Minister releases Science magazine in Hindi, Urdu; says work on to bring out science textbooks in vernacular languages | India News – Times of India

NEW DELHI- To promote learning of science among the youth across the country, the Centre is working on a project to make available science textbooks in several vernacular languages, Union science & technology minister Jitendra Singh announced on Wednesday.
The minister said promoting science communication and education in Indian languages is one of the key focuses of the government and efforts are on to make textbooks in vernacular languages available to students. A group of experts has been given the task for this, he added.
Singh revealed this while unveiling the ‘Science’ monthly magazine in Hindi, Urdu and English, and also announced that Dogri and Kashmiri versions of the same, along with other vernacular versions, will be released soon.
While Hindi and English versions of the magazine are based on the theme ‘Dream 2047’ referring to the 100th year of India’s independence, the Urdu version is named ‘Tajassus’ (curiosity) and is prepared in association with the Central University of Kashmir, a ministry release said.
Singh said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has always pitched for using vernacular languages in promoting science communication in a big way to promote ‘love of science’ among youth of the country and stressed that language should not be a barrier in their endeavour. He said when most advanced countries like Russia, Japan, Germany and China can have the best of science literature and projects in their mother tongues, India has also taken the lead to communicate modern science and technology in all Indian languages.
In another development, Vigyan Prasar in the ministry of science and technology has launched SCoPE (Science Communication, Popularisation and Extension) in Indian languages, also known as Vigyan Bhasha. As part of this SCoPE-Vigyan Bhasha initiative, a big push is being given to communicate the latest scientific developments in Indian languages. Information will be disseminated through print via books, periodicals, booklets and posters.
Television and radio programmes in all Indian languages will be produced for communicating science to the public. In this regard, Vigyan Prasar has started IndiaScience TV, India’s only OTT channel. The channel has created more than 3,000 programmes so far in Hindi and English. It will make them available in other Indian languages as well.