The education department had come up with ``Aao, vachiye, vichariye'' (Let's read and think), a project that will try to inculcate reading habits among school children through a novel competition to be held over the first six months of the new year last week.

The DCL will do its bit to popularise reading by celebrating the National Book Week. The celebrations end on November 20. Most agree that why blame students when even teachers are reluctant to read and restrict their reading to their job requirement.

Though both these efforts are going to find few takers on the campus -- many new books in the university library remain untouched -- the two departments have decided to go ahead regardless. The DCL, under the aegis of National Book Trust, will hold a literary programme at Agrawal Samaj Bhavan on Ghod Dod Road on November 20.

The trust was formed way back in 1957 by the Education department of Union Human Resource Development Ministry to ensure that books gets their due place. But more than anything the idea behind formation of the trust was to bring about harmonisation of culture; through books. The country produces literature in as many as 20 different languages, and most writings are often lost on readers of other region. The trust translates the regional works and print books that are cheap. It organises book melas and exhibitions in a bid to promote and develop a reading culture.

According to professor Ashwin Desai, reader in DCL, retired Supreme Court judge justice D A Desai will preside over the programme and speak about books that inspired him and came to his rescue in difficult times. Chief editor of Trust Dr Varsha Das will attend the programme and speak on Pustakno Sangh Pragatino Panth.

Noted chartered accountant Ravindra Vepari will speak on Hu to chopdaono manas pan hu chopadio sha mate vachu chhu?. Noted poet and litterateur Bhagwatikumar Sharma will speak on Hu aa badhu kone mate lakhu chhu?'', while Dr Desai will speak on Jivish, bani shake to ekla pustakothi''.