While it is true that translation is an ongoing process, the need for productive public intervention in this key area comes primarily from the unevenness in the translation activity in the country – unevenness in terms of disciplines as well as languages and also that of quality, distribution and access. There is an unrecognized demand for translation in diverse existing and emerging domains like literature, pure sciences, applied sciences, social sciences, law, medicine, management, technology and more.

Further, the information available through translation is inadequate and asymmetric. The dissemination of translation is also unsatisfactory as the target readership is highly diffused and uncoordinated and the market reach of translation is seldom assessed and ensured. Only the proper dissemination of quality translations can create a benchmark and provide proper impetus to the private ongoing activity in the area. This is the context that demands public intervention in the mission mode, in the form of a set of measures that can kick-start a process of encouraging private initiatives to make feasible the availability of high quality translation in different disciplines. Translation activities can also generate direct and indirect employment, thus encouraging the educated unemployed to serve the people while finding a remunerative profession for themselves.

It was this awareness that prompted the NKC to form a working group led by Prof. Jayati Ghosh that would bring together different agencies and people involved in the activity of translation, its publication and dissemination. The working group included representatives from the relevant government and semi-government organisations, academics, linguists, translators, educationists, publishers and others associated with the translation activities in India. As the groups began meeting in Delhi in February, 2006, the broad contours of the field were outlined by Prof. Udaya Narayana Singh. On March 6, 2006, Prof. Jayati Ghosh, Member-Convenor NTM Committee, wrote to the Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission, forwarding the recommendations of the NKC and the revised proposal to the Commission. Thereafter, the groups met several times and had a large scale two–day workshops held at the Central Institute of Indian Languages, Mysore on 12-13 April, 2007. On April 19, 2006, the revised proposal was commented upon by the Planning Commission, vide its letter no. P.11060/4/2005-Edn raising a set of five queries, which were responded to. Meanwhile, some detailed comments were received from several Social Science experts,especially from the Centre for the Studies of Developing Societies (CSDS), and other institutions such as Indian Council for Historical Research (ICHR). These raised several issues and gave creative suggestions as to the scope and organisation of the NTM, some of which are being incorporated into this detailed project report. On June 21 and July 3, 2006, suggestions from many publishing houses, involved in translation, were also received. Later, on 31st August, 2006, the Ministry of HRD’s Working Group on Languages and Book Promotion also endorsed the idea vide its recommendations for the XIth Plan to the Planning Commission. Subsequently, on September 1, 2006, Shri Sam Pitroda, Chairman, NKC wrote to the Prime Minister giving details of the NTM after which, a detailed proposal was formulated by the Ministry of HRD.

An attempt could be made to list out about 70 domains here:

CHIEF DOMAINS COVERED BY NTM

1. Adult/Continuing Education (Andralogy/Non-formal Education)
2. Anthropology (Physical)
3. Anthropology (Social)
4. Arab Culture and Islamic Studies
5. Archaeology (including Numismatics)
6. Architecture
7. Astrophysics
8. Biophysics
9. Biochemistry
10. Biotechnology
11. Botany (General)
12. Chemistry (General)
13. Commerce
14. Comparative literature
15. Computer Science and Applications (incl. Artificial Intelligence & Robotics)
16. Criminology & Forensic Science
17. Culture Studies (incl. Indian Culture)
18. Cybernetics
19. Dance
20. Defence & Strategic Studies
21. Economics
22. Education
23. Engineering – Aeronautical (incl. Avionics)
24. Engineering – Chemical (incl. Ceramics & Polymer Technology)
25. Engineering – Civil
26. Engineering – Electrical
27. Engineering – Electronics (incl. Telecommunications)
28. Engineering – Mechanical (incl. Instrumentation, Engineering Mechanics & Automobile Engg)
29. Environmental Sciences (incl. Environmental Engineering)
30. Ethnology
31. Film Studies
32. Folklore (incl. Folk Literature & Tribal Literature)
33. Genetics , Eugenics, Genetic Engineering
34. Geography
35. Geology
36. History(General)
37. Home Science
38. Human Rights and Duties
39. Informatics (incl. Library & Information Sciences)
40. International Relations and Area Studies
41. Journalism/Media Studies/Mass Communication
42. Labour Welfare/Personnel (HRD) Management/Industrial Relations
43. Law
44. Linguistics
45. Management
46. Manuscriptology
47. Mathematics
48. Medical Sciences (at the MBBS level)
49. Microbiology
50. Museumology (incl. Museology & Conservation)
51. Musicology
52. Peace/Gandhian Studies
53. Performing Arts (incl. Dance, Drama, Theatre Studies)
54. Philosophy
55. Physical Education
56. Physics (General)
57. Poetics
58. Political Science
59. Population Studies
60. Psychology
61. Public Administration
62. Religious Studies/Comparative Study of Religions
63. Social Medicine & Community Health
64. Social Work
65. Sociology
66. Tourism Administration and Management
67. Translation Studies
68. Visual Arts (incl. Drawing & Painting/Sculpture/Graphics/Applied Art/
    History of Art)
69. Women’s Studies
70. Zoology (General)