Promoting regional languages in higher education to enhance student engagement and success rate
The University Grants Commission (UGC) is taking steps to promote the use of regional languages in higher education. UGC Chief M Jagadesh Kumar has written a letter to all central universities, urging them to support the use of local and regional languages in teaching, learning, and assessment.
Encouraging Local Language Use
The letter suggests that universities should allow students to write exams in regional languages, even if the subject is taught in English. Additionally, it encourages universities to promote the translation of original writing into local languages.
According to the letter, “Once teaching, learning and assessment are done in the local languages, the student engagement will eventually increase, leading to an increase in the success rate. This will significantly strengthen the efforts of achieving the target of enhancing the GER (Gross Enrolment Ratio) in higher education from 27 per cent to 50 per cent by 2035.”
Seeking Information on Local Language Implementation
UGC has requested information from universities on several aspects related to the use of regional languages in higher education, including:
- The list of books referred to for teaching in local languages.
- The availability of faculty members who can understand and teach in local languages.
- Whether students can write answers in local languages.
- An action plan to promote the use of regional languages.
By promoting regional languages in higher education, the UGC aims to enhance student engagement, improve the success rate, and ultimately increase the Gross Enrolment Ratio in higher education across the country.