The Department of School Education, Ministry of Education, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Book Trust to establish an institutional framework for Rashtriya e-Pustakalaya, a pioneering digital library platform. This collaboration aims to enhance the accessibility of non-academic books for children and adolescents across India.

K. Sanjay Murthy, addressing the event, highlighted the role of non-academic books in shaping children’s future academic choices and encouraged the inclusion of quality literature from academic faculty. Sanjay Kumar emphasized the importance of reading habits and noted that Rashtriya e-Pustakalaya will provide round-the-clock access to books, overcoming geographic limitations.

The digital library aims to resolve the ‘last mile’ accessibility issue for many states by offering over 10,000 books in more than 100 languages within the next 2-3 years. Currently, over 1,000 books in 23 languages are available.

Rashtriya e-Pustakalaya will feature over 1,000 non-academic titles from more than 40 publishers in 22 languages, besides English. The platform will cater to four age groups (3-8, 8-11, 11-14, and 14-18 years) as per NEP 2020 guidelines, and will be accessible on Android and iOS devices. The library will offer books across multiple genres, fostering cultural awareness and empathy.

The initiative, expected to bridge the digital divide, will ensure books are accessible anytime and anywhere, promoting healthy reading habits among youth. The MoU signifies a collaborative effort to improve the educational environment in India.

A panel discussion on “Re-discovering Reading Habits in Bharatiya Youth” featured insights from Indian publishing experts, engaging Ministry of Education officials, school principals, publishers, scholars, and media members.