BOOK-PROMOTION & COPYRIGHT
11.1.0 Books play an important role in the field of Education. In the present context when there is an expansion of education facilities all round in the country, the demand for books in terms of quantity as well as variety of subject has been increasing. The Book Promotion Division of the Department of Education has a number of schemes and activities which 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 in its problems. Some of the important programmes being implemented in this regard are briefly described in the following paras.
National Book Trust 11.2.1 The National Book Trust, India, an autonomous organisation under the Department of Education, 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. To achieve these objectives, the Trust has been producing books in Indian languages as well as in English.The Trust organises book fairs at national and regional levels, apart from holding seminars and symposia on various aspects of book writing. It also participates, on behalf of the Indian publishing
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industry, in book exhibitions held abroad to promote the export of books. The Trust has two Regional Offices at Bangalore and Bombay, in addition to eight book centres at Amritsar, Bangalore, Bombay, Calcutta, Mysore, Hyderabad, Santiniketan and New Delhi.
Publishing Programme 11.2.2 The NBT publishes books under various series. Some of the important series are: National Biography, Young India, Popular Sciences, World of Today, Aadan Pradan and Nehru Bal Pustakalaya. Apart from continuation of these series, the Trust has taken up new schemes for production of books for literacy programmes, reading material for continuing education of neo-literates and school drop- outs, for publication of classical literature, etc.
11.2.3 Based on the increasing demand for titles in the various series and languages, the Trust has embarked on a need-based language- wise publishing programme. As a result of this, the number of titles published during 1988-89 shot up to 441 as against 173 titles produced in 1987-88. It is expected that during the current year, the number of titles may exceed 1,000. The substantial increase expected during the current year is all the more significant considering that a large number of printing jobs like posters, folders, catalogues, etc, were also undertaken for promotional events such as international Book Fairs, National Book Week, Children's Book Fair, National Book 'Fair, etc. Among the promotional activities which were Undertaken by the Trust, the most significant was the sponsoring of the National Book Week. from February 6-12, 1989 throughout the country. Poster's were mailed by the Trust to nearly 50,000 educational institutions in the country. Activities Such as debates, quiz programmes, hook reading sessions, book exhibitions etc. were organised by schools, colleges and universities. The Trust organised a National Book Fair at Lucknow where a seminar on promoting books and 'book-mindedness' was also held. In addition to book festivals at Baroda and Coimbatore, Children's book fairs Exclusively devoted to sale and display of children's literature were organised one each in Bombay and in Delhi.
New Schemes 11.2.4 The shortage of books for library use in primary schools is one of the deficiencies of the primary schools system which the Department of Education is attempting to tackle under the scheme of "Operation Blackboard." Under the scheme the National Book Trust was appointed the nodal agency for preparing a Central list of books suggested for the libraries of 5.5 lakhs primary schools in addition to the list being prepared by the State Governments. Accordingly, the Trust invited private and public publishers to submit their books for evaluation and selection. The response was quite satisfactory and a central list is under preparation.
11.2.5 The Trust,, in keeping with its objectives, introduced an exploratory scheme for providing assistance to private publishers and Voluntary agencies in the production of books. Under this scheme, the cost of preparation and processing of selected manuscripts will be borne by the Trust. In the initial stage manuscripts in Bengali, Hindi, Malayalam and Marathi were invited for Submission. A few manuscripts with illustrations are expected to be taken tip for assistance and Subsequent publication.
Publication of Low Priced University Level Books of Foreign Origin 11.3.0 To enable Indian students to keep them abreast with the developments taking place in developed Countries in various branches of studies with the help of up-to-date textbooks, the Department of Education is operating three programmes in collaboration with the Governments of UK, USA and USSR. Under these projects, latest editions of standard foreign university level textbooks anti reference books for which comparable Indian books are not available are taken Lip for In publication in low-priced editions. After assessment as to their suitability for Indian Students, textbooks are selected for being published in English and in Indian languages. So far 763 British, 1668. American and 650 Soviet titles have been published. During the Current year, 38 American and 50 Soviet titles have been recommended for Publication.
Indo-Soviet Literary Project 11.4.0 The Indo-Soviet Committee set Lip for the publication of contemporary creative works of both the countries has formulated a project to publish the translation of the major 20th Century Literature of India and USSR in about 20 each. The first two volumes were released during the
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celebration of the Festival of India at Moscow. The Sahitya Akademi has purchased 1,000 copies each of the two volumes in accordance with the protocol signed in this regard. The manuscripts of the 3rd, 4th and 5th volumes sent by the Soviet side for Hindi translation were edited and recommended by the experts in India. The manuscripts were returned to them (USSR) for publication. All the 20 volumes are expected to be published by 1995.
New Import-Export Policy for Books & Publications 11.5.1 The new Import-Export Policy for books and publications has come into force from April 1988 and will be effective till March 1991. The salient features of the present policy, as amended in November 1989, are as follows:-
(1) Under O.G.L. educational, scientific and technical journals, News Magazines & Newspapers can be imported by all persons. Imports of educational, scientific and technical books under O.G.L. is permitted in the case of Universities, recognized educational and research institutions, public, national and state libraries, institutions of higher learning and recognized publishers and book-sellers having a minimum sales turnover of over Rs. 5 lakhs per annum. These imports are subject to certain conditions such as for preventing import of foreign editions of books, Indian reprints of which are available. Bona fide dealers in books whose purchase turnover is not less than Rs. 3 lakhs per annum can also get licences for import of books other than those covered under O.G.L. Value of Such imports will be limited to 10% of the purchase turnover.
(2) Teaching aids, Micro Films & Microfiches of educational nature, and films strips/slides of educational nature with or without audio cassettes/video tapes of educational nature can be imported only by recognised educational, scientific, technical & research institutions, libraries of such institutions, Central or State Government Departments, Industrial Units engaged in Research & Development work, registered medical institutions, hospitals, consultants, recognised Chambers of Commerce, Productivity Councils, Management Associations, and professional bodies.
11.5.2 However, imports of foreign editions of books for which editions of authorised Indian reprints are available will not be allowed. Foreign reprints of Indian publications will be allowed on the basis of prior written permission of the Ministry.
Book Export and Promotional Activities. 11.6.1 India is one of the 10 major book producing countries of the world To promote sale, of Indian books and translation/ reprinting rights abroad and for securing printing jobs from abroad, steps are being taken to publicise our books through participation in international book fairs and organising special exhibitions of Indian books by conducting market studies and commercial publicity through circulation of annotated catalogues/brochures etc.
11.6.2 In 1989-90, India participated in the international book fairs/exhibitions held in Bologna (Italy),Frankfurt, London, Malaysia, Moscow and Singapore. Exhibitions of Indian books were organised in Malaysia, Mauritius and Prague (Czechoslovakia). Seven hundred & sixty-six books on different subjects were displayed in Mauritius and 373 books on different subjects were displayed in Kualalumpur. The exhibition in Prague was organised as part of the celebration of "Days of Indian Culture in Czechoslovakia".
11.6.3 India also participated in Cairo International Book Fair in January/February,'1990. It was further scheduled to participate in the London International Book Fair to be held in March, 1990.
11.6.4 With the help of the National Book Trust, World Book Fairs are being organised in the country since 1972. The World Book Fair has become a regular biennial feature and the 9th World Book Fair was held from February 13 to 18, 1990 at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi.
Raja Rammohun Roy National Educational Resource Centre 11.7.1 Raja Rammohun Roy National Educational Resource Centre was established in the year 1972 with the main objective of promoting the writing and production of indigenous University level books. It aimed at serving authors and publishers of University level books as well as research workers in the field of book production. it acted as a data bank to clear all information on indigenous textbooks.
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The Centre is a permanent exhibition of standard textbooks in all regional languages, including English and Hindi. The Centre under its scheme of 'On-the-spot' evaluation was getting indigenous books evaluated in all disciplines by subject experts and recommended to Indian Universities for inclusion in the university curricula. The Centre periodically organised exhibitions of university level books at various universities by rotation. Documentation and Statistical Analysis of Import Document was also being done at this Centre.
11.7.2 The Centre is acting as a National Agency to operate the International Standard Book Numbering System in India, under direction from the International ISBN Agency, Berlin. The Agency allocated ISBNs to publishers free of cost. The agency has so far registered more than 765 Indian publishers under the ISBN system.
11.7.3 Now the Ministry has reorganised the Centre with effect from September 1989 and renamed it as "Raja Rammohun Roy National Unit" The activities of the Centre, viz., on-the-spot evaluation of newly published university level indigenous books, organisation of exhibitions of University level Books at University Centres in India by rotation, publication of various bibliographies and National Catalogues and publication of Qualitative and Quantitative Reports on Import Documents have been discontinued. The reason is that other agencies are capable of doing these items of work. The Unit is concentrating on ISBN work.
Copyright 11.8.1 The Copyright Office was established in January 1958 in pursuance of Section 9 of the Copyright Act, 1957. The Copyright Act has been amended by the Copyright Amendment Act of 1983 and the Copyright Amendment Act of 1984 to meet the present day requirements.
11.8.2 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 to grant licence-
* in works withheld from public
* in unpublished Indian works
* to produce and publish translations and
* to produce and publish works for certain purposes.
It also hears 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 the authors, creators and owners of intellectual property near their places of residence or occupation. The term of the Copyright Board expired on 31st March 1989 and the Board is being reconstituted.
11.8.3 India is a member of two International Conventions on Copyright namely, the Berne Convention for the protection of literary and artistic works and the Universal Copyright Convention. Both the Conventions were revised at Paris in July 1971, to incorporate special concessions to be given to the Developing Countries to enable them to issue compulsory licences for reproduction (Translation of books of foreign origin for educational purposes in case these rights could not be obtained on freely negotiated terms under certain conditions). India has acceded to the 1971 Text of the Berne Convention and also to the 1971 Text of the Universal Copyright Convention.
Training facilities to Foreign Trainees 11.9.0 India is offering training facilities for the foreign trainees every year through the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO).
Training facilities to Indian trainees 11.10.0 The following officers of the Dept. of Education were provided training opportunities:
- Shri B.S. Dhillon, Section Officer, Ministry of Human Resource Development (Department of Education) attended the Introductory Course on Copyright and Neighbouring Rights in Geneva and Budapest in June, 1989.
- Shri Jagdish Sagar, joint Secretary, Ministry of Human Resource Development (Department of Education) attended the Regional Forum on the impact of Emerging Technologies on the Law of Intellectual Property for Countries in Asia and the Pacific at Seoul, from August 30 to September 1, 1989.
- Shri V.K. Saxena, Licencing Officer in Ministry of Human Resource Development (Department of Education) attended the training course In Copyright and Neighbouring Rights in Seoul, in September, 1989.
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- Shri Sudhir Chandra, Copyright information officer of the Ministry of Human Resource Development (Department of Education), attended the Regional Training Course on Copyright Trials at Beijing, China, from 29th October to 3rd November, 1989.
Meetings of the Governing Bodies of WIPO 11.11.0 Shri S. Gopalan, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Human Resource Development (Department of Education) was deputed by Government of India to participate in the meetings of Governing Bodies of WIPO and the Unions Administered by WIPO held at Geneva, from September 25 to October 4, 1989.
National Society of Authors 11.12.0 Arrangements are in progress to set up a National Society of Authors with a view to protect their Copyright interests.
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