In a significant move, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has reportedly asked universities to allow students to write exams in local languages even if the course is offered in English medium. The university regulator said that higher education institutions play an important role in preparing textbooks and supporting the teaching-learning process in the mother tongue/local languages.
Therefore, the commission said, it was necessary to strengthen the efforts to promote such initiatives as writing textbooks in the local languages and encouraging their use in teaching, including translating standard books from other languages. The central government has been promoting local language not just in schools and universities but also in recruitment. In addition to Hindi and English, the question paper will reportedly be set in the 13 regional languages which also include Konkani.
Teaching through Indian languages is a key area of focus of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. The policy emphasizes the importance of teaching and teaching materials in the mother tongue. According to UGC Chairman M Jagadesh Kumar teaching is also being imparted in the mother tongue and local language in many college and university undergraduate programs in social sciences, commerce and science.
This has reportedly benefited students from all strata of society, particularly the disadvantaged sections and those residing in rural and remote areas. According to the UGC chairman, lack of textbooks and study materials in local languages for many of the courses in higher education, science, commerce, and professional courses is a cause for concern. Local language is vital to culture. And a society learning a local language helps in understanding the local culture and the aspects of the society which are unique to them.
