AP: All Degree Courses in English Medium From AY 2021-22

AMARAVATI: The Andhra Pradesh State Council of Higher Education (APSCHE) has stated that degree colleges should offer courses only in the English medium henceforth from the academic year 2021-22.

All private unaided and aided degrees colleges offering Telugu medium courses should submit proposals for conversion of all Telugu medium courses into English medium, with exception of languages under Part-II along with requisite documents to the Council from June 18 to 28.

It has decided to implement English medium in all non-professional degree courses like BA, BCom, BSc. The decision was taken with a view to improving job and employment opportunities for the better future of the students. 

There are 4,24,937 seats in degree colleges in the state and 2,62,805 students are enrolled this year. Of these, 65,989 are Telugu medium and 1,96,816 are English medium students. After the implementation, 65,989 students already studying Telugu medium will continue in the respective courses as usual. English medium will be implemented only for new students from the 2021–22 academic year.

Andhra Pradesh State Higher Education Council Chairman Professor K Hemachandra Reddy said that a three-pronged strategy would be implemented to educate students in all ways and improve job and employment opportunities. He said that there will be full-fledged training in three areas namely Skill Development, Language and Communication. We are designing specialized training programs to improve English speaking and writing skills while teaching the curriculum to students joining degree courses.

From the 2021–22 academic year the Board of Higher Education has suggested that all private aided and unaided colleges should convert Telugu medium courses into English medium. A statement to this effect was issued by the Council Secretary Prof. B. Sudhir Premkumar on Monday.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy decided at a review meeting on higher education on February 12 that degree colleges in the state should offer programs in English medium only from the coming new academic year. Accordingly, new and additional programs have been sanctioned. The Board of Higher Education has invited online applications to change the combination of the respective courses and convert the current medium to English medium.

The notification to this effect was issued on April 27, the Council Secretary stated. He also clarified that from the 2021–22 academic year, applications for the four-year Unaided Undergraduate (UG) Honors programs will be allowed in English only.

Also, the council suggested that all private unaided degree colleges already offering unaided courses in Telugu medium and private aided colleges should send a proposal to convert all existing Telugu medium departments into English medium.

Proposals should be submitted to the Board of Higher Education between the 18th and 28th of this month to convert courses in other disciplines other than language courses into English medium. It said it would not accept any proposals beyond the deadline.

Failure to do so will not allow the colleges to run the respective courses from 2021–22. It also directed private unaided degree colleges and private aided degree colleges to submit their proposals between the 18th and 28th of this month if they wish to withdraw UG programs in unaided programs. The council said there was no processing fee for converting the medium of the course or for the withdrawal of programs.

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