Careerfocused Content A Big Draw As Book Fair Returns To Capital

Minisha Das, XI. grade student Great, happy to be back at the carnival he said he loved the most. "One of the things I've missed in the last few years is the book fair," he said as he bought a book of preparation material for the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) he will take next year.

But the change in book preferences is evident. "I bought the novels last time, but now I have to prepare for next year's entrance exams. Here, the selection of textbooks for the exam is quite accessible and complete," he said.

Books meant for competitive competitions like JEE and UPSC are the biggest draws at the 31st edition of the Delhi Book Fair, held at Pragati Maidan from February 25 to March 5, after a gap of two years.

From instructions to quizzes, course materials and even last-minute prep cards, the sheer volume of study materials at the fair is a breeze to swap fiction, non-fiction and poetry. Organized by the National Book Trust (NBT) and the Indian Trade Promotion Organization (ITPO), the fair will also bring stalls from popular publications such as Harper Collins, Rupa, Penguin, Amar Chitra Katha and many others.

This year, the theme of the exhibition is 'Azadi Ka Amrit Mahatsev', marking the 75th anniversary of India's independence. As part of this, as part of the Prime Minister's YUVA (Young Versatile Writers of the Future) program, 75 authors selected through a competition and mentored by renowned writers will publish their books. In addition, NBT will also release 100 titles released in the India@75 series.

The 2022 Nobel Prize winner, Annie Hernaud, directed the festival, France was the guest of honor.

But while the annual book festival tries to return to its old avatar - complete with children's sections, storytelling sessions and talks by renowned authors - it also reflects a marked shift in the reading needs and patterns of the common urban Indian.

This year, the show also has an Ed-Tech zone in the new National Education Policy (NEP) Pavilion, dedicated to digital players and non-profit organizations showcasing their online courses, products and services.

A school teacher who went to the fair with about 100 students stated that his school asked the teachers to give the children a list of books to help them with their school projects and term papers. The list includes practice materials for math, science, and English grammar for middle and high school.

Used books also do well at fairs. "I was a regular visitor at the fair, and we saw students buying second-hand copies of classic literature and poetry collections. As exam materials are updated annually, we usually do not keep frequently used copies on the stand. However, students also buy old copies for practice," Ratan Jain, a bookseller at the fair, told Business Standard .

Proper education is the key

The high demand for study aids and course supplements is not the only sign of an increased focus on children's careers.

Simran Sachdeva, who visited the exhibition with two primary school children, emphasized "the importance of encouraging children on the right path from an early age".

18 of the 20 books bought are encyclopedias, fun science and how things work. The other two are short biographies of Albert Einstein and Marie Curie.

The organizers have made a greater effort to make the fair a place to discuss education policy and build educational infrastructure. There is a special pavilion dedicated to India's presidency of G20 and NEP. The themed pavilions are dedicated to India's 75 years of history since independence. Various platforms and stands explore the lives and thoughts of India's current political leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and Defense Minister Rajnath Singh.

Yuvraj Malik, director of the National Book Trust of India, said, "There is also a special room for business meetings and discussions with government policy makers, stakeholders in the education sector, teachers, students, parents, etc."

This place also has many traditional book connoisseurs. "For us, book fairs mean getting lost in titles, discovering new treasures and forgotten classics. My favorite place is the old book stall. Today's children are looking for the "right book" to read that will help them in their careers and exams. Comic book stands are a rare breed, and I have yet to find a volume of good poetry. The only genre category that dominates this year's fair are stands with spiritual and religious books.

THAT cannot be missed

· Cultural evenings in the amphitheater with live youth groups, army bands and folk and traditional music and dance performances.

· Bande dessinée comics in the French pavilion

· United Arab Emirates, Germany, Spain, Bangladesh, etc. including stalls and pavilions from various countries

· Storytelling classes in the children's department

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