On India's 1st Hindi MBBS books, MP CM says ‘We’ll free education completely from English’

Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan asked if Germans, Russians and French can study and express their talents in their own language then why Indian children cannot do that.

Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on Sunday that they will free education “completely from English” as Union home minister Amit Shah launched India's first MBBS syllabus in Hindi as part of the state government's initiative to promote higher studies in language. Chouhan, however, said those who wants to study in English can do so, and that there is no compulsion to receive medical education solely in Hindi.

Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan. (PTI Photo/Kamal Kishore)

“Why do we have to be a slave to English language? If Chinese, Japanese, Germans, Russians, French can study & express their talents in their own respective languages & reach high positions then why can't our children do that?” the chief minister was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

Chouhan further stated that the launch of the Hindi version of medical books will benefit students who had not studied in English medium schools and therefore, failed to express their “talents because of not having knowledge of English [language]”. “This day will be written in history in golden letters,” the CM said.

Talking about creating a platform where Madhya Pradesh and other Indian states can exchange information on the Hindi MBBS books, Chouhan said that his government will share what they have prepared with other regions.

“I'll meet with chief ministers of all states regarding this. Whatever we've, we will give to others and if they (other states) do well in anything, we will take from them,” he told ANI.

The chief minister said that this year his state will begin imparting education in Hindi in as many as six engineering and as many polytechnic colleges. He added that it's their “dream” to start education in Hindi at the IITs and IIMs in Madhya Pradesh.

Indore in Madhya Pradesh has both the IIT and the IIM.

Shah launched the MBBS books in Hindi version in Bhopal in presence of Chouhan and Madhya Pradesh education minister Vishvas Kailash Sarang. Earlier, state government officials said that the books carry scientific biological terms written in Devanagari script and explanations in Hindi.

A committee of parliamentarians had recently suggested Hindi as the language for higher education in Hindi speaking states such as MP, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Bihar and Gujarat. For non-Hindi speaking states such as Tamil Nadu and the eastern regions, the panel recommended books in their respective mother language.