New Delhi, May 30: The human resource development ministry has rejected the proposed location for the Central Institute of Classical Odia in Bhubaneswar.

After Odia and Malayalam were conferred classical status, the Centre would set up separate institutes in both the states in the pattern of the Central Institute of Indian Languages (CIIL) in Mysore to conduct research on the classical aspects of the language.

After the central ministry had asked the Odisha government to suggest a location for the centre, the state suggested the Regional Institute of Education (RIE) campus in Bhubaneswar. But, the ministry has rejected the location on the ground of inadequate space at the RIE, which is offering several programmes, including BEd courses. The RIE functions under the National Council of Educational Research and Training. The state government is yet to suggest a new site, sources told The Telegraph.

Council director Hrushikesh Senapati said it might have been difficult to run two central institutions from one campus.

Prakash Chandra Pattanaik, who teaches at the Delhi University's department of modern Indian languages and literary studies, expressed dissatisfaction at the way the proposed Central Institute of Classical Odia was being handled.

Pattanaik, who was a member of the Centre's linguistic expert committee that had examined the demand for classical status to Odia, said some organisations and individuals wanted that institute to be under control of the state government, while the Centre should give money.

"I think the institute should function in the pattern of CIIL or the Central Institute of Classical Tamil. It should not be handed over to the Odisha government," he said.

A similar institute would be set up in Kerala. The central institutes for Kannad and Telugu are functioning from the CIIL.

This year, the ministry decided to start giving the President's Awards for classical languages of Odia, Malayalam, Kannad and Telugu. Four persons working on the languages such as Tamil and Sanskrit are given the award every year - two for lifetime achievement and two young scholars.

Sources said the ministry would write to the varsities in these states next week to nominate award nominees in the respective category.

While the lifetime achievement carries Rs 5 lakh cash award, the young achievers award gets Rs 1 lakh. A panel, headed by Justice Srikrishna, would select the names for the award.

Higher education regulator of the University Grants Commission has also decided to set up Professional Chairs in Indian Classical Languages such as Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and Odia in universities.