Jamia Millia Islamia hosts first meeting of Delhi Central-1 official language committee

NEW DELHI: The first meeting of the Nagar Rajbhasha Karyanvayan Samiti (NARAKAS), Delhi Central-1 (Office), was held at Jamia Millia Islamia university under the chairmanship of Vice-Chancellor Mazhar Asif. Constituted by the Ministry of Home Affairs, NARAKAS committees aim to promote the progressive use of Hindi in Central government offices, public sector undertakings and banks, and to remove difficulties in policy implementation through collective discussion.

They serve as platforms for Central government entities to review progress and share best practices. The meeting held on Monday brought together Official Language Officers and heads of 109 Central government offices located in Delhi Central-1 region, the university said in a statement.

The discussions focused on enhancing the use of Hindi in official work, issuing documents in bilingual format as required under Section 3(3) of the Official Language Act, and meeting the annual programme targets set by the Department of Official Language, the statement said. The categorisation of states and Union Territories into regions A, B and C for implementation purposes was also clarified, it added.

Speaking at the event, Kumar Pal Sharma, Joint Director of the Department of Official Language under the Ministry of Home Affairs, acknowledged that activities of the NARAKAS committees have remained dormant for nearly two years. Expressing satisfaction at the renewed efforts, he said he was confident that Jamia Millia Islamia's leadership would infuse new energy into the promotion of Hindi.

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Jamia's role in preserving Indian languages

In his presidential address, Prof Asif emphasised the deep interconnection between language, identity and culture. Referring to the legacy of Jamia Millia Islamia and its role in preserving the Indian languages, he said, "Those who love their mother also love their mother tongue and their motherland. These three are inseparable."

He also highlighted the emphasis placed on mother tongues in the National Education Policy 2020, of which he was a part during the drafting and implementation stages. Jamia Registrar Mahtab Alam Rizvi underlined the historical commitment of the university towards Hindi and Indian languages.

He recalled that Mahatma Gandhi had sent his son Devdas Gandhi to teach Hindi at Jamia Millia Islamia as part of its foundational mission. Participants in the open forum raised several practical challenges in Hindi implementation in their respective offices. Prof Asif took note of these suggestions and assured timely redressal and support. The university has also formed various sub-committees to assist in the effective execution of Hindi programmes.