The University Grants Commission (UGC) Chairman M Jagadesh Kumar on Wednesday asked universities to let students write exams in local languages even if the course programme was offered in English.
He said that higher education institutions play an essential role in the preparation of textbooks as well as in “supporting the teaching-learning process in mother tongue/local languages”.
He added, “It is necessary to strengthen these efforts and promote such initiatives as writing textbooks in the mother tongue/local languages and encouraging their use in teaching, including translating standard books from other languages.”
Kumar further urged the Vice Chancellors of all universities to promote the translations of original writings into local languages.
“The Commission requests that students in your University be allowed to write the answers in local languages in examinations even if the programme is offered in English medium, and promote translation of original writing in local languages and use local language in the teaching-learning process at universities,” Kumar said.
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The UGC had been planning a roadmap to introduce undergraduate and postgraduate courses in regional languages in all disciplines, including commerce, humanities and science, across India.
{{/usCountry}}The UGC had been planning a roadmap to introduce undergraduate and postgraduate courses in regional languages in all disciplines, including commerce, humanities and science, across India.
{{/usCountry}}Last year in December, Kumar met representatives of international publishers to discuss translating their books as part of plans to introduce Indian language courses across disciplines.
Not just in universities, the central government has been pushing for exams to be held in local languages for government examinations too.
The department of personnel and training (DoPT) on Tuesday approved the decision to conduct the Staff Selection Commission Multitasking (non-technical) Staff (SSC MTS) examination, 2022, and CHSLE Examination, 2022, in 13 regional languages in addition to Hindi and English.
Even in the 2023-2024 Union Budget, finance minister Niramala Sitharaman had set aside ₹300.7 crore for the national institutions to promote Indian languages, an increase of 20% from 2022-23, and doubled the fund for the Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) scheme.