Jamia Millia Islamia Hosts First Meeting of Hindi Promotion Committee

Jamia Millia Islamia University recently held its first meeting of the Nagar Rajkaryanvayan Samiti (NARAKAS), aimed at promoting Hindi in government offices. The committee, formed by the Ministry of Home Affairs, seeks to address challenges in policy implementation and enhance the use of Hindi across various sectors. Discussions included the issuance of bilingual documents and the university's historical commitment to Hindi. Vice-Chancellor Mazhar Asif emphasized the importance of language in identity and culture, while also referencing the National Education Policy's focus on mother tongues. The meeting brought together officials from 109 central government offices, marking a significant step in revitalizing Hindi's presence in official communications.

By Narendra Chaudhary May 28, 2025, 11:10 IST

First Meeting of the Hindi Promotion Committee at Jamia Millia Islamia

The inaugural meeting of the Nagar Rajkaryanvayan Samiti (NARAKAS) for Delhi Central-1 was convened under the leadership of Vice-Chancellor Mazhar Asif at Jamia Millia Islamia University.

This committee, established by the Ministry of Home Affairs, aims to enhance the progressive use of Hindi in central government offices, public sector enterprises, and banks, while addressing implementation challenges through collective discussions.

These committees serve as a platform for reviewing progress and sharing best practices among central government entities. According to a statement from the university, the meeting held on Monday brought together officials from 109 central government offices located in the Delhi Central-1 region.

The statement highlighted that the discussions focused on increasing the use of Hindi in official operations, issuing documents in a bilingual format as mandated by Section 3(3) of the Official Languages Act, and achieving the annual program goals set by the Ministry.

Clarifications regarding the classification of states and union territories into A, B, and C categories for implementation purposes were also made. Kumar Pal Sharma, Joint Director of the Department of Official Languages under the Ministry of Home Affairs, acknowledged that the activities of the NARAKAS committees had been inactive for nearly two years.

Expressing satisfaction with the new initiatives, he expressed confidence that Jamia Millia Islamia's leadership would inject new energy into the promotion of Hindi. In his presidential address, Professor Asif emphasized the deep interconnections between language, identity, and culture.

He referenced Jamia Millia Islamia's legacy and its role in preserving Indian languages, stating, 'Those who love their mother also love their motherland. These three are inseparable.'

He also highlighted the emphasis on mother tongues in the National Education Policy 2020, of which he was a part during its formulation and implementation phases. Jamia's Registrar, Mahtab Alam Rizvi, underscored the university's historical commitment to Hindi and Indian languages.

He recalled that Mahatma Gandhi had sent his son Devdas Gandhi to teach Hindi at Jamia Millia Islamia. To support the effective implementation of Hindi programs, the university has also formed various sub-committees.