Monday, February 17, 2025
Education

UG textbooks in regional languages

Undergraduate course textbooks in arts, commerce, and science will soon be accessible in Gujarati, Punjabi, and Marathi languages, beginning with a targeted release by June 2024. Aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) of 2020, this move by the University Grants Commission (UGC) involves collaborating with state universities in Gujarat, Punjab, and Maharashtra. The initiative focuses on appointing authors from institutions like Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Punjab University, and Savitribai Phule Pune University to create digital-format textbooks.

In response to the NEP’s emphasis on local languages in education, the UGC formed a committee named ‘Bhasha Samvardhan Samiti’ in each state, with the nodal officers (vice-chancellors) playing a pivotal role. These committees, working directly with the UGC, aim to identify 100 authors per state to draft textbooks in regional languages. UGC Chairperson Prof M Jagadesh Kumar highlighted the significant demand for regional language books, emphasizing the potential positive impact on students’ understanding of course materials. The UGC will oversee the entire process, ensuring manuscript reviews by experts, and plans to expand the project to other regions following its implementation in Gujarat, Punjab, and Maharashtra. The finalized textbooks will be accessible on the e-kumbh portal, enabling students to download them free of charge, aligning with the broader effort to provide educational materials in regional languages as per NEP guidelines.

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