Need for Language Technology in Developing ETD Packages

Most of the dissertations from Indian universities are prepared in Indian languages. Hence without digital library packages that can process Indian scripts, full text retrieval or piracy checking will not be possible. Existing popular international packages can process only scripts of international languages. Packages that can process Indian local scripts can be developed only indigenously. The only successfully tested package in this respect is Nithya D Arch, the software used for digitizing PhD theses of Mahatma Gandhi University, Kerala. The language technology adopted in this package is one of the key factors that can contribute to Open Access and Piracy Checking in Indian research environment. It is a unique venture among the initiatives for Open Access and quality control of research in Indian scenario. This paper evaluates the status of ETD archives in India in the above context with special reference to Mahatma Gandhi University’s open access digital archive of PhD Theses