UGC invites authors to create UG textbooks in Indian languages for NEP 2020

The University Grants Commission (UGC) is seeking Expressions of Interest (Eol) from writers/critics and higher education faculty members (HEls) to write undergraduate-level textbooks in 12 Indian languages for the social sciences, sciences, and arts. This is in accordance with NEP 2020.

According to the notification, those who are interested in participating must complete the form by January 30, 2024, at midnight. 

In keeping with the emphasis on Indian languages in the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the UGC has chosen to provide textbooks in twelve Indian languages. For the purpose of creating new textbooks in Indian languages like Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu, the UGC is accepting applications. 

M Jagadesh Kumar, chairman, of UGC, announced that the Commission is working to provide textbooks in 12 Indian languages. He further said that the UGC is identifying nodal universities across the states that will coordinate the exercise of forming teams of authors who can write quality textbooks in Indian languages. The initiative, he added, is aligned with NEP 2020’s goal of providing learning opportunities to university students in regional languages.  

The CBSE encouraged its affiliated schools to use the NCERT textbooks, which are now available in 22 scheduled Indian languages, in a notification that was sent out earlier in July 2023. In accordance with NEP 2020, the Board also emphasised the cognitive advantages of speaking more than one language at the foundational stage, particularly one's mother tongue.