University Level Books in Indian Languages

The scheme of Production of University Level Books in Indian Lan- guages, initiated in 1968-69, 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 in- struction 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 guidelines 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 or departmen- tal, have been set up by the State Governments in all 15 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 guidelines also provide that a revolving fund 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.

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Coordination is of the utmost importance if such an extensive programme is to be successfully implemented. While a special continuing co-ordination machinery has been set up for the programmes of the Hindi-speaking States periodical meetings of the Directors of all Book Production Boards/Hindi Granth Akademies are held to review the working of the programme in all the States.

The following grants have so far been released to the State Governments under the scheme:

 
         
                       1968-69                  Rs.   33,47,828
        
                       1969-70                  Rs.   59,84,000
        
                       1970-71                  Rs.   71,00,000
        
                       1971-72                  Rs. 1,00,00,000
        
        
                                          

Coordination of University Level Books Production Programmes, of Hindi Speaking States

To coordinate the programmes of the Hindi speaking States and 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 Conference reviews Generally the progress of production programmes and advises the Governments concerned on all pertinent, matters.

A Hindi Granth Akademi has been established as the implementing machinery, in each of the Hinid-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.

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So far 3746 titles. have been approved for translation and 1641 for original writing, out of which 1726 books have been allotted to various Hindi Granth Akademies, for publication.

During the period under report translation rights of 382 books were obtained for translating the books in Indian languages. The total number of books for which translation rights have been obtained so far is 957. This figure includes 461 books for which Hindi rights have been obtained.

The Hindi Granth Akademies, have so far published 246 titles out of which 103 are translations and 143 are originals. The Central Hindi Directorate, the central agency prepared 24 manuscripts during the year which have been banded over to the akademies for publication.

By the end of 1972 the various States participating in the programme had brought out 1239 books out of which 252 were translations and 987 original writings. 340 books (70 translations, 270 originals) were in press while 3440 books (1019) translations and 2421 originals) were in different stages of writing. Against this notable progress, expenditure amounting to Rs. 29,127 lakhs had been incurred by the States till the end of 1972. Owing to severe budgetary cuts the total expenditure on the scheme is unlikely to exceed a sum of Rs. 6 crores by the end of 4th Plan.

The sale, proceeds of the books produced so far have amounted to Rs. 76,93,992.

Physical Targets for the year 1973-74

The programme has gathered momentum and it is expected that during the year 1973-74 all the State Boards including Hindi Granth Akademies will be able to produce approximately 2500 titles. It is also expected that the non-Hindi State Boards would be able to complete their work of adaptation and adoption of terminology. A number of State Boards would also be able to bring out review journals so that a student learning through the

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medium of an Indian Language might be able to know the latest developments that are taking place in various branches of knowledge.

Award of Prizes to Writers of Original Books in Indian Languages

To promote authorship in the country in relation to the writing of university-level books in Hindi and regional languages, it has been decided to implement a scheme for National Award of Prizes to Indian Authors for writing Original Standard Works of University-level in Indian Languages. The scheme, launched to commemorate the International Book Year 1972, envisages the award of 100 prizes to authors every year each of the value of Rs. 10,000 on original books of the University-level on different subjects published within a specified period of time. The scheme will be implemented by the University Grants Commission who are taking action to set up the appropriate machinery for making the awards. The books published on or before 31st December, 1972 in an Indian language shall be eligible for the awards to be made in 1973-74. The subjects and the languages for which awards will be made will be announced by the University Grants Commission shortly. In the initial year the number of awards may be restricted to 75.

Production of Books in Urdu

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-Urdu Board with the Union Minister for Education and Social Welfare as Chairman and Prof. Mujeeb Vice-Chancellor Jamia Millia Islamia, as Vice-Chairman. An allocation of Rs. 1 core has been made available to the Board for its book development programmes during the Fourth Plan period.

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The Tarraqui-e-Urdu Board has constituted 85 subject panels on various subjects and 30 Committees/Sub-Committees of experts for the implementation of its various projects. The Board is serviced by the Central Hindi Directorate. The Board has so far selected 620 titles for publication, including translation and original writings. Out of these, 580 titles have already been allotted to the various translators/authors. The work is actually in progress on about 200 titles and is about to begin on the rest. The Board has so far published 6 books and 33 manuscripts are at various stages of printing. Besides the books, the Board has also undertaken the production of English-Urdu and Urdu-Urdu dictionaries and an Urdu Encyclopaedia.

An expenditure of Rs. 7.00 lakhs has been incurred by the Tarraqui-e-Urdu Board go far. About 160 books are likely to be completed and published by the end of the Fourth Plan.

Production of Books in Sindhi

It has recently been decided that since Sindhi like Urdu is also a stateless language, production of books in this language should also be taken up as a Central scheme. The work on this scheme is in the initial stage. Subject panels on Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, History, Political Science and Economics have already met at least once and are considering the titles to be taken up for Translation/original writing. The script to be adopted for writing these books wilt be left to the choice of the author.

Production of Core Books

Besides the language-wise book production programmes described earlier, a national programme of Core Books was launched in 1970-71 with a view to making available such standard books as would be acceptable to most of the Universities in India for a period of 5 to 10 years. All the books were to be originally

the Indian languages. The National Book Trust have set up a Cell in collaboration with the All-India Institute of Medical

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Sciences, New Delhi for the production of original medical books and work is in progress on books on Physiology, Anatomy and Surgery. The Indian Council for Historical Research, an autonomous organisation financed by the Government of India proposes to bring out a comprehensive volume on the History and Culture of the Indian people, prepare source material relating to ancient, mediaeval and modem periods of History and translate into regional languages a core set of books pertaining to History. It is proposed to release an amount of Rs. 7.50 lakhs for this purpose during the year 1972-73. In addition, a scientific book called 'Broad Band Amplifiers' by Dr. B. B. Sonde mhas been taken up and the National Book Trust is publishing it.

Award of Fellowships

This scheme is being operated by the University Grants Commission. It aims at encouraging original writing by senior Professors with the assistance of bright scholars who have just obtained their postgraduate degrees. The value of Fellowship is Rs. 500 per month and a lumpsum grant of Rs. 2,000 per annum is also given for contingent expenses.

The U.G.C., had approved till 1971-72, 194 projects and appointed 79 Fellows. Since the tenure of the Fellowship is three years, no books have so far been completed; the first Fellow has been appointed in 1970-71. On Fellowship continues for three years and about 100 Fellows are appointed every year.

Promotion and Development of Hindi

Under Article 351 of the Constitution it is the duty of the Government of India to promote the spread of Hindi language and to develop it so that it may serve as a medium of expression for all the elements of the composite culture of India.

In pursuance of the above Constitutional provision the following programmes were implemented for spread and promotion of Hindi during 1972-73.

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The Ministry has continued to implement various schemes for promoting the spread and development of Hindi in the country. The Ministry is also implementing a scheme for the propagation of Hindi abroad. The implementation of the schemes is facilitated by the Central Hindi Directorate, a subordinate office of the Ministry. An autonomous body, the Kendriya Hindi Shikshan Mandal, Agra which is fully financed by the Ministry, provides facilities for training of Hindi teachers. An outline of the programmes and activities of the Ministry is given below:-

Terminology in Hindi

The commission for Scientific and Technical Terminology was constituted in 1961 for evaluation of scientific and technical terminology. Later in 1963, evolution of terminology in humanities and social sciences was also assigned to it. The Commission has since completed most of the work assigned to it. The work on Engineering, Agriculture, Medicine and departmental terminology of Defence Department was taken up in the year under review. The present position of the work relating to terminologies in those subjects is as under

Terminology of Defence Department

This work has been completed. The glossaries cyclostyled in two volumes are available for distribution.

Terminology in Agriculture

The first volume of the glossary of terminology in Agriculture has already been printed. The second volume has been cyclostyled and is available to scholars and organisations for use.

Terminology of Medicine and Pharmacy

Press copy of a consolidated volume of about 50,000 terms of Medical Sciences, Pharmacy and Physical Anthropology is ready for publication.

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Terminology of Engineering Subjects

It has been decided that the terminology pertaining to Civil, Mechanical, and Electrical Engineering up to the degree level should be completed by December, 1973. 30,000 terms essential for the degree level in the three subjects have been selected. Hindi equivalents in 15 subjects under Civil, Mechanical and Electrical Engineering have been finalised.

Preliminary work connected with the terminology in Chemical Engineering, Metallurgy, Architecture and Mining has been taken up and about 30,000 English terms have been selected in the first three subjects through seminars attended by teachers of important Engineering Institutions.

Publications of Consolidated Science Glossary

The consolidated Science glossary containing about 1,30,000 terms of pure sciences was assigned to the Press in the month of May, 1972.

Publication of Consolidated Humanities Glossary

The work of coordination and consolidation of the terminology of various subjects of Humanities and Administration was completed this year and this consolidated glossary which contains about 70,000 terms is now ready for the Press.

In addition to the two consolidated glossaries of Science and Humanities, mentioned above, work relating to the following glossaries was also done during the year.

(i) The second and revised edition of the consolidated glossary of administrative terms was prepared and sent to the Press.

(ii) Final touches were given to the Railway glossary and this has also been sent to the Press.

(iii) The glossary of the Defence Department was finalised and cyclostyled in two volumes.

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(iv) The glossaries of Library, Science, Fine Arts, Literature Economics, Commerce and Political Science were also cyclostyled and made available to the departments.

(v) A glossary of Music, containing about 550 words was prepared and cyclostyled.

It had been decided by the Government of India that CSTT would be responsible for coining names of the various Ministries and their Attached and Subordinate Offices and also fix the appropriate equivalents for the various designations. Lists of words received from various departments in this regard were promptly attended to and suitable equivalents were provided.

Consolidated Hindi-English Glossary

The work of preparation of a Hindi-English glossary taken up during 1971-72 was vigorously pursued during the year under review. In all 1,49,549 cards were prepared from January to December, 1972.

Terminology in Urdu

The Tarraqui-e-Urdu Board, set up by the Ministry in 1969 to look after the programmes of producing university level books in Urdu has been assigned the work of evolving scientific and technical terms in Urdu. The Board set up a high powered Committee which recommended that the terms evolved by the CSTT may be suitably adopted/adapted in Urdu; terms already current in Urdu may be preferred and English terms may be retained where suitable terms were not available. Fifteen expert committees for different subjects have been constituted. Forty eight seminars were held to discuss and finalise the terms. So far 46,850 terms have been finalised.

Coordination of Terminologies In various Indian Languages

The Commission for Scientific and' Technical Terminology was constituted mainly to, evolve terminology in scientific subjects. The idea was to evolve a pan-Indian terminology so that

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it could, with suitable adoption or adaptation, be utilised in all the Indian languages. The glossaries have been consolidated and individual subject-glossaries have been made available to the State Governments. After the launching of the Book Production Programme, the State Boards were requested to finalise their terminologies and make maximum use of the Government of India terminology by suitable adoption and adaptation.

Definitional Dictionary

Now that one stage of terminology work has been completed, it has been decided to prepare companion volumes in the two consolidated Glossaries in the nature of definitional dictionaries. 14 units were set up to prepare definitions for the 22 subjects of Sciences and Humanities. About 30,000 definitions have so far been finalised in all these subjects,

Dictionaries and Grammars

Progress made in the projects of dictionaries and grammar taken up by the Central Hindi Directorate is described below.

A Basic Hindi Grammar of Modern Hindi

A revised edition of this book has been brought out this year.

Marathi-Hindi Dictionary