The Department of School Education, Ministry of Education, Government of India, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Book Trust (NBT) to create an institutional framework for the Digital Library Platform, Rashtriya e-Pustakalaya.
K Sanjay Murthy, secretary, Department of Higher Education, highlighted the importance of non-academic books in shaping the future academic choices of children.
He encouraged the NBT to engage faculty members from academic institutes to contribute quality books to the Rashtriya e-Pustakalaya.
Sanjay Kumar, secretary, Department of School Education & Literacy (DoSE&L), emphasised the significance of developing a reading habit among children. He noted that Rashtriya e-Pustakalaya will be accessible 24/7, overcoming geographical barriers and ensuring wider availability of books.
He mentioned that this initiative would solve the 'last mile' problem of library access in many states.
Mr Kumar also discussed the role of the Content Enrichment Committee in curating the books included in the digital library, aiming for a collection of over 10,000 books in more than 100 languages within the next 2-3 years.
Joint Secretary Archana Sharma Awasthi underscored the inclusion of non-academic titles and shared that over 1,000 books in 23 languages, including English, have already been added to the e-Pustakalaya.
Rashtriya e-Pustakalaya, a pioneering digital library, aims to instil a love of reading among Indian children and youth by offering over 1,000 non-academic books from more than 40 reputed publishers in 22+ languages besides English. The library will cater to readers aged 3-18 years, categorised into four age groups as per NEP 2020 guidelines.
The app, available for download on both Android and iOS devices, will feature books across multiple genres such as adventure, mystery, humour, literature, fiction, classics, non-fiction, self-help, history, biographies, comics, picture books, science, and poetry. Additionally, the books aim to foster cultural awareness, patriotism, and empathy, embodying the spirit of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam.
The initiative is a significant step towards bridging the digital divide and promoting inclusivity, making quality reading materials accessible anytime, anywhere.