BOOK PROMOTION AND COPYRIGHT
11.1.1 Books play an important role in the field of education, along with the expansion of education facilities all over the country, the demand for books in terms of quantity as well as variety of subjects has been increasing. The Book Promotion Division of the Department of Education has a number of schemes and activities with aim, inter-alia, at promoting the production of good quality books at reasonable prices, encouraging indigenous authorship, promoting the reading habit and providing assistance to the Indian Book industry. Some of the important programmes being implemented in this regard are briefly described in the following paragraphs.
National Book Trust 11.2.1 The National Book Trust, India, (NBT), an autonomous organisation, was set up in 1957 with the objectives of producing and encouraging production of good reading material at moderate prices and fostering book mindedness among the people. The activities of the NBT broadly are to publish books; provide assistance to authors, illustrators and publishers, and to promote books. The NBT publishes books for general readers, on a variety of subjects, in Assamese, Bengali, English, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Oriya, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu, at affordable prices. It has been decided by the Trust to bring out select titles in Kashmiri, Konkani, Manipuari Nepali and Sindhi also. over 6,500 titles in different languages have been published by the NBT, India so far. The Trust provides financial assistance to authors, illustrators and publishers for bringing out reasonably priced textbooks and reference books for the diploma, under graduate and post graduate levels; and for publi- cation of books for children and neo-literates. It promotes books and the book reading habit all over the country by (a) organising book fairs, festivals and exhibitions; (b) holding seminars, symposia and workshops; (c) providing financial assistance for organising book fairs and exhibitions; (d) sponsoring celebration of National Book Week; and (e) promoting setting up of Readers' Club in schools. It also promotes Indian books abroad by organising India's participation in international book fairs in different countries. Details of activities undertaken during the Year are as follows:
(a)Publishing 11.2.2 While drawing up its publishing programme in the various languages, and attempt is made to ensure that under the different series of NBT, India, a common but wider range of titles are available in every language.
11.2.3 During the year an attempt is being made by National Book Trust, India to set up publication of new titles and translation. 500 new titles/translations are expected to be
173
published during 1993-94, which is a considerable increase over the number of new titles/ translations published last year. The total number of titles including reprints, likely to be brought out during 1993-94 is 750.
11.2.4 Greater attention is being paid to books of those genre of publishing which despite their importance have remained neglected in out country. These include books on popular science, subjects, and for neo-literates and the 18+ age group.
(b) Assistance in publishing 11.2.5 To promote publication of books of acceptable quality at reasonable prices, the NBT provides financial assistance to authors, illustrators and publishers under the schemes described below:
Scheme for the Subsidised Publication of Books 11.2.6 Under this scheme the NBT has already provided financial assistance for the publication of more than 800 titles for higher education. A large number of these titles are in English. The Trust has, therefore, been trying to attract authors/ publishers of other languages. A much greater efforts, is, however, being made this year to ensure that the benefits of the scheme go to students, authors and publishers all over the country.
11.2.7 Similarly, the UGC has a scheme under which assistance is provided to authors for preparing university level books. The UGC as well as the NBT have, however, been seriously, concerned about the availability of carefully documented and well-written text and reference books, prepared specifically for the Indian students, by distinguished authors and experts. On careful consideration, both the organisations have come to the conclusion that their schemes would be more effective if these can be carried on with in a framework of greater co-ordination. After detailed discussions these national organisations have evolved a policy framework for coordinated functioning of their respective schemes and have signed a Memorandum of Understanding.
Exploratory Schemes to Provide Assistance for the Production of
Books for Children and for Neo-Literates. 11.2.8 NBT has initiated schemes to provide financial assistance to private publishers and Voluntary agencies for producing quality books for children and for neo-literates and school drop-outs, whereby the NBT makes direct payments to both the author and the illustrator and, in addition, bears the expenses of preparing the positives as selected manuscripts.
(c) Book Promotion 11.2.9 The Book Promotional Activities of the National Book Trust includes organising of Book Fairs, Book Festivals
174
Workshops Seminars and symposia on topics related to Book celebration of National Book week etc. During the Year, the Trust organised one National Book week from 14th November to 20 November, 1993 one Language Book Fair at Varanasi from 11th September to 19 September 1993 and One Book Festival at Ranchi. Besides two Children's Book Fairs, 10 Seminars/Workshops and one Book Festival in Nagpur is likely to be organised this year. Under this Scheme, the Trust will be also be participating in 15 Book Fairs/Festivals and organising 64 exhibitions of select in Tamil, Hindi and Assami publications during this year.
11.2.10 For organising Book Promotional Activities abroad, the Trust participated in the Bologna Children's Book Fair From 15 April to 18 April, 1993 Frankfurt Book Fair from 6 October to 11 October 1993 and exhibited Indian publications at Budapest Ottawa and Madison.
11.2.11 World Book Fair : The 11th New Delhi World Book Fair is being organised by the National Book Trust, India, from February 5 to 13, 1994. About 900 participants from India and other countries are likely to participate in the fair. The main theme and focus on the continent through a disply of select African publications and Seminar on Africa and Indian publishing for a new age will also be held.
Book Promotional Activities & Financial Assistance to Voluntary
organisations. 11.3.0 Under the scheme of Book Promotional Activities and Financial Assistance to Voluntary Organisations, grants are given on ad-hoc basis to the Voluntary organisations for organising training courses, seminars, workshops, conventions etc. This scheme also provides for the expenditure on the exchange of delegations of authors under the Cultural Exchange Programmes. During the Year' a grant of Rs. 0.75 lakh has been released to Federation of Indian Publishers (FIP) for meeting travel expenses of' the participants in the National Convention of the Indian Publishers organised by the FIP.
National Book Development Council 11.4.0 National Book Development Council was reconstituted w.e.f. 6 November, 1990 to review the progress of book publications in the country and to advise the Government regarding measures to be taken for the development of the publishing industry and trade, to promote the availability of special purpose books good quality etc. After the expiry of the term of the Council on 5 November, 1993, process for its reconstruction has been initiated.
Export and Import Policy for Books 11.5.0 Ministry of Commerce has announced new Export and Import Policy for a period of 5 Years effective from Ist April, 1992. Under the new policy any organisation/individual is free to
175
import books on educational, scientific and technical subjects without any restriction. Import of other books is allowed only against a license.
Raja Rammohan Roy National Agency for ISBN 11.6.0 The International Standard Book Numbering (ISBN) System aims at boosting the export of indigenous publications at the international business arena. It is an international system by which a distinct identifying number is assigned to each book. In addition to the book trade, the system is very helpful to the libraries and information systems and to research scholars. From Ist January, 1985 to 31st December 1993 about 2325 big and small publishers and authors have become the members of the system and thousands of their publications today bear the ISBN numbers.
Copy Right 11.7.1 Copyright Act, 1957. The Copyright Act has been amended by the Copyright (Amendment) Acts of 1993, 1984 and 1992. A comprehensive review of the Copyright has been made and another bill - The Copyright (Second Amendment) Bill, 1992 was introduced in the Lok Sabha on 16th July, 1992. The bill was refered to a Joint Select Committee of Parliament in August, 1992. The Report of the Committee was submitted to Parliament in August, 1993. Currently, the Report is being processed by the Government for further necessary action.
11.7.2 The Copyright Office was established in January, 1958 in pursuance of section 9 of the Copyright Act, 1957.
11.7.3 The Copyright Office, under the provisions of the Copyright Act, 1957 as amended from time to time under takes to register the following classes of works. From 1st April to 31st December, 1993, 729 works have been registered. The category-wise break up is as under :-
(a) Literary/Dramatic 338
(b) Musical and Records 42
(c) Cinematograph films 3
(d) Artistic 346
1.1.7.4 In addition to this, the Copyright office also registers the changes in work in accordance with Section 19 of the Copyright Act, 1957. The changes have been affected in the particulars of 18 works entered in the register of Copyright.
11.7.5 The Copyright Board, a quasi-judicial body, was constituted initially in September, 1958. The jurisdiction of the Copyright Board extends to the whole of India. It hears cases regarding rectification of copyright registration, and disputes in respect of assignment of Copyright and granting of licenses:-
176
- in works withheld from public
- in unpublished Indian works
- to produce and publish translation
- to produce and publish works for certain purposes.
11.7.6 It is also hear cases in other miscellaneous matters instituted before it under the Copyright Act, 1957. The meetings of the Board are held in different Zones of the country to provide facility of justice to authors, creators and owners of intellectual property near their place of' residence or occupation.
Enforcement of Copyright 11.8.1 The fourth meeting of Copyright Enforcement Advisory Council which was set up on 6.11.91 for strengthening and streamlining the enforcement of copyright in the country and to educate the public and enforcement authorities was held on 27th March, 1993 in New Delhi. During the discussions all the participants agreed that there was an urgent need to have more training/refresher courses conducted by the State Governments/UTs for the Police Personnel at the level of' Police Academies and Police Training Schools. It was decided that the Ministry of Home Affairs be requested to take up this matter with the State Govts./UTs.
11.8.2 It was also unanimously accepted that a suitable course module should be prepared and incorporated in the training programmes; the training programme syllabus should be based on specific problems encountered in the enforcement of copyright.
11.8.3 It was further suggested that a seminar for Commissioners of Police and Officers in-charge of Crime Branches could be held in Delhi.
11.8.4 The question of creating copyright awareness among people also figured at the meeting. The chairman informed that the publicity through electronic media was taken up with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting at the top level by Doordarshan did not agree to give free publicity. He, therefore, suggested that instead of replying in electronics media we should also think of using print media.
International Copyright 11.9.1 India is a member of Two International Conventions on Copyrights, namely, the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works and the Universal Copyright Convention. Both these conventions were revised in 1971 to incorporate special provisions to enable the developing countries
177
to issue compulsory licences for reproduction and translation of books of foreign origin for specific purposes in case these rights could not be obtained by freely negotiated terms from the owners of copyright. India has acceded to the 1971 texts of these conventions.
11.9.2 India plays an important role in the deliberations of the Governing Bodies of the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), Geneva, which is the International Secretariat for the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works. This year Education Secretary attended 24th series meetings of Governing Bodies of WIPO at Geneva held in September, 1993.
International Copyright order 11.10.0 Under Section 40 of the Indian Copyright Act, 1957 (14 of 1952), the Central Government is empowered to extend copyright to foreign works, Persuant thereto, the Central Government vide SRO-271 dated 21st January, 1958 made the Order known as the "International Copyright Order, 1958". Since then, the order has undergone changes and also certain amendments have been made in the Indian Copyright Act, 1957. Accordingly, the International Copyright Order, 1958 had to be revised, and hence, the International Copyright Order, 1991 was formed and was published in the Official Gazette on 30th September, 1991. This order was further revised/updated vide official Gazette Notification dated October 13, 1992.
Training Facilities in-copyright 11.11.0 The WIPO, under its Co-operation Development Programme, organised training courses in copyright for officials dealing with copyright in developing countries. Mr. B.S. Dhillon, Under Secretary, Department of Education participated in the First Session of WIPO Academy in Geneva from October 4-15, 1993. Also, Shri V.K.Sexana, Licensing Officer, Department of Education attended the orientation seminar on copyright in Geneva from October 6-8, 1993 followed by a Practical Training in London from October 11-22, 1993.
178