A State-level meeting on the implementation of the Bharatiya Bhasha Pustak Yojana, a Government of India initiative to promote higher education in Indian languages in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, was held at the Central University of Kerala (CUK).

The initiative aims to facilitate the preparation of textbooks in Malayalam for various subjects in higher education through collaboration among universities and higher education institutions across Kerala, in coordination with the Bharatiya Bhasha Samiti, Ministry of Education. The meeting brought together Vice Chancellors, academicians and language experts from across the State to discuss the roadmap for implementing the project, including the preparation of textbooks, identification of subject experts, institutional collaboration and quality assurance mechanisms.

Inaugurating the meeting, CUK Vice Chancellor Prof. Siddu P. Algur said the initiative would contribute significantly to achieving the objectives of NEP 2020 by expanding access to quality higher education through the mother tongue. He said the University had already taken significant steps towards NEP implementation by introducing six undergraduate programmes and expressed confidence that the project would facilitate the publication of at least 100 textbooks in Malayalam.

Prof. Prasad Krishna, Director, NIT Calicut; Prof. P. Raveendran, Vice Chancellor, University of Calicut; Prof. K.K. Saju, Vice Chancellor, Kannur University; Prof. D. Mavoothu, Vice Chancellor, Mahatma Gandhi University; Prof. Mohanan Kunnummal, Vice Chancellor, University of Kerala; Prof. A. Biju Kumar, Vice Chancellor, Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (KUFOS); Prof. K.K. Shine, Director, Guruvayoor Campus, Central Sanskrit University; Prof. K. Sivaprasad, former Vice Chancellor, APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University; and Dr. V.P.N. Nampoori, former Professor, Cochin University of Science and Technology, addressed the gathering and highlighted the importance of inter-institutional collaboration in strengthening higher education through Indian languages.

Dr. K. Giridhara Rao, Academic Coordinator of the Bharatiya Bhasha Samiti, presented an overview of the project and its implementation framework. A. Vinod, Member of the National Monitoring Committee for Education, also addressed the participants. Prof. P. Sreekumar welcomed the gathering and Dr. Bindu T.V. proposed the vote of thanks. Registrar (i/c) Prof. V.B. Sameer Kumar, Controller of Examinations Dr. R. Jayaprakash, Finance Officer (i/c) Dr. Minimol M.C., Deans, Heads of Departments, faculty members and experts from universities across Kerala participated in the meeting.