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Few takers for language seats
As the race to grab a coveted seat in Delhi University (DU) gathers momentum, specialising in languages other than English (Hons) still remains at the bottom of the list for most aspirants.
As the race to grab a coveted seat in Delhi University (DU) gathers momentum, specialising in languages other than English (Hons) still remains at the bottom of the list for most aspirants.
While English (Hons) has become one of the most sought after courses in DU, professors say that students shy away from other language courses such as Hindi and Sanskrit.
"The reason behind the reduced interest in other languages is that parents lay more stress on learning English, which also increases the chances of getting a job," said Amita Tiwari, head of the department (Hindi), Jesus and Mary College.
"Also, students don't know about career options after doing a course in Hindi. However, one of the biggest options that students have is to work as interpreters and language coaches. Any international organisation laps up students who are proficient in the language. Schools run by embassies also require Hindi teachers and these jobs pay very well," she added.
Students pursing language courses said that the faculty and opportunities for English and the other languages, was at par. "Most people feel that Hindi isn't a very good course to pursue. But DU has a very good faculty, which will teach you the basics of the subject first and then move on to higher concepts. We are also taught English alongside the main course, so our knowledge of both subjects is very sharp," said Himanshi Yadav, a final year student of Hindi (Hons).
At St. Stephen's College, while the number of registrations for English (Hons) has crossed 700, college officials said they had received only nine applications for Sanskrit (Hons).
"Students should not believe that a course in Sanskrit does not have any prospects. It is as good as any other Humanities subject. The problem is that the students who opt for Sanskrit are largely from a Hindi medium background, so there is a bias against them," said Ashutosh Mathur, professor of Sanskrit, St. Stephen's College.
