Hyderabad: Established in 1888 to procure, transcribe, collate, edit and publish rare Arabic manuscripts from around the world, the existence of DairatulMa’arifin Osmania University has been threatened due to the negligence of the Government. The deteriorating condition of the institution can be gauged from the fact that a permanent director was not appointed and the manuscript translation project was abruptly stopped.
The number of permanent and temporary employees is decreasing day by day. The administrative office of the DairatulMa’arifhas been sealed while the press, binding section and other important departments have become non-functional.
The Dairatul Ma’arif comes under the Osmania University and budget releases from the Minority Welfare Department. The Telangana government in its annual report on minority welfare has released a three-page detail on the performance of the DairatulMa’arif, claiming that the DairatulMa’arifhas published 240 titles in the last 130 years. About 800 volumes have been prepared in various disciplines for the guidance of historians.
Researchers and academics from all over the world use this institution. About 25 volumes have been prepared by translating the acclaimed works of the field of medicine from Arabic. For the past few years, the DairatulMa’arifhas been progressing towards closing day by day and the day is not far when it will be announced to close the institution and transfer the manuscripts to another library.
Dr. Mustafa Sharif as director approved the project of translation of manuscripts worth 37 crores. The translation work was going on under this project when Union Minister for Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi decided to discontinue the project in the midst. The editorial staff, which includes scholars and translation experts from Arabic, has been reduced to 8 while there are 17 approved posts.
The government has released a very meagre budget every year which is not even enough for the salaries and maintenance of the employees. Not only the government but NGOs should focus on the preservation of this historical institution, otherwise there is no point in regretting later. The building of this historical institution has become very dilapidated and Osmania University has not paid attention to the repair and renovation work.
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