Team Bharat Education 
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Published on:
Nov 20, 2024
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Lack of textbooks in regional languages including Hindi has emerged as the prominent reason for fewer or no takers in courses offered in these languages. Recently, West Bengal, Kerala, and Karnataka discontinued their regional language engineering programmes due to low enrolments. Similarly, MBBS offered in Hindi in Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan is getting a lukewarm response. Identifying the reason for the limited popularity of regional languages, the Ministry of Education (MoE) has introduced several initiatives to popularise it. MoE has urged all ministries, departments, and autonomous bodies under the central government to consider using their capaсіty building funds for the promotion of Indian languages.
Speaking to Education Times, Chamu Krishna Shastry, chairman, Bharatiya Bhasha Samiti, MoE, said, The reason for low enrolment in Indian languages may be due to several contextual factors. One prominent reason is the unavailability of quality content materials or textbooks for engineering and medical courses in local languages. The MoE has decided that textbooks and study materials in all the 22 scheduled Indian textbooks and study materials in all the 22 scheduled Indian languages will be offered for all courses. The CBSE school teachers are directed to use any of the Indian languages as the medium of instruction in the classroom. The AICTE has introduced the Anuvadini app for translating engineering and other professional course textbooks in multiple languages. The Central Institute of Indian Languages (CIIL) Mysore, in collaboration with NCERT, has published primers in 77 languages including tribal languages.
The MoE directed the National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) to launch the National Mission for Mentoring (NMM) and the National Professional Standards for Teachers (NPST) for pre-primary, primary, secondary, and senior secondary stages in schools, as well as for teachers in non formal and part time education, adult education, and distance education. These initiatives will be available in 15 languages. Advanced AI translation tools such as Anuvadini, Bhashini, and Bahubhasha Shabdakosh were also launched to facilitate the use of Indian words, phrases, and sentences in emerging domains like IT, industry research, and education.
The MoE has emphasised accurate use of funds to promote Indian languages. Universities are organising various capacity building workshops to equip NCERT experts and teachers to write books in local languages and promote multilingualte aching learning. MoEs ca pacity building initiatives include developing digital materials in Indian languages for which Augmenting Study Materials in Indian Languages through Translation and Academic Writing (ASMITA) was introduced, Shastry adds.
To enhance the acceptance of professionals who have been trained and educated through regional language courses, the MoE has directed popularisation of Indian languages at school and college levels. The multilingual ecosystem will generate enough literature, documents, and various other reading materials in multiple Indian languages, fostering greater appreciation and knowledge among youth. Multilingualism will create demand for subject specific skills giving rise to translation based jobs in fields such as administration, law, commerce, information technology, business, healthcare, entertainment, media, and more, adds Shastry.
Linguistic transition is largely driven by demand, policy, profitability, and national aspirations. It is a misconception that all workplaces function solely in English. Even in English oriented workplaces, the goal should be to not replace English but to incorporate Indian languages alongside. Around 90% of the population does not use English as a language of communication,
so making information accessible to this large segment requires an Indian language centred ecosystem. Multinational Corporations (MNCs) are increasingly producing content in local languages, with major tech companies investing heavily in AI and Machine Learning (ML) for local language applications. Future workplaces will be Indian language centric, creating a greater demand for proficiency in Indian languages, he adds.
Many Indian workplaces use local languages, and youth educated in Indian languages will be better equipped to meet workplace demands with better communication and efficiency, says Shastry
Published on: Education Times
Date: 20.11.2024
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