BOOK PROMOTION
It is part of the National Policy on Education that immediate steps should be taken for the production of high quality textbooks for schools and universities. The, chapter on School Education gives the details of textbooks for schools and in this chapter an account is given of textbooks for universities, particularly in Indian languages. In addition, the whole range of book promotion programmes undertaken and implemented by the Union Ministry of Education is discussed in what follows.
University-level Books in Indian Languages Production of University-level 'Books in Indian Languages: Initiated in 1968-69, the scheme envisages a central grant up to Rs. 1 crore spread over a period of six years to all States (except at present to the Union Territories and the States of Jammu and Kashmir, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Tripura, Manipur, and Himachal Pradesh) for production of books in regional languages at the first degree level to facilitate the early adoption of regional languages as media of instruction in as many disciplines as possible. The original pattern of assistance was on a matching basis with the State Government concerned sharing 25 per cent of the expenditure. From 1969-70, the Central grant was changed to 100 per cent. To implement the programme, a set of guide lines was formulated by the Ministry and sent to the States. While grants are provided to the State Governments to implement the production programmes, special bodies, either autonomous of departmental, have been set up in all the States. The scheme provides for the translation and original writing of books, adaptation and adoption of terminology evolved at the Central level, and the training and reorientation of teachers. The guideliness also provide that a revolving fund
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should be constituted by each of the State Governments from the sale proceeds of the books which should be sold on a no-profit no-loss basis or at a marginal profit only.
Coordination is of the utmost importance if such an extensive programme should be successfully implemented. While a special continuing co-ordination machinery has been set up for the programmes of the Hindi-speaking States, Zonal Conferences of Education Ministers and Vice-Chancellors of participating States were organised in the year to review the working of the programmes in other States. The following grants have been so far released to the State Governments under schemes:
1968-69 Rs. 33,47,828
1969-70 Rs. 59,84,000
1970-71 Rs. 71,00,000
Coordination of University-Level Book-Production Programmes of
Hindi-Speaking States To coordinate the programmes of three Hindi-speaking States, to avoid duplication and to achieve the maximum advantage in common, a Conference of Representatives of Hindi-speaking States for production of University level books in Hindi has been set up. Presided over by the Union Education Minister and comprising all the Education Ministers, Vice-Chancellors etc., of the concerned States as members, the functions of the Conference are to review generally the progress of production programmes and to advise the Governments concerned on all pertinent matters. There is a Co-ordination Committee of the Con- ference, besides a Core Committee to look after all matters of detail including approving topics for original writing distribution of books for translation among the States and to advise on the tasks to be carried out by the central agency, namely, the Commission for Scientific and Technical Terminology (CSTT), which also provides the secretariat to all the three bodies. The States concerned are represented in all the committees.
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A Hindi Granth Akademi has been established as the implementing machinery in each of the Hindi-speaking States, viz., Bihar, U.P., M.P., Rajasthan and Haryana. Central subject panels have been constituted to give technical advice with regard to the selection of titles. There are at present 62 such panels. The recommendations of the subject panels are considered by the Core Committee which distributes the titles to the States. So far 3675 titles have been approved for translation and 961 for original writing. Available literature has been also surveyed as a result of which 812 books suitable for use in University classes have been located. So far 1,708 books have been allotted to various Hindi Granth Akademies. The Central Agency, the work of which is confined to Medicine, Engineering and Agriculture has also taken up the production/translation of 424 titles. It is also getting 427 books written originally.
Out of the books allotted, 101 books have been published so far which include 58 translations and 43 original books 38 translations and 41 original books are ready for the press. The remaining are in various stages of production. Care is being taken to ensure that books are written keeping in view the syllabus of not one university but the syllabi of a number of universities. It is held that all translated or original books published under the programmes would be prescribed/recommended for study by the various universities in the Hindi region. In some other respects also, coordinated steps have been taken. For example, the Vice-Chancellors of these States have generally agreed that by July, 1973, Hindi should be the medium of instruction in all universities in these States. Similarly, uniform rates of remuneration for original writing/translations, uniform pricing policy and uniform commission rates to the book trade have been adopted.
The Co-ordination Committee has decided that the work of obtaining translation rights, production of books in medicine, agriculture and engineering, preparation of encyclopaedias and reference books, the work of looking after the Hindi Book Production Directorates at the Delhi and B. H. Universities.
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central sales and publicity, and preparation of readings would be done centrally i.e. by the CSTT. The Committee has further decided that 2 journals each may be produced by that 5 Akademies and 5 review journals may be brought out by the central agency, i.e. CSTT in 15 subjects to be used by students as supplementary reading material based on latest developments in the Subject.
Production of Urdu Books Urdu is an important non-State language of the country. The Union Government have set up for the production of University level books in Urdu a central board called Tarraqui-e-Urdu Board with the Union Minister for Education anti Youth Services as Chairman and Prof. Mujeeb, Vice-Chancellor Jamia Millia Islamia as Vice-Chairman. An allocation of Rs. 1 crore has been made available to the Board for its book development programmes during the Fourth Plan period. The first task to which the Board addressed itself was to survey the existing literature in Urdu in various subjects and to prepare a bibliography of existing Urdu books. The Board has also laid down the guidelines and the mechanism for selecting titles and the allotment of work to Urdu scholars for translation and original writing. It has so far set up 29 subject panels and 3 sub-committees. In addition to the university-level textbooks and reference literature, the Board has decided that books on popular science, children's literature, reference works, encyclopaedies and basic books for teaching Urdu should also be prepared and published. The various subject panels have so far selected 606 titles for translation/original writing. They have also selected translators, authors and evaluators for 494 titles, which have been allotted work by the CSTT, functioning at present as the secretariat of the Board. Out of these, 185 books are at an advanced stage of translation. So far manuscripts of 38 translations of original writing, and rare books duly revised have been received, out of which 3 books have been published. It has been decided that the manuscripts so prepared under the auspices of the Board may be got published through the National
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Book Trust. A Standing Committee has been set up by the Board under the Chairmanship of Prof. Mujeeb to guide and supervise the work.
The Union Government have agreed in principle to give a grant of Rs. 4 lakhs to the Anjuman-Tarraquire Urdu Hind, Aligarh, for the construction of an Urdu Ghar in Delhi on the condition that the Anjuman shall provide suitable accommodation for the offices of the Tarraqui-e-Urdu Board and for an Urdu library to be set up under the auspices of the Board.
Production of Books in Sindhi The Union Government have under consideration the question of producing educational literature in Sindhi which is also an important non-State language.
National Programme of Core Books Besides the language-wise book production programmes described earlier, a national programme of core books to be written by eminent Indian writers on various subject fields has been taken up at the Central level. If originally a core book is in a regional language, its English version will first be brought out by the Union Government to enable its subsequent translation in other languages. The core books would be of such standard and quality that all universities would accept them as textbooks or reference literature and such books would remain useful at least for a period of 5 to 10 years. A Core Book Committee under the chairmanship of the Union Education Minister has been set up for selecting titles for translation/original writing under this programme. The responsibility for the publication of books has been entrusted to the National Book Trust. For production of University level medical books, a cell has been set up in the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi. A textbook on anatomy means for undergraduate medical students has been taken up in the first instance. It has also been decided to bring out a book on surgery in consultation with the representatives of the Association of
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Surgeons of India. For books in the humanities and social sciences, the UGC has been gathering suggestions from various universities.
Award of Fellowships for Writing/Translation To supplement the efforts made, by the State Governments and universities for production and translation of university level books in regional languages, the Government of India have initiated a scheme to award 100 fellowships each year of the value of Rs. 500 plus an annual contingent grant of Rs. 2,000 to enable a proportion of outstanding students in sciences, humanities and, social sciences, after their master's degree to associate themselves with distinguished university teachers for the purpose of undertaking writing of quality books at the university level. The essential purpose of the scheme, besides bringing out quality books, monographs, translations, etc. is to develop a pool of competent young scholars actively interested in indigenous preparation of quality books in the country. The books could be written in English or any of the Indian Languages, The Scheme is being implemented by the UGC. The Commission will also organise suitable workshops to enable such scholars, to receive training in techniques of translation, bookwriting, use of controlled vocabulary etc. and such workshops will be organised in a few universities on a subject basis. The identification and selection of suitable guides or supervisors, his association with younger scholars/scientists, providing the 'younger scholars with the leisure and library facilities to devote full time to writing, providing critical reviews during the preparation of manuscripts, and classroom testing and evaluation before final publication are the key factors of the scheme. So far 196 Supervisors titles have been selected by the U.G.C. under this scheme.
Award of Prizes to Writers of Original Books in Indian Languages
including English To promote Indian authorship, it is proposed to initiate a scheme of awarding prizes to authors of original books which
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can either be used as textbooks or supplementary reading material for the university students in Indian Languages including English. The details of the scheme are being worked out.
Procurement of Translation Rights As a result of negotiations between this Ministry and the British Publishers Association and American Publishers, 29 leading US publishers have agreed to make available to the Government of India, if not otherwise committed, the translation rights of their books at a flat rate of royalty per language irrespective of the size of the edition. The British Publishers' Association have also agreed on similar terms but with a graded rate of royalty linked to size of edition. To make it easier for the foreign copyright owners and to provide for coordination, the copyright licences are negotiated centrally on behalf of the State Governments with the right for the centre to sub-license the publication to the concerned sate agency 482 contracts for translation of the U.K. and the U.S. titles into Indian languages have so far been evecuted with the UK and U.S. publishers. These are for books considered essential for Indian educational purposes.
Economy Edition of Foreign Textbooks The Government of India, Ministry of Education have, in collaboration with the Governments of the UK, the USA and USSR, been operating schemes for the republication of textbooks in low priced editions for use by University students in India. A detailed account of the scheme follows:-
The Indo-British Textbook Programme This programme popularly known as the E.L.B.S. (English Language Book Society Series) was initiated in 1960. This Ministry approves British Books in various disciplines on the basis of their evaluation by various Indian experts and expert bodies like the UGC, ICAR etc. The approved books are
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then published in the UK and marketed in India through normal trade channels and are normally priced at about 1/3 the cost of the original edition. Since its inception about 450 books have been approved under this programme.
The Joint Indo-American Textbooks Programme This programme was instituted in 1961 to make available to Indian students standard American Works in low priced editions.
A Joint Indo-American Board consisting of seven members from each side with the Secretary of this Ministry as the Chairman lays down the guidelines for the operation of the programme. Titles approved by the Ministry of Education in consultation with the Indian experts or expert bodies are republished in India by Indian Publishers with a subsidy from the USIS or USAID to bring down the price of the book to about 1/5 of the original American price. About 1200 books have been brought out under this programme. The funds for operating this scheme are provided from P.L. 480 funds.
In 1968 USAID made available an additional allotment of U.S. $2 million equivalent to Rs. 15 million to cover reprints of American books in science and technology, publication of translations of approved American books in the Indian languages and reproduction of American scientific journals in India. A second grant of 2 million dollars was made in June 1970 which besides the existing activities covers the publication of approved manuscripts by Indian authors, demonstrations, exhibitions and research studies pertaining to problems affecting textbooks.
The third offer of 2 million dollars has been received and accepted. The details regarding the use of these funds are yet to be worked out, but in accordance, with agreed policy greater emphasis is proposed to be laid on Indian authorship and publishing,
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The Joint Indo-Soviet Programme A Joint Indo-Soviet Textbook Board consisting of 5 Indian and 5 Soviet members with the Education Secretary as Chairman was constituted in 1965 to operate the programme for the translation, adaptation and publication of standard Russian Educational Works in English for use of students in India. Soviet books are evaluated by Indian experts/expert bodies and approved by the Ministry. They are published in the USSR and marketed in India through normal trade channels. Over 180 books have been approved under this programme.
On the recommendation of the Joint Indo-Soviet Text Book Board and with the scholarships offered by the Government of the USSR under the Cultural Exchange Programme, three Indian scholars have been trained in the USSR in the techniques and methodology of translation and ten Indian scholars have been selected for similar training in 1971-72. The Seventh Meeting of the Joint Indo-Soviet Text Book took place in Moscow from 9th-14th September, 1971. Besides reviewing the past programme, the Committee laid down the various ways and means by which more Soviet text and reference books could be made available for use by the Indian students at the University level.
As part of the International Book Year celebration in 1972, it is proposed to promote co-authored books by Indian and foreign authors. The proposal has been accepted by the Indo-Soviet Board and is being under the Joint Indo UK and Indo-US Programmes also.
NATIONAL BOOK TRUST The National Book Trust, India, was set up as an autonomous organisation by a government resolution by the Ministry of Education in 1957 with the twin objectives of producing low-priced good literature and fostering book-mindedness in the country. The Trust has been entrusted with the implementation of two other important Schemes Viz., the scheme for
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assisting publication of university level books in English by Indian authors and the Aadan Pradan programme.
University-level English Books by Indian Authors To ensure that good India textbooks at the university level in English are not forced out of the market by completition from foreign subsidised books, a scheme has been formulated to subsidise the publication of selected Indian works so as to make them economically competitive with the foreign textbooks and also to bring down their price to a level which the Indian students can afford. The scheme covers not only fresh manuscripts but also published works and adaptations of standard foreign books by Indian authors. In special case books by foreign authors may also be subsidized. The manuscripts/ books are selected by panels of experts and the published either by the National Book Trust or through private publishers. In the matter of selection of titles preference is given as far as possible, to natural sciences, mathematics and professional subjects like engineering, medicine, agriculture and to books required by textbooks libraries.