Department of School Education Signs MoU with National Book Trust to Launch Rashtriya e-Pustakalaya

The Department of School Education & Literacy (DoSE&L), Ministry of Education (MoE), Government of India (GoI), has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Book Trust (NBT) to establish Rashtriya e-Pustakalaya, a comprehensive digital library platform. This initiative aims to enhance the accessibility of non-academic books for children and adolescents across India.

Key Highlights:

Objectives of the MoU:

• Institutional Framework: The collaboration aims to create an institutional framework to facilitate the digital library platform.
• Enhanced Accessibility: The primary goal is to improve the accessibility of non-academic books for young readers, ensuring that children and adolescents across India can access quality reading material.

About National Book Trust (NBT):

• Establishment: NBT, an apex body established by the GoI in 1957 under the Department of Higher Education (DHE), Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD), plays a pivotal role in promoting book reading culture in India.

About Rashtriya e-Pustakalaya:

1. Resolving Accessibility Issues:
   1. Book Collection: Rashtriya e-Pustakalaya aims to offer over 10,000 books in more than 100 languages within the next 2-3 years, addressing the ‘last mile’ accessibility issue for many states.
2. Language Diversity:
   1. Multilingual Access: The portal will provide access to more than 1,000 non-academic books published by over 40 reputed publishers in more than 22 languages, in addition to English. Currently, over 1,000 books in 23 languages, including English, are available.
3. Age-Appropriate Categorization:
   1. Age Groups: The books will be categorized according to the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, targeting readers aged 3-8, 8-11, 11-14, and 14-18 years.
4. Digital Accessibility:
   1. App Availability: The Rashtriya e-Pustakalaya app will be available for download on both Android and iOS devices, providing easy access to the digital library.
5. Genre Variety:
   1. Diverse Genres: The platform includes books in multiple genres such as adventure and mystery, humour, literature and fiction, classics, non-fiction and self-help, history, biographies, comics, picture books, science, poetry, and more.
6. Inclusivity and Cultural Unity:
   1. Vision of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam: The initiative aligns with the vision of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, emphasizing inclusivity and cultural unity, and ensuring that all children have access to diverse and enriching reading materials.
7. Round-the-Clock Access:
   1. Geographic Limitations: The digital platform will provide 24/7 access to books, overcoming geographic limitations and ensuring that children can read anytime, anywhere.

Conclusion:

The launch of Rashtriya e-Pustakalaya marks a significant step towards improving literacy and fostering a love for reading among children and adolescents in India. By providing a vast collection of books in multiple languages and genres, this digital library platform aims to make quality reading material accessible to all, supporting the educational and cultural development of young readers across the nation.