BACKGROUND

Most of the academic books dealing in science, mathematics, engineering and medical  sciences in India are in foreign language such as English. As a result, the indian students whose mother tounge is not english are face difficulties in understanding the concepts mentioned in these books. This also affects their learning abilities and future employment opportunities.

WHAT?

In the Union Budget 2025-26, the Bharatiya Bhasha Pustak Scheme has been introduced to provide digital textbooks in Indian languages. It will provide digital textbooks and study resources for students at the school and university levels, promoting regional languages in the education system. It is a new initiative aimed at making learning more accessible by offering digital textbooks and study materials in various Indian languages. 

OBJECTIVES

The scheme aims to bridge the language gap by providing digital textbooks and study materials in multiple Indian languages. Under the Bharatiya Bhasha Pustak Scheme, students in schools and universities will be able to access textbooks and learning resources in digital formats. The scheme is designed to benefit students from different linguistic backgrounds by providing study materials in regional languages. 

The primary objective of this initiative is to promote and integrate Indian languages more deeply into the education system, thereby enriching the learning experience and making it more inclusive. It ensures that students from diverse linguistic backgrounds can study subjects in their mother tongue, improving comprehension and retention.

It aligns with the NEP 2020 vision to promote multilingualism in education. It complements the ASMITA (Augmenting Study Materials in Indian Languages through Translation and Academic Writing) initiative. 22,000 books in Indian languages will be developed in the next five years under ASMITA. It is a collaborative effort of the UGC and the Bharatiya Bhasha Samiti, a high-powered committee under the Ministry of Education.

Criteria and Provisions

1. The scheme will be implemented in schools, colleges, and universities across India.
2. Institutions affiliated with UGC, AICTE, and other regulatory bodies will be part of the initiative.
3. The scheme will focus on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), Social Sciences, Commerce, and Humanities.
4. Special emphasis on technical education in Indian languages.
5. The digital books will be available on government-supported e-learning platforms like DIKSHA, e-PG Pathshala, and National Digital Library of India.
6. AI-based tools will be used to facilitate translations, voice-assisted learning, and personalized study materials.
7. Thirteen nodal universities have been identified to lead the project, along with member universities from various regions.

TheUGC has also created a standard operating procedure (SOP) for the book-writing process in each assigned language. The SOP includes the identification of nodal officers, authors, allocation of title, subject, and programme, writing and editing, submission of the manuscript, review and plagiarism check, finalisation, designing, proofreading and e-publication.