The objective of the Scheme is to enrich the awareness of culture amongst youth, in order to promote cultural awareness; mutual understanding and respect, as also to develop a love for India’s rich heritage, with a view to developing appropriate leadership qualities amongst youth. The focus of the programme will be on the less privileged children residing in backward areas. Usage of vernacular languages for propagation, will be made to the extent possible, for carrying out these activities.

1. Financial assistance will be provided to the “Approved Implementing Agencies” and “Existing Eligible Institutions” for the following activities:-
   1. Distribution of existing audio-visual (AV) materials related to culture, amongst eligible institutions; to arouse their interest in culture and heritage.
   2. Production of new AV material, including publications, related to culture.
   3. Supporting visits to monuments, museums, science centres, science cities and other specified places/events by students of under-privileged schools.
2. In case of Approved Implementing Agencies, the appraisal mechanism for selection of schools/colleges and other youth organizations will be established by the Approved Implementing Agencies themselves.
3. Identification of existing AV material related to culture for distribution to eligible institutions, will be done by an Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC). The Committee may consider the existing AV material produced by well-known institutions/producers, including those in the cultural field, and may also call for applications in this regard. The distribution of the material will be done through ‘approved implementing agencies’ who will undertake the distribution work in consultation with Ministry of HRD/ State Governments. A list of ‘approved implementing agencies’ as amended from time to time will be placed on the website of the Ministry of Culture.
4. CDs/ DVDs produced by Doordarshan etc., on topics of cultural and heritage interests such as “Bharat Ek Khoj” (Shyam Benegal’s 53-episode serial produced for Doordarshan, based on Jawaharlal Nehru’s ‘Discovery of India’) may be distributed to schools, colleges and other ‘eligible institutions’ under the Scheme.
5. Generally the distribution of AV material will be made to such ‘eligible institutions’ that already have projection equipment including CD/DVD players. In exceptional cases, the Expert Appraisal Committee may consider providing financial assistance to ‘eligible institutions’ for purchase of equipment as per maximum prescribed limits.
6. In order to fill the gap in the availability of good publications and AV material on India’s heritage, particularly those for children, financial assistance may be provided to ‘approved implementing agencies’ for production of such AV material and/or publications, as approved by the EAC.
7. With a view to providing first-hand exposure to children from less privileged section of the society, particularly from backward/ mofussil / slum areas, to museums/ art galleries/ monuments/science centres/science cities (or a combination thereof), and for viewing/ participating in theatre/dance/music performances, day trips may be organized by ‘eligible institutions’ either directly or under the aegis of ‘approved implementing agencies’. The following components/ elements would be permissible for this activity:
   1. Hiring of buses to transport children. If required train trips within the requisite 25-50 kilometer radius may also be organized.
   2. Teachers from the school will accompany the children.
   3. Provision for accidental insurance of participants. The school/Institutions shall deploy a coordinator for every 20 participating children. These coordinators will ensure safety and security of children.
   4. The children will be taken to see a monument/museum/science centre/science city/play and will be addressed initially by a responsible person about what they are about to see. They will be given a souvenir and a writing pad to take down notes.
   5. Engagement of guides for conducting a group of participants in the monuments/museums/science centres/science cities
   6. Children will be served an interesting and nutritious lunch.
   7. After seeing the monument/museum/science centre/science city/play, there will be a lively interactive session. At this session they will be given material about what they have seen – books for children/DVDs/VCDs/music cassettes.
   8. There will be regular follow-up sessions once the children return to their village/school – enactment of skit/writing of piece/discussions of what the children witnessed.

1. ‘Approved Implementing Agencies’: Any cultural institutions under the Ministry of Culture or a voluntary organization (such as registered societies, trusts etc.) may apply for being included in the list of approved implementing agencies. Such inclusion in the list may be on a long term basis or for a specific term/activity, as approved by the Expert Appraisal Committee. A list of ‘approved implementing agencies’ as amended from time to time, will be uploaded on the website of the Ministry of Culture. Approved Implementing Agencies can establish their own decentralized mechanism to work directly with the schools/colleges/youth organizations and to ensure that participation of young persons receives the encouragement that it deserves.
2. ‘Eligible institutions’: Any school, college or a voluntary organization in the cultural field working directly with the children (such as Registered Societies, Trusts etc.) may apply for inclusion in the list of ‘eligible institutions’ for conducting visits to museums/art galleries/monuments (or a combination thereof) and/or for viewing/ participation in theatre/dance/music performances etc. Inclusion in the list of ‘eligible institutions’ would generally be for a specific activity/year, though in special circumstances, the EAC may permit the inclusion on a longer term basis. In addition to this, the ‘approved implementing agencies’ may identify and work with schools/colleges that fulfill the eligibility conditions without making a reference to the EAC for their inclusion in the list, provided all other conditions are met.

Over a period of time, the ‘approved implementing agencies’ and the ‘eligible institutions’ will focus on development of cultural leadership amongst youth. It is recognized that in the initial phases this activity would need to commence with generation of awareness, which would gradually get widened and deepened, and will form the basis for encouraging leadership qualities among the youth for propagators of cultural awareness. In developing such leadership attributes care will be taken to avoid any overlap with assistance for pursuing performing arts, to the extent possible.

Maximum financial assistance to be provided to ‘Approved Implementing Agencies’ and/or ‘Eligible Institutions’ will be applicable as under, for various components of the Scheme:

Note: In the event that an ‘approved implementing agency’ or an ‘eligible institution’ is already a recipient of grant-in-aid from the Ministry of Culture, any financial assistance granted to it under this Scheme will be routed through the same Budget Head from where the main grant-in-aid is disbursed.

1. Expert Appraisal Committees (EAC) will be constituted by the Government (for specific terms of reference) with Joint Secretary, Ministry of Culture as Chairman.
2. The Committees will have five Members each, drawn from different fields of culture (such as museums, contemporary art, archaeology and monuments, theatre, dance, music , Production of documentary films/AV materials etc.) having expertise/ experience of working with children. Director, Ministry of Culture shall be the Member-Secretary of the Committee.
3. Each Committee will meet at least once every quarter to consider all applications/ proposals/ requests made to it under the terms of reference, such as inclusion in the list of approved implementing agencies and/or eligible institutions as well as for financial assistance for specific time-periods/ activities.

1. All applications for inclusion in the list of ‘approved implementing agencies’ will be made in Form-I and those for inclusion in the list of ‘eligible institutions’ will be made in Form-II.
2. All applications for financial assistance by the ‘approved implementing agency’ and/or the ‘eligible institution’ will be made in Form-III. Applicant organizations will be free to make an application in Form-III, simultaneously with an application in Form-I and Form-II, as applicable.
3. The applications may be addressed to Secretary (Culture), Government of India and marked for attention of Director (Museums) in his capacity as Member-Secretary, Expert Appraisal Committee and delivered at Room No. 329-C, Shastri Bhavan, Dr. Rajendra Prasad Road, New Delhi 110 115. All completed applications will be accorded a registration number by the Member-Secretary of EAC. The applications will be considered on a ‘first come first served’ basis, in accordance with the registration numbers, to the extent possible.
4. The release of financial assistance for distribution of publications and AV material as well as for production of new AV material (including publications) in two installments in the ratio of 3:1. In other words 75% of the financial assistance will be released as the first installment and the remaining 25% as the second installment (upon submission of details relating to utilization of at least 80% of the first installment).
5. Financial Assistance for carrying out visits to museums/art galleries/monuments/science centres/science cities (or a combination thereof) and/or for viewing/ participation in theatre/dance/music performances, organized by eligible institutions will be released in full in advance. Eligible institutions will, however, be responsible for submission of the utilization certificates as per the actual expenditure incurred within a period of three months from the date of the release of financial assistance. Failure to comply with this condition would de-bar such institution from applying for a similar assistance, in future.
6. There will be no fixed last date for submission of applications and the applications in all categories will be received throughout the year.