 CHAPTER V
BOOK PROMOTION & COPYRIGHT

In accordance with the National Policy on Education, the Ministry has been taking various steps to produce standard text and reference books for use of Indian University students especially those with average means. It is also intended to provide good reading material for the general public who have not had advantage of a university education. The important activities undertaken in this field include :

(1) National Book Trust;

(2) Raja Rammohun Roy National Educational Resources Centre;

(3) National Book Development Board;

(4) Low-Priced Editions of Foreign Standard Works of University Level;

(5) Procurement of Translation Rights;

(6) Import and Export Policy; and

(7) Other Promotional Programmes.

National Book Trust

The National Book Trust, India, was set up as an autonomous organisation by the Ministry of Education in 1957 with the twin objectives of fostering book-mindedness in the country and producing low-priced good literature for the people. The Trust has also been entrusted with some important schemes viz., 'Aadan Pradan Series', 'Payment of Subsidy to University Level Books by Indian Authors' and 'Indo-American Text Book Programme'. Details of the notable activities of the Trust during the year have been given in the paragraphs that follow:

Fifth National Book Fair

The Fifth National Book Fair was held in Calcutta from 25 January to 4 February, 1973. The highlights of the Fair were an exhibition of outstanding books in various Indian languages and English since January, 1970, a Seminar on Marketing and Book Distribution in India, a Workshop for Translators

in Bengali and a Book Week to inculcate reading habits amongst the people. Delegations of publishers from Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, specially invited to participate, attended the Fair.

Subsidised Publications of University-level Books by Indian Authors in English

To ensure that good Indian Textbooks at the University level are encouraged to enter the market and successfully compete with the foreign subsidised books, a scheme was formulated in 1970 to subsidise the publication of selected Indian works of recognised merit and entrusted to the National Book Trust for implementation. Subsidy is given to make these books economically competitive and also to bring down the prices. The Scheme covers not only published works but also fresh manuscripts and adaptations of standard foreign books by Indian authors. The Scheme also provides in special cases for subsidising books by foreign authors. The Trust has subsidised the publication of 11 books under the Scheme during the period under review bringing the total number of books published so far under this Scheme to 46. Besides, the Trust has approved 86 additional titles for publication for which the estimates of subsidy are being worked out. The National Book Trust have set up a Committee to review the entire working of the Scheme in order to find out ways and means of accelerating the tempo of the Scheme.

Aadan Pradan

To foster national integration and enable the readers in one linguistic region to understand and appreciate the way of life and creative works of other regions in the country, the scheme known as the Aadan Pradan, was introduced. Under the Scheme, up to ten representative and well-known books in each language are to be translated into every other Indian Language mentioned in the VIII Schedule of the Constitution. So far the Trust has brought out 141 books and translations in the series and 103 more titles are in Press.

Other Activities

The normal activities of the Trust include:

(a) Publication of books in various Indian Languages in a well conceived series like "India-The Land and People', 'National Biography', 'Popular Science', 'Outstanding Books of the World', 'World of Today',

'Folklore of India', 'Young India Library', 'Nehru Bal Pustakalaya' etc.

(b) Fostering book-mindedness by organising book fairs, books exhibitions, seminars and symposia, work- shops and training courses on problems of writers, translators, publishers and distributors. The Regional Book Exhibitions held in U.P. (Mussoorie and Nanital), the Workshop for Assamese Translators organised at Gauhati and the proposed 6th National Book Fair to be held in Bombay from 31 January to 11 February 1974 need special mention.

A Review Committee has been set up to review the entire working of the Trust with a view to assessing how far the objectives with which the Trust has been set up, have been realised. The Review Committee has been asked to submit its report by the end of February, 1974.

Raja Rammohun Roy National Educational Resources Centre

The Centre was set up as part of the Ministry in July 1972, (i) to act as an Information-cum-Research Centre to encourage book production and Indian authorship, and (ii) for analysing the data on types of books and other reading material imported into India with the object of arriving at a meaningful import policy. The Centre comprises two Wings, known as the Library Wing and the Wing for Documentation and Analysis of Import Documents and Imported Books.

Textbook Reference Library, New Delhi

This was set up in July 1972 with about 25,000 University level books published in India in various regional languages and English and foreign books reprinted in India in low-priced editions, with the object of helping authors and publishers to assess in what fields Indian books are already available and where such books are needed to attain self-sufficiency.

Maintenance of Reference Collection of University-level Books

The total number of books added during the year is 5,402. More than 4,500 specialised readers including University teachers, students, Central and State Government executives and research scholars consulted the library. A Branch of Hindi books has been opened adjacent to the main library in Curzon

Road Barracks. Ten bibliographies on topics of interest to research scholars have been compiled. Five bimonthly Lists of Additions to the library have been brought out. The sixth issue is being prepared. Four quarterly supplements to the National Catalogue of Low-priced Publications and Core Books has been compiled. A Directory of Publishers of Children's Literature in India has been prepared. So far the Centre has organised 2 exhibitions of University-level books one at India International Centre, New Delhi from 21st February to 1st March, 1973 on the occasion of the Commonwealth Asia-Pacific Regional Seminar on Priorities and Planning for Provision of Books and the other in the Centre on the occasion of the Sixth Library Week Celebrations from 14th to 20th November, 1973 when a Seminar on University Level Books was also held.

Sample Survey of University Level Books including Documentation of Books

The Centre has published a Report of a Sample Survey of Books Recommended/Prescribed For Study by some selected Universities in, certain disciplines. Two other sample surveys have been undertaken, i.e., (i) A sample survey of the various methods of book selection in actual use in all University libraries in the country, and (ii) A sample survey of the usage of the imported books in the three local University libraries.

National Book Development Board

The National Book Development Board was set up in 1967 as the principal advisory body to lay down guidelines for the development of the Indian book industry and trade in the context of the overall requirements of the country. The Board was reorganised in 1970 with some additional functions and has on it representatives of different sectors of book industry publishers, authors, printers and booksellers as well as various Governmental and non-Governmental agencies dealing with the implementation of book programmes. The Board is now again due for reconstitution after its second term of three years.

During the six years that the Board has been in existence, it has held seven meetings and made a number of important recommendations on book promotion and for the improvement of the book industry and trade. Some of the recommendations of the Board have already been implemented by Government while others are being considered for implementation in one way

or the other. A very important achievement of the Board has been to focus the attention of all concerned on the significant role books play in the social, economic and cultural development of the country.

Low-priced Editions of Foreign Standard Works of University Level

The Government of India entered into collaboration agreements with the Governments of the U.K. in 1960, the U.S.A. in 1961 and the U.S.S.R. in 1965, to make available to Indian students low-priced editions of standard educational material of University-level originating in these countries and approved by the Government of India. Under the U.K. Scheme (known as the English Language Book Society Series) and the Joint Indo-Soviet Textbooks Programme, low- priced editions of selected titles are imported into India and sold through the normal trade channels. Under the Joint Indo-American Standard Works Programme which is operated by the U.S.I.S., the books are reprinted in India by Indian publishers with a subsidy from PL 480 funds and sold at about one-fifth of the U.S. retail price. About 550 British, 1,250 American and 220 Soviet books have so far been made available under these Programmes.

Under the Joint Indo-American Standard Works Programme, the USAID have offered three special grants of Rs. 1.50 crores each. The first two instalments have been utilised to reprinting of American science and technology titles, of coauthored titles and publication of books by Indian authors and translation or adaptation of American books. The operational Work Plan for the third USAID grant of Rs. 1.50 crores was signed on 21-2-1973 which provided for the reprinting programme by the USIS and other promotional activities and also sets apart about Rs. 65.00 lakhs to be given as a grant to the National Book Trust for the publication of books co-authored by Indian and American authors, books written by Indian authors and translation of Indian and American Books into the Indian languages.

Procurement of Translation Rights

As a result of the negotiations between the Ministry and the British and American Publishers, about 45 (Fortyfive) leading American Publishers and the British Publishers Association have agreed to make available to the Government of India translation

rights of their books at flat rates of Royalty mutually agreed to. To make it easier for the copyright owners and to provide for co- ordination, the copyright licences are negotiated centrally on behalf of the State Governments. Nearly 1,170 contracts for translation of the U.K. and U.S.A. titles into Indian Regional languages have so far been executed with British and American Publishers.

In view of the U.S.S.R's decision to join the Universal Copyright Convention (UCC) it will now be necessary for the Ministry of Education and Social Welfare to negotiate terms with Soviet Publishers/Authors for translating their works into the various regional languages.

IMPORT AND EXPORT POLICY

Export Promotional Activities

While India is one of the largest publishing countries of the world, its annual earnings from export of books and publications are around Rs. 1.15 crores only. The Ministry has been vested with the responsibility of organising/participating in International Book Fairs/Exhibitions at Government level and assisting private publishers to participate in such Book Fairs with the object of promoting the export of Indian Books. With this aim in view, the National Book Trust participated in the National Book Exhibition in Singapore from 11th to 19th August, 1973, and the 25th Frankfurt International Book Fair from 11th to 16th October, 1973. The National Book Trust also collected books for display in the Children's Books Exhibition, in Zambia in October 1973, the International Children's Book Exhibition in Turkey in November, 1973, the International Book Fair in Tokyo in December, 1973 and an exhibition of children's books in Paris in January 1974.

Import Policy for Books

The import policy for books, journals, magazines, Children's literature and other educational material is laid down by the C.C.I. & E. in consultation with this Ministry. In the interest of education and a healthy growth of democracy, there should be a free flow of reading material into the country. However, to ensure that imported materials do not impede the development of indigenous books importers are exhorted not to import books of which Indian reprints are readily available.

To encourage small importers and newcomers to the import trade of books, the following important changes were made in the Import Policy for Books with effect from 1st April, 1973 :

(a) Established Importers of books were allowed licences at 100% of their basic quota as against 15% allowed to them earlier; and

(b) A new provision was incorporated in the policy to allow newcomers to the Import Trade in Books to obtain licences up to Rs. 4.00 lakhs or more depending upon the number of years they have been in the internal book trade and the volume of their internal purchase turn over. This facility to apply as a newcomer was also given to established importers who held small quotas.

Another important step was the grant of an import licence for Rs., 50.00 lakhs to the State Trading Corporation to import scientific and technical journals, costly scientific and technical books solely to cater to the needs of Universities and other Institutions of Higher Learning.

The Import Policy provides for the established importers holding licences of a value of Rs. 10.00 lakhs or more to submit their indents and invoices to the Ministry of Education who, would give clearance for the grant of quota and supplementary licences in respect of such importers. A Special Officer (Book Imports) and the necessary staff to man the Unit have been appointed. This unit will collect and analyse the necessary data for evolving a meaningful import policy.

Other Promotional Programmes

Among the other promotional programmes, the following two deserve mention :

(a) International Book Year (1972). Implementation of the recommendations made by the National Committee for International Book Year is in progress. Action has already been taken to (1) Organise a Workshop of Authors and Indexers, (2) arrange an exhibition of Newspapers, (3) grant financial assistance to (a) Publishers and Booksellers Association of Bengal, Calcutta and (b) the Calcutta University,

Calcutta for meeting some expenditure on arranging lectures on the theme of International Book Year 1972 and (4) grant concessions in Postal rates for the despatch of registered book packets.

(b) Unesco Seminar for Book Development Councils in Asia : A Regional Seminar for the Executive Secretaries of National Book Development Councils in Asia was organised by Unesco in New Delhi from 10th to 15th December, 1973. The Government of India acted as host and provided the services of a Technical Director. The purpose of the Seminar was to advise the National Book Development Councils existing in Asian Member States or those in the process of establishment on the effective execution of their work and to consult with each other on guiding principles and on the future cooperation of National Book Development Councils. The Seminar was attended by participants from 15 Asian Member States, members of the Unesco Secretariat and Observers from concerned organisations in India.

COPYRIGHT

The Government of India have decided to accede to the two International Copyright Conventions namely the Berne Convention and the Universal Copyright Convention as last revised at Paris in July, 1971.

The various meetings in which India participated are Meeting of the Third Committee of Governmental Experts on problems in the field of Copyright and of the protection of Performers, Producers of Phonograms and Broadcasting Organisations raised by Transmission of Space Satellites convened by UNESCO, and WIPO held at Nairobi from July 2-11, 1973; (ii) The second meeting of the conference of representatives of the Berne Union held at Geneva: from November 19- 27, 1973; and (iii) the Extraordinary meeting of the Berne Executive Committee held at Paris from December 5-11, 1973 and (iv) the twelfth ordinary session of the Inter-Governmental Committee set up under the Universal Copyright Convention also held at Paris from December, 5-11, 1973.

The Copyright Board which was reconstituted with effect from September 24, 1973 in pursuance of section 11 of the Copyright Act, 1957 (14 of 1957) was enlarged to include My additional members.

During 1973, 1826 Artistic and 460 literary works were registered with the Copyright Office.

CHAPTER V BOOK PROMOTION & COPYRIGHT