URDU ACADEMIES
On the suggestion of Gujral Committee Urdu Academies were set up in States and Union Territories of Andhra Pradesh, Delhi, Haryana, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal.
Gujral Committee made the following comments and recommendations with regard to Urdu Academies:
"The Committee notices with satisfaction that the States of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar have set up separate academies for Urdu, while the State of Jammu & Kashmir looks after the Promotion of Urdu literature through its Academy of Arts, Culture and Languages. There are other State level Sahitya Parishads or academies in Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. We are sure that the claims of Urdu, will receive due recognition soon in Andhra Pradesh, Chandigarh, Delhi, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamilnadu and West Bengal. Pending the establishment of such academies there, the State Governments/Administrations should ensure that Urdu writers and scholars within their territories are represented on the existing academies and parishads and are given the same incentives as are available to fellow writers in the
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official or other regional languages of the States and Union Territories. In some State academies, the representation of Urdu writers is nominal. This should be remedied by providing due representation to them. (7.69)
The role and effective functioning of the academies has become important in the context of rapid developments taking place on the cultural and literary fronts. Much can be done by the academies to stimulate original writing and research through subsidies or grants. They could offer greater incentives for the writings and publication of books on social and physical sciences and for other functional literature which could prove helpful to readers in the choice of professions and in earning a livelihood. (7.70)
Indeed, there is a genuine need for general reading material on topics of vital interest to society. Writers must aim at producing literature which will broaden the outlook of readers and modernize their approach to life in general. The Ministries/departments of education and culture at the Centre and in the States, as also the various academies set up all over India, should make it a point to earmark a substantial proportion of their budget for promoting production of specialized literature in various fields. (7.56)
State academies should also promote the compilation of reference works like bibliographies, biographical dictionaries, encyclopadias, directories, etc. in Urdu and help in the cultivation of closer links between Urdu and
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other regional Languages. We would strongly urge upon the Union Ministry of Education and Social Welfare and the conerned State Departments to reshape the role of academies on the above lines." (7.71)
Andhra Pradesh Andhra Pradesh Urdu Academy is not active for the last few years. The State Government should set up a review committee to find out the reasons for this inertia. Steps should be taken to reconstitute the Governing Board immediately.
Delhi The Delhi Urdu Academy is the only Urdu Academy which has set up about two hundred adult education centres in which almost fifteen thousand people are learning Urdu and Hindi. The Academy also provides teachers to those Urdu medium schools which require teachers for teaching various subjects. The academy pays the salaries of these teachers. The Committee recommends that a suitable annual grant should be provided for this important work.
Himachal Pradesh Himachal Pradesh Academy of Arts, Culture and Languages works for the development of Hindi, English, Punjabi, Pahari and Urdu. Its performance with regard to Urdu is not satisfactory as there is no Urdu knowing staff in the Academy. The Academy brings out a quarterly magazine 'Fikr-o-Fan'. The Editor of the said magazine retired two years back. Since then the post of Editor is lying vacant. Urdu representatives demanded a separate Urdu Academy.
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Gujarat In Gujarat, Urdu, Sindhi and Gujrati Academies work under one umbrella. There are committees for each language, but the performance with regard to Urdu is not satisfactory. The Urdu representatives demanded a separate academy for Urdu.
Karnataka Some witnesses expressed dissatisfaction with regard to the performance of Urdu Academy. On deeper probing, it turned out that its grant was meagre. It was only Rs.7.00 lakhs in 1988-89. It was raised to Rs.7.50 lakhs in 1989-90 and again reduced to Rs.7.25 lakhs in 1990-91.
The feeling among non-officials was that grant should be enhanced so that the academy could work better by: (a) bringing out more books, (b) more aid to deserving litteratures and students; (c) taking up research work; and (d) assisting libraries etc.
Rajasthan Rajasthan Urdu Academy is one of the active Urdu academies, but its annual grant is only Rs.5,59,000. The result is that this Academy is not in a position to do much for the development of Urdu language and literature.
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Problems of accommodation for the Academies All Urdu Academies except the one in Bihar are housed in rented buildings. The Bihar Government constructed a building recently which is shared by Bihar Urdu Academy and Anjuman Taraqqi Urdu (Bihar). Buildings of Madhya Pradesh Urdu Academy and Uttar Pradesh Urdu Academy are under construction. Remaining academies have so far no plans of constructing their own buildings.
Aims and objects of all the academies are almost the same. They are as follows.
(i) felicitation of Poets and Writers;
(ii) awards for publication of books;
(iii) fellowships to Poets and Writers and Financial Assistance to widows of litteratures;
(iv) financial Assistance for medical treatment to litteratures;
(v) awards to students getting highest marks In Urdu in various Universities and Board Examinations;
(vi) scholarships to Urdu students;
(vii) literary competitions among students;
(viii) literary functions such as Mushairas, Seminars, Conferences and Symposia etc.
(ix) publication of books;
(x) publication of Literary Magazines;
(xi) financial assistance for publications to Poets and Writers;
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(xii) financial assistance to Literary Associations for organising Literary functions;
(xiii) Urdu teaching Centres;
(xiv) free supply of Urdu Text-books to poor students;
(xv) free supply of Urdu learning books through Hindi; and
(xvi) Urdu Calligraphy Centres.
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