UGC initiative: 32 teachers from region curating books in Punjabi for undergraduate students
Thirtytwo teachers from four universities of the region are working to author and co-author books in Punjabi for undergraduate students of science, social science and commerce disciplines, as part of the University Grants Commission initiative to promote regional languages in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) under the National Education Policy 2020. Panjab University, which was made the nodal university for curating content in Punjabi language in November 2023 by the UGC, had reached out to 13 institutions, both private and government, from Punjab, Chandigarh and Himachal Pradesh to author 50 books in the regional language and had selected 87 teachers for the task.
Of these teachers, two are from Guru Nanak Sikh Studies Department of PU, who are authoring social science books. Twenty teachers are from Chitkara University, of whom 18 are writing books on commerce discipline and two on science. Of the seven teachers of Chandigarh University selected under the UGC initiative, three are working on commerce books and two each are writing books on science and social science. Three teachers from Amity University in Mohali are also in the list, of whom two are working on social science books and one on a commerce book.
Prof Gurpal Singh Sandhu, from Guru Nanak Sikh Studies Department, who is the nodal representative, said they were overseeing the work, which was going into the right direction. “We also organised a workshop for authors on September 21 and 22 under the aegis of Bhartiya Bhasha Samvardhan Samiti (Punjabi), during which prominent educationists spoke on the task. As the nodal agency, Panjab University is making all efforts required under the project,” said Prof Sandhu.
The Vice-Chancellor, Prof Renu Vig, said, “This is on the lines of the National Education Policy 2020, under which the regional languages will be getting due recognition. The teachers for this project have been roped in and they are working on compiling books on science, commerce and social science disciplines.”
Two from Panjab University
Of 87 teachers roped in for writing books on science, social science and commerce disciplines in undergraduate courses in Punjabi language by Panjab University — nodal university selected by the UGC — two are from the PU, 20 from Chitkara University, seven from Chandigarh University and three from Amity University.
