I&B Ministry
Publications Division puts 227 e-books, India Year Book free on WAVES platform
Journals and job weekly go digital on WAVES, expanding access nationwide
NEW DELHI: In a move that blends public knowledge with digital ease, the Publications Division has released 227 e-books, including the widely referenced India Year Book, for free access on the WAVES OTT platform.
The initiative, rolled out in collaboration with Prasar Bharati, also brings flagship journals such as Yojana, Kurukshetra, Aajkal and Bal Bharati, along with the weekly Employment News, onto the digital platform at no cost. The aim is simple yet significant: make credible, insightful content available to anyone with a screen and curiosity.
These publications have long held a reputation for unpacking socio-economic issues, rural development, literature and education in an accessible way. Employment News, in particular, continues to serve as a dependable guide for job seekers, offering updates on vacancies, recruitment notices, career advice and skill-building opportunities.
Beyond journals, the platform now hosts a diverse library of e-books spanning multiple genres. At the centre of this collection is the India Year Book, known for its comprehensive overview of the country’s governance, economy and development landscape.
The digital push is far from over. The Publications Division plans to add around 300 more e-books by the end of April, this time at nominal prices to keep them affordable while sustaining the publishing ecosystem.
For those who still prefer the feel of paper, the initiative also bridges the online-offline divide. Printed titles can now be purchased via the WAVES platform through the CSC Grameen eStore, enabled by the ONDC framework. Currently, 524 physical books are available, with delivery extending to rural and remote areas.
By combining free digital access, low-cost content and physical availability, the Publications Division is building a reading ecosystem that meets audiences where they are. For readers across India, it is one more reason to swap idle scrolling for informed browsing.
I&B Ministry
IT Rules tweaks are clarificatory, not expansion of powers: MeitY
Govt signals flexibility as platforms push for clarity on user content rules
NEW DELHI: The Centre has sought to dial down concerns over its proposed amendments to the IT Rules, with Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology secretary S Krishnan asserting that the changes are intended as clarifications rather than an expansion of regulatory powers.
Pushing back against criticism from platforms and civil society, S Krishnan said the amendments “do not in any way actually give us wider powers” and are meant to remove ambiguity in how existing provisions are applied. He added that the trigger came largely from within the ecosystem, with intermediaries themselves seeking clearer guidance on compliance, takedowns and record preservation.
At the heart of the debate is the growing friction between platforms and policymakers over responsibility for user-generated content. Intermediaries have argued that they should not be treated on par with publishers, particularly when content is created and uploaded by users. Krishnan acknowledged this concern, noting that “a sharper distinction” between user content and publisher content is needed and is currently under examination.
The issue becomes more complex in enforcement scenarios. While registered publishers can be directly asked to modify or remove content, intermediaries often lack control over the original creator. “In such cases, the intermediary cannot direct those changes,” Krishnan explained, underlining the need for procedural nuance.
Another key proposal under discussion is to bring user-generated news and current affairs content within a more unified regulatory ambit, potentially under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. The move follows suggestions that a single authority should handle such content, regardless of whether it originates from a publisher or an individual user.
Even as the government frames the amendments as a tidy-up exercise, fault lines remain. Industry players have flagged concerns over compliance burdens, especially for smaller businesses, and questioned whether advisories could effectively become binding without explicit legislative backing. Krishnan said the government is mindful of these risks and is exploring ways to ease obligations, including possible relaxations under certain provisions.
The ministry is also considering consolidating multiple advisories and guidelines into a more structured framework, a step widely seen as addressing long-standing confusion over what platforms are expected to follow.
On takedowns, the government has reiterated that due process will remain unchanged. Krishnan stressed that actions will continue to be governed by established procedures, with reasons recorded and review mechanisms in place. He also pointed to the surge in deepfakes and synthetic media as a factor behind rising content disputes, calling it a “scale challenge” for regulators.
Interestingly, Krishnan also framed social media platforms as commercial entities rather than pure vehicles of free expression, hinting at a broader shift in regulatory thinking as platform economics come into sharper focus.
With stakeholders seeking more time and, in some cases, a rollback of the proposals, the government has kept the consultation process open-ended. Krishnan said further revisions remain on the table, signalling a willingness to adapt the draft based on feedback.
For now, the message from MeitY is clear: the rules may not be tightening in intent, but the effort to define them more clearly is well underway.
