CUK Rajbhasha cell holds workshop

Ganderbal, Nov 4: The Rajbhasha Cell of the Central University of Kashmir (CUK) organised a workshop on “Use of Unicode and Modern Tools for Implementation of Rajbhasha Hindi” at the university’s Green Campus here on Monday.

Prof Muhammad Yousuf, Dr. Mehraj ud Din Shah, Dr Anand Kumar Soni, along with senior university officials and employees, were present.

Addressing the participants, Prof Muhammad Yousuf, Dean of the School of Physical and Chemical Sciences, stated that the Government of India has implemented several initiatives to promote Hindi in government organisations, such as the Rajbhasha policy, which mandates the use of Hindi in official documents and encourages Hindi-language training for government employees. “By using Hindi in official documents, circulars, websites, and announcements, government entities not only ensure accessibility for the masses but also promote linguistic inclusivity,” Prof Yousuf said.

Speaking on the occasion, Finance Officer Dr. Mehraj ud Din Shah emphasised that the implementation of Rajbhasha Hindi in government organisations is essential for promoting Hindi as an official language in India.

“It not only supports linguistic unity but also enhances accessibility, ensuring that government services are approachable for citizens,” he said.

Dr Shah noted that learning Hindi can be beneficial for employees, particularly in government and public service sectors where Hindi is widely used as the official language.

In his speech, subject expert Dr Anand Kumar Soni, Deputy Registrar at IGNOU, New Delhi, highlighted that the Constitution of India, through Article 343, declared Hindi in Devanagari script as the official language of the Union, reflecting the intent to establish Hindi as a unifying language within the country’s multilingual landscape. “The Official Languages Act of 1963 further strengthened this provision by allowing the use of Hindi and English for official purposes, while emphasising the need to promote Hindi across administrative departments and organisations,” he added.

He explained that the adoption of Unicode and modern digital tools has significantly advanced the implementation of Rajbhasha Hindi in government and administrative contexts, as well as in the broader digital landscape of India. Dr Soni, in his presentation, highlighted the use of Unicode for writing and translating text from English to Hindi.

Hindi Adhikari Dr Sakina Akhter outlined the measures taken by the Rajbhasha Cell to promote Hindi at CUK. She noted that the majority of employees have completed the Prabodh, Praveen, Pragya, and Parangat courses and are successfully using Hindi in official work. She mentioned that the Cell regularly organises workshops to enhance employees' knowledge and skills for using Hindi in official communications. Deputy Registrar Abdul Rashid proposed the vote of thanks.