May, 2000

I fully endorse your demand that at the Secondary level, the Mother Tongue should be a compulsory subject. I go further and feel that the Mother Tongue should be the First Language under the Three-Language Formula.

However, the problem has arisen as far as I know because of the Bihar Government's decision to adopt CBSE syllabus. Only if the Bihar School Board is to conduct its own examination, it can make suitable change in that syllabus. Otherwise, we have to ask the CBSE to change its present syllabus.

I wish the Anjuman Taraqqui Urdu Hind in general interest will also take up the matter with the CBSE, whatever the Bihar Government does.

More Urdu Lecturers in UP Intermediate Colleges

Shahabuddin's Letter to S. Hamid, 31 May, 2000 Recently Rashtriya Sahara published a report that the UP Madhyamik Siksha Board had advertised vacancies of Lecturers in private aided Inter Colleges. The numbers - Hindi 52, English 79, Sanskrit 29 and Urdu 3 - show the decline in the teaching of Urdu at the higher secondary level in UP.

Is it possible for your Association of Minority Institutions to find out the total number of such private colleges in UP and the number of those which teach Urdu as a language as well as the number of sanctioned posts of Lecturers in various languages.

The Association may also take effective steps to have more posts of Urdu Lecturers sanctioned for such Intermediate College.