Central Govt Education & Learning

Rajbhasha Gaurav Puraskar Scheme for writing original book in Hindi

National award of ₹25,000–₹1 lakh for books written in Hindi · central government employees and citizens

Indian citizens who write original books in Hindi on science, forensic science, law, or culture/heritage topics can win cash prizes of up to ₹2 lakh under this national award scheme run by the Department of Official Language. Books must be at least 100 pages, carry an ISBN, and be published within the same calendar year. Apply offline by sending 3 copies of the book with the prescribed proforma to the Department of Official Language.

Department of Official Language For: Individual Official Source

About This Scheme

Full official description

The scheme “Rajbhasha Gaurav Puraskar Scheme for Writing Original Book in Hindi” was launched by the Department of Official Language, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India with an objective to encourage writing books originally in Hindi and to promote Official Language. Under the scheme, the citizens of India will be awarded as follows:-

Rajbhasha Gaurav Puraskar for writing original book in Hindi on knowledge and science-based subjects.
Rajbhasha Gaurav Puraskar for writing original book in Hindi on Forensic Science, Police, Criminology Research and Police Administration.
Rajbhasha Gaurav Puraskar for writing original book in Hindi on subjects related to Culture, Religion, Arts and Heritage.
Rajbhasha Gaurav Puraskar for writing original book in Hindi in the field of law.

Objective:

(A) Various Ministries/Departments/Offices/Undertakings/Banks etc. of the Central Government also deal with technical subjects in their official Work. The difficulty is being faced to increase the use of Hindi in official work due to scarcity of books in Hindi on the subjects based on technology, science, forensic science, police, criminology research, police administration, culture, religion, arts, heritage and in the field of law. In addition, employees do face difficulties in doing their official work in Hindi as they are less acquainted or non-acquainted with Hindi terminologies of these subjects. The Department of Official Language is undertaking this scheme with the sole objective to encourage writing books in Hindi on the above-mentioned subjects. (B) Various Ministries/Departments have undertaken different award schemes related to Hindi at the national level. Department of Official Language has been made the sole Nodal Department for book schemes related to Hindi. Hence, relevant schemes among the award schemes related to Hindi being run by various Ministries/ Departments at the national level have been incorporated under the scheme. It has been decided to discontinue the other award schemes. If any Ministry/Department, in the future, wishes to undertake any other award scheme related to Hindi it shall mandatorily consult with the Department of Official Language before taking up any such scheme to avoid repetition of the award scheme.

Benefits

Science/Technology category: 1st prize ₹2,00,000; 2nd prize ₹1,25,000; 3rd prize ₹75,000
Forensic Science, Culture/Heritage, and Law categories: 1st prize ₹1,50,000; 2nd prize ₹1,00,000 each
All winners receive a certificate and a memento
Travel (2nd AC) and daily allowance provided to outstation winners for the award ceremony
Copyright on the awarded book remains with the author/publisher

💡 Why Startups Should Care

Content and edtech founders building in Hindi: the Rajbhasha Gaurav Puraskar signals a persistent government interest in high-quality non-fiction in Hindi — if your platform commissions or distributes Hindi-language educational content, this award is a recognition signal you can build credibility around.

Who Can Apply (Eligibility)

Must be an Indian citizen (co-authors each submit separately)
Book must be written originally in Hindi — translations are not accepted
Topics must fall under one of four categories: science/technology, forensic science/police/criminology, culture/religion/arts/heritage, or law
Book must be at least 100 pages and carry an ISBN number
Must be published between 1st January and 31st December of the award year
Cannot be a thesis, poem, novel, story, play, or textbook
Must not have been previously awarded by any other government organisation
Author must not have won a Department of Official Language prize in the preceding 3 years

Exclusions

Not available for books written in languages other than Hindi
Translations from other languages are generally not eligible — must be an original work
Check the annual notification for the specific subject categories eligible in that year

How to Apply

Write and publish an original book in Hindi on science, technology, economics, law, or another specified subject.
Watch for the annual notification from MHA's Rajbhasha Division on rajbhasha.gov.in.
Submit your published book along with a nomination form to the Rajbhasha Division.
A national committee evaluates nominated books.
Winners receive the prize and a citation at a national function.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the objective of the scheme?

The objective of the scheme "Rajbhasha Gaurav Puraskar Scheme for Writing Original Book in Hindi" is to encourage writing books originally in Hindi and to promote the Official Language.

What are the categories under which awards are given?

The scheme recognizes excellence in writing across different categories, including:

Rajbhasha Gaurav Puraskar for writing original book in Hindi on knowledge and science based subjects.
Rajbhasha Gaurav Puraskar for writing original book in Hindi on Forensic Science, Police, Criminology Research and Police Administration.
Rajbhasha Gaurav Puraskar for writing original book in Hindi on subjects related to Culture, Religion, Arts and Heritage.
Rajbhasha Gaurav Puraskar for writing original book in Hindi in the field of law.

What additional benefits do awardees receive apart from the cash prizes?

Apart from the cash prizes, awardees will be presented with a certificate and a memento to honor their achievement. Additionally, authors/publishers retain the copyright of the award-winning book.

Are there any provisions for travel and accommodation for awardees from distant places?

Yes, awardees traveling from places other than the designated award distribution location will be provided to and fro fare for 2nd AC. They will also receive a daily allowance as per the rules of the Government of India. However, lodging arrangements are to be made by the awardee at their own expense.

Who is eligible to participate for the award?

The author or co-author must be a citizen of India to be eligible for participation for the award.

What genres are considered under the scheme?

The book should be written on the genres mentioned as follows:-

Engineering, Electronics, Computer Science, Physics, Biology, Energy, Space Science, Medicine, Chemistry, Information Technology, Management, Psychology etc; Contemporary subjects such as Liberalisation, Globalisation, Consumerism, Human Rights and Pollution etc.
Forensic Science, Police, Criminology Research and Police Administration etc.
Culture, Religion, Arts and Heritage etc.
Subject related to Law

Can a book with multiple authors be submitted?

Yes, in the case of multiple authors, each co-author must fill out the proforma separately to be considered for the award.

Are translated books accepted under the scheme?

No, only original works in Hindi are accepted.

Can a book that has received awards from other government organizations participate?

Books that have received awards from any government organization previously will not be eligible.

What is the acceptable timeframe for books to be considered under the scheme?

Books published between 1st January to 31st December are eligible for consideration under the Scheme.

What types of books are not eligible under the scheme?

Books in the form of a thesis for Ph.D., poems, novels, stories, plays, or textbooks are not eligible under the scheme. The book should be an analytical review of the subject it deals with.

What responsibilities do authors have regarding the content of their books?

The author/co-author will be responsible for facts and figures given in the book and must give references wherever possible as proof.

Can an author receive the award if they have won in the previous three years?

If a person has received a prize under any scheme of Department of Official Language during the preceding three years, his/her entry shall not be considered. However, a co-author, (if any) can participate in the scheme. The co-author will be given the amount proportionately.

What is the minimum page requirement for eligible books?

The books submitted under the scheme should contain a minimum of 100 pages.

What happens if the Evaluation Committee finds none of the submitted books suitable for the award?

If the Evaluation Committee arrives at a conclusion that none of the-books, received as entries, is suitable for the award, decision of the committee in this regard will be considered as final.

How is the award money distributed if a book has multiple authors?

In case the book selected for the award has more than one author, the award money will be divided equally among them.

Is there a requirement for books to have an ISBN to be accepted under the scheme?

Yes, only books with ISBN will be accepted for the award.

How can I apply under the scheme?

Author entry proforma fill it out with accurate details, and submit it along with three copies of the original book and the required documents before the specified deadline.

Ready to apply?

Visit the official government portal to apply for this scheme.

Apply on myScheme.gov.in

Documents Required

Nomination form (as prescribed in the notification)
Published copy of the Hindi book
Proof of authorship
Aadhaar card
Bank account details