Project ASMITA (Augmenting Study Materials in Indian Languages through Translation and Academic Writing) is a major initiative aimed at promoting Indian languages in education, in alignment with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
Launched by the Union Ministry of Education and the University Grants Commission (UGC), the project focuses on developing and translating academic resources in Indian languages to bridge the linguistic divide and make education more inclusive.
Objective of Project ASMITA:
- Production of 22,000 books in 22 Indian languages over the next five years.
- Targeted Output: 1,000 books in each of the 22 languages within five years, covering key subjects such as Arts, Science, and Commerce.
- Timeline: By June 2025, the initiative aims to produce 1,800 textbooks for the Arts, Science, and Commerce streams.
Key Features of Project ASMITA: - UGC’s Role: The UGC (established in 1953, statutory in 1956) will oversee the coordination of this project, setting up a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for the book-writing process in each of the assigned languages.
- Bharatiya Bhasha Samiti’s Role: Established in 2021 by the Ministry of Education, the Bharatiya Bhasha Samiti is tasked with promoting Indian languages in education and overseeing the translation of academic content.
- Nodal Universities: 13 nodal universities, along with regional universities, have been identified to lead and contribute to the project’s success.
Other Complementary Initiatives: - Bahubhasha Shabdkosh (Multilingual Dictionary):
- Developed by the Central Institute of Indian Languages (CIIL) in collaboration with the Bharatiya Bhasha Samiti.
- A comprehensive multilingual dictionary repository that facilitates the use of Indian languages in emerging domains such as IT, Industry, Research, and Education.
- Real-time Translation Architecture:
- Developed by the National Educational Technology Forum (NETF) in collaboration with the Bharatiya Bhasha Samiti.
- This framework aims to enhance real-time translation in Indian languages, helping bridge linguistic barriers and promoting multilingual education.
Key Goals of the Project: - Bridging Linguistic Divides: By creating and promoting academic resources in 22 scheduled languages, Project ASMITA aims to bridge the linguistic gap in education across India, ensuring inclusivity in learning materials.
- Promoting Social Cohesion and Unity: The project will foster social cohesion and help in creating a unified nation by making education accessible in multiple languages.
- Global Citizenship: The initiative aims to transform India’s youth into socially responsible global citizens, equipped with academic resources in languages they understand best.
Languages Covered under the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution: The project will produce educational content in
22 languages from the
Eighth Schedule of the Constitution of India:
- Assamese
- Bengali
- Gujarati
- Hindi
- Kannada
- Kashmiri
- Konkani
- Malayalam
- Manipuri
- Marathi
- Nepali
- Oriya
- Punjabi
- Sanskrit
- Sindhi
- Tamil
- Telugu
- Urdu
- Bodo
- Santhali
- Maithili
- Dogri
Long-Term Vision: Project ASMITA is not only about producing textbooks in regional languages but also about
empowering the education system to be more inclusive and adaptable to the linguistic diversity of India. This will help in achieving the
NEP 2020 objectives, where education is envisaged to be multilingual, inclusive, and rooted in local contexts.
By enhancing access to quality educational resources in a variety of languages, this initiative will contribute significantly to
social inclusion,
economic empowerment, and the
cultural promotion of India's diverse languages and communities.
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