TAG: GS 2: GOVERNANCE
THE CONTEXT: On July 16, the Ministry of Education and the University Grants Commission (UGC) announced an ambitious project aimed at developing 22,000 books in Indian languages over the next five years.
EXPLANATION:
- This initiative titled as ASMITA (Augmenting Study Materials in Indian Languages through Translation & Academic Writing) will go a long way in strengthening the use of Indian languages in the education domain.
ASMITA Project
- ASMITA is a collaborative effort of the UGC and Bharatiya Bhasha Samiti which is a high-power committee of the Ministry of Education.
- The project’s primary focus is to improve access to academic content in several Indian languages to improve the efficiency of NEP.
- The goal is to create as many as 1000 titles in each of the 22 scheduled languages, for a total of 22000 books.
- These resources will encompass several disciplines across higher learning institutions, enhancing the ecosystem for both translation and scholarly writing in Indian languages.
- Districts have been selected to spearhead thirteen nodal universities in the ASMITA project.
- These universities, plus other member universities from different zones, will collaborate in the translation and writing process.
- This approach also ensures the integration of the project to meet regional needs and requirements since it is implemented at the regional level by different institutions.
- A standard Operating Procedure (SOP) has been developed and implemented for the book-writing project to ensure smooth operation in the UGC.
- The standard operating procedure (SOP) includes the steps;
- Identifying nodal officers and authors
- Assigning titles, subjects and programs
- Carrying out writing and editing processes
- Submitting manuscripts
- Conducting reviews and plagiarism checks
- Finalizing, designing, proofreading and publishing electronically
- This methodical approach is designed to uphold top notch quality and uniformity in all created content.
Bahubhasha Shabdkosh and Real-time Translation Architecture
- Bahubhasha Shabdkosh and Real-time Translation Architecture are two other significant initiatives that were introduced.
- Bahubhasha Shabdkosh
- The intention behind the Bahubhasha Shabdkosh is to serve as an all-inclusive dictionary that lists all of the meanings of words in all Indian languages.
- It was developed by the Bharatiya Bhasha Samiti and the Central Institute of Indian Languages (CIIL).
- Its goal is to make it easier for people to use Indian words, phrases, and sentences in a variety of contemporary fields, including research, education, industry, and IT.
- Real-time Translation Architecture
- It aims to enhance the capability of translation into Indian languages.
- It promotes real-time translation solutions that can integrate Indian languages into the educational and professional landscapes.
- Bahubhasha Shabdkosh
Impact and Vision
- These programs align with the objectives of the NEP.
- These initiative are set to establish a range of educational materials, in various Indian languages.
- This will work towards closing language barriers enhancing harmony and encouraging solidarity.
- Moreover, these initiatives seek to mold the generation, in India into global citizens by supporting them in their studies and safeguarding the cultural legacy of the country.