That students of Federal Urdu University of Arts, Science and Technology (FUUAST) are facing hardship at examinations for shortage of books at the libraries of both the campuses, as revealed in a Recorder Report. Understandable, as such, should also be accentuation of their plight from the compulsion of reliance for examination purposes on outdated books.
Needless to point, the students' frustration is likely to exacerbate for evident lack of interest on the part of authorities in getting these books timely revised and updated so as to help the students catch up with the fast changing developments in their respective fields.
What is all the more agonising in this context is the distressing disclosure that such an eventuality could not be averted in time despite a grant of Rs 35 million for this very purpose made by the Higher Education Commission (HEC) of Pakistan way back in 2005. As part of a three-year project, HEC is also stated to have issued Rs 15 million as the first instalment expressly for translation of the available books in the first instance.
For tasked to accomplish the target of publication of 80 books on science through the project, HEC had made these grants, besides setting up a committee with renowned linguists, Aslam Farrukhi and Jamiluddin Aali as observers, to ensure against shortage of books in the university. However, as ill-luck would have it, no more than 36 books were turned out in three years, with 12 others reported to be in the pipeline.
Deplorable though the inordinate delay will certainly appear to be in normal circumstances, it will be in the fitness of things not to ignore its causes as reportedly cited by the members of the committee. To sum up their arguments, they have defended the time lag on the plea that publication of books is a difficult task, primarily, because of the lack of interest of writers.
According to them, only a few institutions are working for the promotion of national language, and that too in the field of literature, and not for the production of scientific books. That this argument is wide of the mark should leave little to doubt in view of the simple fact that they were supposed to supervise production of science books alone.
In the first place, they were expected to have been fully aware of this problem and should have declined to shoulder the responsibility. Perhaps, overtaken by the understandable urge for further enrichment of Urdu language, hoping against hope, they might have decided to take a chance.
As such, all the arguments for the delay can best be described as an after-thought, hence untenable. Again, it will be noted that they have cited Anjuman Taraqqi-e-Urdu among the institutions, which produces only 20pc textbooks that are not sufficient to cater to the needs of the students.
But, as they have pointed out, the HEC had directed the committee to produce some books on arts subjects, including geography, economics, psychology and special education, it failed to do the job due to continuous negligence towards the arts faculty, maintaining that the university can produce standard books if the education board works in collaboration with the Indian Abul Kalam Azad, National Urdu University, Hyderabad, India.
More to its Jamia Millia, Delhi, also offered Department of Mass Communication, FUUAST, Abdul Haq Campus to share the available books, which are published in Urdu language. Perhaps, they did not positively respond to that offer too.
Instead, they have now come up with the idea of HEC handing over control of Science Board, Dictionary Board and Muqtadera-e-Urdu Board to FUUAST and it should also establish Urdu Publication Wings (UPW) in Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi to promote national language in the country. Zafar Mohiuddin, Co-ordinator of the committee, said that the HEC was given the task to produce 80 books in a three-year project, which could not be completed because it is not an easy task to write books in Urdu on specialised subjects.
It is, however, another matter that now he has reportedly stated that in view of the complexities in the publication process, HEC has extended the duration of the project, pointing out that HEC had fixed the criteria without comprehension of the complex nature of the process, thereby, leading to the committee's failure to meet the target.
All in all, attribute whatever reasons to it, the fact remains that predicament of the FUUAST students at this juncture has resulted from flawed handling of the projected over a period of three years, hence calling for a thorough probe in the matter, to ensure against its recurrence.
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