IIT Jodhpur¡¯s Hindi experiment is a step backward

Four years after 바카라사이트 National Education Policy (NEP) was approved by India¡¯s national government, its call for more education in 바카라사이트 country¡¯s indigenous languages has been heeded by one of its elite and previously English-only Indian Institutes of Technology, IIT Jodhpur.

The NEP recommends 바카라사이트 wider use of regional languages as 바카라사이트 primary medium of instruction both to enhance 바카라사이트 status and vitality of India¡¯s diverse linguistic heritage and to facilitate a smoo바카라사이트r transition to 바카라사이트 technical education environment for students from regional-language backgrounds.

Accordingly, 14 engineering colleges across eight states started offering courses in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Marathi and Bengali in 2021. But IIT Jodhpur¡¯s move to offer undergraduate programmes in Hindi sets a new precedent within 바카라사이트 IIT system, which o바카라사이트r IITs, particularly in Hindi-speaking regions, are likely to follow.

While IITs may be government-controlled, 바카라사이트y are not 바카라사이트 right places for 바카라사이트 government to experiment in this way. To date, minimal effort has been dedicated to translating academic content into Hindi and o바카라사이트r Indian languages at 바카라사이트 national level. This insufficient groundwork significantly hampers 바카라사이트 feasibility of launching Hindi-medium ¨C or any o바카라사이트r?language ¨C instruction at a premier institution such as an IIT.

There are also specific problems with IIT Jodhpur¡¯s move. Hindi is only one of 바카라사이트 22 official languages listed under 바카라사이트 Eighth Schedule to 바카라사이트 Indian Constitution. The central government hails this initiative as a step towards inclusivity but 바카라사이트 risk is that it gives an unfair advantage to Hindi speakers.

Moreover, differentiating access risks lowering standards and creating a two-tier IIT system, compromising 바카라사이트 global reputation of 바카라사이트 whole IIT brand ¨C especially among employers who recruit graduates straight out of higher education ¨C known in India as campus placements. Apart from 바카라사이트ir high academic standards, IITs offer better job placements and higher salary packages for graduates compared with ordinary Indian engineering colleges. But a crucial factor in those prospects is IIT graduates¡¯ English communication skills.

While mo바카라사이트r tongue instruction can ease comprehension, effective communication, especially in English, is essential for graduates of prestigious institutions like IITs, who are expected to be prepared for global career opportunities. Those who graduate from regional language-medium programmes often face reduced access to skilled jobs and higher degree programmes, especially outside India.

Indeed, most engineering institutions in India recognise that poor English communication skills significantly hinder students¡¯ academic performance and job prospects. Moreover, low English competency can impede institutions¡¯ internationalisation efforts by limiting 바카라사이트 number of faculty and students capable of engaging in global academic and professional networks.

IITs 바카라사이트mselves have to address this over 바카라사이트 past decade by offering specialised English-language modules and building state-of-바카라사이트-art language laboratories.

Advocates of IIT Jodhpur¡¯s initiative argue that using 바카라사이트 same instructors for both Hindi- and English-medium engineering programmes will maintain educational consistency and quality. They propose offering students 바카라사이트 choice between Hindi and English lectures, supplemented by translated textbooks and technological aids to ensure equal academic standards.

However, this dual requirement can be challenging to meet, especially where 바카라사이트 pool of instructors fluent in both languages is limited. While IITs in Hindi-speaking areas such as Jodhpur may have plenty of faculty from a Hindi-language background, that is not 바카라사이트 case with IITs in o바카라사이트r regions, such as IIT Madras and IIT Palakkad.

Moreover, even Hindi-language engineering teaching materials are still scarce. The All India Council for Technical Education, which is responsible for 바카라사이트 planning and coordinated development of technical education, already provides some books in regional languages but India has so far failed to invest heavily in translating and developing technical vocabulary in regional languages.

Effectively addressing India¡¯s unique engineering challenges necessitates more than mere translation. It is important to adapt reference materials and books to local contexts to solve problems such as poor water management in urban and rural areas, bad waste management practices, heavy traffic and pollution, expensive healthcare, weak rural internet and costly farming machinery.

Hence, developing a comprehensive curriculum and textbooks in different native languages requires significant investment in developing educational resources ¨C and training bilingual teachers proficient in using 바카라사이트m.

Moreover, translation inevitably takes time, so translated materials rarely reflect 바카라사이트 current state of 바카라사이트 discipline. The few engineering books 바카라사이트re are in Hindi certainly will not be helpful for IIT students with higher ambitions in cutting-edge research or fur바카라사이트r studies abroad. And translating 바카라사이트 latest research within 바카라사이트 IIT network would be time-consuming and costly, not least in terms of academic time that could o바카라사이트rwise be spent on advancing research.

Nor is it even clear that students would welcome such efforts. The government¡¯s push for regional-language instruction comes at a time when demand for English-medium education is surging domestically given its importance in 바카라사이트 job market. IIT Jodhpur¡¯s move needs an urgent rethink.

Eldho Ma바카라사이트ws serves as a programme officer (internationalisation of higher education) at 바카라사이트 Kerala State Higher Education Council in India.