Bangla Bhasha Samvardhan Samiti (BBSS) is championing the promotion of Bangla Bhasha as the medium for higher education. This transformative program, aligned with the National Education Policy-2020, seeks to bridge gaps in educational resources by developing original textbooks in Bangla Bhasa for undergraduate courses.
This initiative is part of a larger project launched by the Ministry of Education and the UGC to develop 22,000 books in Indian languages over the next five years. The project, titled ASMITA (Augmenting Study Materials in Indian Languages through Translation and Academic Writing), was launched by Sanjay Murthy, Secretary, Higher Education. It is a collaborative effort between the UGC and the Bharatiya Bhasha Samiti to promote Indian languages in education.
“This project aims to create a robust ecosystem for translation and original book writing in Indian languages across various disciplines within higher education. The goal is to produce 1,000 books in each of the 22 languages within five years, resulting in 22,000 books in Bharatiya Bhasha,” stated UGC Chairman Jagadesh Kumar.
The BBSS outreach program is designed to enhance educational accessibility and inclusivity across India. By collaborating with 13 nodal universities and over 17 additional member institutions, this initiative ensures that quality educational materials are available in Bangla Bhasa along with various other Indian languages, addressing the diverse linguistic needs of students in Arts, Science, and Commerce fields.
Background:
Among the various initiatives outlined in the National Education Policy-2020, one prominent focus is the promotion of Bharatiya Bhasha as the medium for teaching and learning in Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs). Recognizing the pivotal role HEIs play in facilitating education in the mother tongue/Bharatiya Bhasha, the University Grants Commission (UGC), in collaboration with the Bharatiya Bhasha Samiti (BBS), has identified 13 nodal universities tasked with developing original textbooks in 12 Bharatiya Bhashas for undergraduate courses. These nodal universities will collaborate with at least 10 other universities to form a Bhasha Samvardhan Samiti for each language.
The Bharatiya Bhasha Samiti, established by the Ministry of Education, Government of India, has designated the Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda Educational and Research Institute (RKMVERI) as the nodal university for the West Bengal region. This selection is for the development of textbooks for BA, BCom, and BSc programs in Bangla.
The ‘Bangla Bhasha Samvardhan Samiti (BBSS)’ was officially constituted in February 2024, for this purpose, initially comprising 10 Vice Chancellors as founding members. The membership has since expanded to include additional members to foster broader participation.
The BBSS is headed by Prof. Swami Sarvottamananda, Vice Chancellor, Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda Educational and Research Institute (Nodal Officer), along with the vice chancellors of following member universities for the creation of textbooks in Bengali:
Nodal University:
Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda Educational and Research Institute, Belur Math, Howrah, West Bengal 711202.
Member Universities:
[The Samiti currently includes 17 universities, having grown from the original 10]
- Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda Educational and Research Institute (RKMVERI)
- Calcutta University
- Jadavpur University
- Presidency University
- Rabindra Bharati University
- Bardhaman University
- Gourbanga University
- Siddho-Kanho-Birsha University
- Visva-Bharati University
- Vidyasagar University
- Kalyani University
- Kazi Nazrul University
- Baba Saheb Ambedkar Education University
- Dakshin Dinajpur University
- Adamas University
- Seacom Skills University
- Brainware University
In the initial phase, 50 books in each of the 12 Bharatiya Bhashas for undergraduate students in Arts, Science, and Commerce will be produced. This will expand to 150 books per language, totaling approximately 1800 books by June 2025.
Call for Applications:
We are currently accepting applications for textbook writing on BCom subjects ONLY. You can still apply for other BA and BSc subjects through the same link, which we will process for future phases. We kindly request that only authors capable of writing textbooks for undergraduate subjects apply.
Application Form Link
For further queries, please contact:
Br. Bhaswarachaitanya (Tamal Maharaj)
Nodal Representative, Bangla Bhasha Samvardhan Samiti
Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda Educational and Research Institute
Phone: +91-33-26549999
Email: